*This story was originally published on March 3, 2020, and updated in February 2026. During Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868), families began displaying hina-ningyo or dolls, on the third day of the third month. Timed with the blooming of vibrant pink peach blossoms, displaying hina-ningyo was believed to ward off evil spirits. The custom became known […]
*This story was originally published on Dec. 31, 2019. People worldwide are welcoming the new year with spectacular firework shows and glasses of Champagne. In Hawaiʻi, we celebrate with popping firecrackers (to ward off evil spirits), eating noodles (which symbolize longevity), cleaning our homes (so you don’t carry your old life into the new year)
Ten years ago, I lived in a cul-de-sac in Hawaii Kai in East Honolulu that, every New Year’s, turned into a neighborhood mochi factory. The Mahoe family lived directly across the street and had been pounding mochi (Japanese rice cake) in their garage for generations. About 200 people would gather there on Jan. 1, starting
