MHCC student wins trip to Japan with heartfelt speech

Published 2:09 pm Thursday, May 7, 2026

A pair of local college students shone at an annual competition, with one winning a trip to Japan as a grand prize.

Rin Nguyen, a second-year Japanese student studying at Mt. Hood Community College, was the grand champion at the 30th annual Toyama Cup, hosted by the Japan-America Society of Oregon. That honor earned him a trip to Toyama Prefecture, a mountainous part of Japan known for its hot springs and ski areas.

The Toyama Cup is a statewide Japanese speech contest for students studying Japanese. They compete by giving speeches in Japanese that cover a wide range of topics, from global issues and personal relationships to the many ways students have found connection through Japanese culture, including language, art, and exchange.

Nguyen’s speech, “Thank You, Grandma,” was about his experience and growth as a caretaker for his grandmother, who suffers from dementia. He topped eight other competitors, including Eliana Bly (Lewis & Clark College) and Arfaan Karim (University of Oregon), who finished second and third, respectively.

Mario Estrada Pena, another MHCC second-year Japanese student, took third place in Level 1 (lower division) with his speech: “Reaching Zero Through Wrestling.”

Oregon is a sister state with the Toyama Prefecture. The speech contest debuted in 1996. The trips are funded by folks in Japan. Learn more about the Japan-America Society of Oregon online: jaso.org/