Andrew Tsubaki, Kansas University professor emeritus of theater and film, will receive the Order of the Sacred Treasure (Zuihou Shojushou) in recognition of his lifetime devotion to using education to pass along the traditions of Japanese culture.

The award will be presented Jan. 19 in Chicago by the consulate general of Japan during an annual gathering of the Greater Kansas City Japan-America Society.

The Order of the Sacred Treasure was given to three Japanese natives this year. The two other recipients live in Thailand and Australia.

Tsubaki taught and directed productions at KU from 1968 to 2000 in the department of theater and film and in Japanese language and culture.

He was a driving force behind the annual Greater Kansas City Japan Festival. He also has been active with the Lawrence Sister Cities organization and is on the group’s advisory board.