2023 Outstanding Alumna

Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto

Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto ‘77 is a traditional Japanese koto master, jazz koto musician, teacher, band leader, and filmmaker. She produced Hidden Legacy: Japanese Traditional Performing Arts in the WWII Internment Camps about Japanese music, theater, and dance behind barbed wire.
Shirley earned her “Shihan” degree (instructor’s credentials) with “Yushusho” (highest) honors and her masters “Dai Shihan” from the Chikushi Kai School based in Fukuoka, Japan.
Shirley is the director of the Murasaki Ensemble which features music from traditional to contemporary to jazz and rock, established in 1998.
In 2012, Shirley was honored by the Hokka Nichibei Kai Japanese American Cultural Association of America by being inducted into the Bunka Hall of Fame for her life-long dedication to teaching and performing on the Japanese koto.

Photo courtesy of skmkoto.com

About Outstanding Alumnae

In 1991, the Board of the Japanese American Women Alumnae of UC Berkeley decided to honor an Outstanding Alumna annually. The selection would be based on the individual’s:

academic career
contributions to the community
career accomplishments

The recipients of this award have distinguished themselves in these areas and are truly deserving of this special recognition. Their names are placed on a plaque permanently displayed in the Alumni House on the UC Berkeley campus.

Please view the slide show below to learn about each of our outstanding alumnae.

Recipients (1991-present)

1991 Yoshiye Togasaki, M.D.
1992 Mary Murai, Ph.D.
1993 Frances Yuge Kirihara
1994 Evelyn Nakano Glenn, Ph.D.
1995 Elsie Sata Baukol, M.D.
1996 Michi Onuma
1997 Ann Saito Howden
1998 Lillian Iida Matsumoto
1999 Chizu Kitano Iiyama
2000 Michiko Fujii Uchida
2001 Reiko Homma True, Ph.D.
2002 Tomoye Nozawa Takahashi
2003 Elsie Adachi Ogata
2004 Pearl Kurokawa Kimura
2005 Hideko Seto
2006 Taeko Joanne Ono Iritani
2007 Grace Noda
2008 Irene T. Miura, Ph.D.
2009 Dorothy S. Oda, RN, DNSc., FAAN
2010 Doris O. Matsui
2011 Joyce N. Takahashi, Ph.D.
2012 Sara Ishikawa
2013 Gloria Imagire
2014 Grace Amemiya
2015 Judy Sakaki, Ph.D.
2016 Kiku Hori Funabiki
2017 Amy Iwasaki Mass, DSW
2018 Margaret Koide Kusaba
2019 Lynn Nakada
2020 Betty Sasaki Furuta
2021 Chizu Omori
2022 Midori Kono Thiel
2023 Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto

2023 Outstanding Alumna

Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto

About Outstanding Alumnae

Recipients (1991-present)

Presenting our Outstanding Alumnae (1991 to present)