The journey from her native city of Kawasaki in Japan to winning Spain’s most prestigious flamenco dancing prize took more than 20 years. But Junko Hagiwara, 48, has pulled off the feat, becoming the first foreigner to win the award — prompting both applause and outrage.
Known by her stage name of La Yunko, her victory last month at Spain’s leading flamenco festival — Cante de las Minas in La Unión in the southeastern region of Murcia — has rocked the traditional art form.
Hagiwara’s victory was not universally welcomed, despite her having lived in Seville for more than 20 years
ANTONIO PEREZ
Her triumph “provoked protests and jeers among the audience and a great stir on social networks … one can see a clear prejudice that sometimes borders on the racist”, noted El País. The newspaper added: “They seem to say that if
