Shin Koyamada Appointed as an International Goodwill Ambassador

March 24, 2010 - PRLog -- Okayama, Japan March 24, 2010 -- Actor Shin Koyamada, star of The Last Samurai and Wendy Wu Homecoming Warrior movies, was named the International Goodwill Ambassador of Okayama Prefecture in Japan on February 17th, 2010. In recognition of his commitment to promoting Okayama and Japanese culture around the world, the honor of International Goodwill Ambassador was bestowed upon Koyamada by the honorable Governor of Okayama Prefecture Masahiro Ishii during a simple ceremony held in one of Okayama Prefecture’s Government Offices in Okayama City. As a citizen of Japan and a United States Permanent Resident, Koyamada has been actively involved in international philanthropic endeavors spanning two continents.

Koyamada says, “Apart from Okayama Prefecture’s established commerce and industrial variety, there is a great diversity in cultural sites such as Okayama Korakuen Garden, tea houses, Okayama Castle and various temples. Traditional and pop culture are uniquely intertwined as the Bizen Osafune Japanese Sword Museum holds onto the old ways of swordsmithing and the Japanese Manga Vagabond melds a contemporary literary art form with the legend of Japan’s greatest samurai warrior Musashi Miyamoto, who also happens to be Okayama-born. Furthermore, one of Japan’s other well known Manga pieces Naruto was created by Okayama native Masashi Kishimoto. I am thoroughly looking forward to learning more and to promoting Okayama and Japan any way I can”

About Shin Koyamada
Shin Koyamada became an international sensation and a new Hollywood rising celebrity after his co-starring role of Nobutada, alongside Tom Cruise in Warner Bros. Pictures action epic The Last Samurai. His star power was further cemented with his starring role in the Disney Channel action-adventure original movie series Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior, which was one of the top rated Disney Channel original movies ever, securing over 5.7 million viewers during its American premiere on US television. The film also received the highest rating in the history of Disney Channel Japan as well as broke records in the United Kingdom and Europe, making the Disney Channel the highest rated kids channel in Europe. Koyamada is also the co-founder of The Shin Koyamada Foundation, a United States nonprofit organization geared toward empowering youth to achieve their goals and dreams, and to save the Earth. For more information please visit www.shinkoyamada.com (English) or www.shinkoyamada.jp (Japanese)

About Okayama
Okayama City, the capital of Okayama Prefecture, is a thriving commercial, industrial and cultural hub in the Chugoku district of Western Japan. It is also a major gateway to Inland Sea National Park and Shikoku, the nation’s fourth largest island. The area is blessed with a beautiful landscape that offers a different view with each passing season. Numerous landmarks, such as the palatial Okayama Castle (famously known as ‘Crow Castle’), dot the city with their images of grandeur and history. The Castle’s distinct black exterior presents an ominous appearance that writhes with mystery and imagination of times past. Constructed in 1597, it currently serves as a museum to the prefecture. Okayama Castle also gleams with a glorious panoramic view of the city, Asahi River and the Okayama Korakuen Garden. Undergoing constant improvements since the 1700s, the Okayama Korakuen Garden is designated as one Japan’s three premier and most admired parks. Designed in the “Kaikyu” (scenic promenade) style, each turn in the garden’s winding path presents visitors with new surprising viewpoints of streams, ponds, hills and tea houses. Okayama is also home to several astounding art museums like the Yumeji Art Museum that celebrates works from the turn of the century ‘Art Nouveau’ movement. The Momotaro (literally translated “Peach Boy”), a popular Japanese folklore hero, is also a well-known storied figure based on Okayama myths. For more information visit www.pref.okayama.jp/kikaku/kokusai/momo/e/