Early in 2023, the number of daily travelers from Japan to Hawaii reached 3,000 on January 3. In the first half of 2022, the number of daily travelers was less than 500 (excluding Golden Week), and many days thereafter did not reach 1,000, but finally exceeded 2,000 before year-end.
Why did the number of travelers from Japan to Hawaii further increase after the New Year? It is likely because Japanese residents in Hawaii who had returned to Japan during the New Year’s holiday season came back en masse on the day their children’s winter vacation ended (they were not tourists ……!). (They were not tourists! ).
Hawaii may be changing quickly this year as hotels try a different New Year’s Eve in 2023, tourism restrictions change in the New Year, and a new state governor is inaugurated.
The New Year in Hawaii is quite the opposite of the solemn atmosphere in Japan, with firecrackers going off all over the place.
It began in the 1850s when immigrants from China who came to the island as workers on sugar cane plantations brought firecrackers to celebrate the New Year, and it has become a New Year’s Eve custom unique to the island with its mixed culture. After this, January 22, the Chinese New Year, was also celebrated with firecrackers.
In Hawaii, you must obtain a permit to purchase firecrackers. Each permit costs $25. Firecrackers and fireworks are only allowed to be used from 9:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 1:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day in Oahu. In reality, however, people who can’t wait set off firecrackers in residential areas during the day on New Year’s Eve. Dogs are startled and birds fly around. In many cases, pets at home are so upset on this day that they run away.
In the evening, many cars came into Waikiki to watch the grand fireworks. And at the moment of New Year’s Eve at midnight, the fireworks that shot from the beach into the night sky were breathtaking.
A new New Year’s Eve celebration took place at The Kahala Hotel & Resort. Instead of the usual fireworks, a drone equipped with LED lights lit up the night sky. This was the first time that a drone light show was used for a countdown at a hotel in the state of Hawaii.
When we spoke to Wakako Sasaki, the hotel’s senior marketing manager, she said, “Many of our regular guests returned from all over the world for the first time in three years, so we implemented this event as a surprise for our guests. This information was not available to the public, and the neighborhood locals noticed the difference as they tried to view the annual fireworks.
The countdown began at 23:56 on December 31 and included the Kahala Resort logo design. The number of drones used for the Tokyo Olympics was 1,800. This time, 200 drones flew over the night sky at the Kahala Hotel, and the guests seemed to have enjoyed the event.
One of the reasons for this drone light show was also environmental considerations. Because drones do not emit loud noises like fireworks, they do not threaten marine life or animals. They do not emit smoke, so they do not pollute the air, soil, or ocean. They produce no garbage. Can be reused. Low risk of fire.
Mr. Sasaki told us, “Now that we know that drones can be used to create various objects, we are planning another drone light show at the Kahala Resort at the end of this year.
Of course, fireworks have their own unique power and charm, but perhaps Hawaii’s New Year’s Eve events will change in the future. …… Will sustainable firecrackers eventually be developed?
At the beginning of the New Year, many Japanese Americans and Japanese residents in Hawaii go to shrines and temples in Hawaii for Hatsumode. During the pandemic, Hatsumode was conducted online or by appointment only, but this year many worshippers visited the shrines and temples.
Finally, we look at trends in Hawaii for the first week into 2023. As for changes at tourist attractions, the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, where tours had been restricted to prevent the spread of corona, resumed tours on January 4.
Meanwhile, Kilauea Volcano, a tourist attraction on the Big Island of Hawaii, began eruptive activity again on January 5. An unprecedentedly large volume of lava reportedly spewed vigorously from the Halemaumau crater.
As for restrictions on entry into Hawaii, travelers from China have been required to present negative proof of a novel coronavirus test at the time of entry into the country since January 5.
In other news of relevance to many people in Hawaii, the rainbow license plate will be retired. However, we are confident that the new design will be inspired by Hawaii’s culture, history, and nature, just like the past designs of King Kamehameha I, Diamond Head, and other statues. No official date has been announced yet, but watch for changes in the license plates of cars on the road in Hawaii this year!
© Source travel watch
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