For the first time, the public will have an opportunity to visit the historic grounds of Honouliuli National Historic Site through limited guided tours beginning July 18, 2026, marking 80 years since the closure of the internment camp in 1946.
In partnership with Hawaii’s Plantation Village, the National Park Service is expanding public access to one of Hawaiʻi’s most significant World War II sites while commemorating its complex history of incarceration, martial law, and resilience.
Located in West Oʻahu, Honouliuli was the largest and longest-used incarceration site in Hawaiʻi during World War II. Opened in 1943, the camp unjustly detained U.S. residents and citizens of Japanese and European ancestry. It also housed more than 4,000 prisoners of war from Okinawa, Korea, Japan, Italy, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
The guided tours are part of a series of special events and activities taking place from June through September, developed in collaboration with community partners to deepen public understanding of the site’s historical significance.
Among the featured programs is the documentary Voices Behind Barbed Wire: Stories of Hawaiʻi, produced by the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi (JCCH). Following screenings, audiences will have the opportunity to participate in panel discussions with filmmaker Ryan Kawamoto of Kinetic Productions, former JCCH President and Executive Director Carole Hayashino, and Honouliuli National Historic Site Superintendent Christine Ogura.
These screenings and discussions will be held on Kauaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island, bringing the story of Honouliuli to communities across the state.
To further engage residents statewide, the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System will host pop-up exhibits at libraries in Kailua-Kona, Hilo, Līhuʻe, Molokaʻi, Wailuku, and Lānaʻi during the documentary screening months.
Music and the arts will also play an important role in honoring the site’s legacy. In partnership with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra, musicians will perform pieces inspired by a violin once used at the camp during an Oʻahu documentary screening.
Additional programming includes a speaker series featuring both virtual and in-person talks that explore remembrance through art, architecture, institutions, the legal system, and technology.
The commemorative events will culminate on September 27 with a finale program at the Hawaiʻi Theatre. The event will feature performances by members of the Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony, taiko master Kenny Endo, and acclaimed ukulele artist Jake Shimabukuro, who will debut an original composition inspired by Honouliuli.
For Okinawan descendants in Hawaiʻi, Honouliuli holds particular historical significance. Among the thousands of prisoners of war detained at the site were individuals from Okinawa, whose experiences form an important chapter in the broader story of wartime Hawaiʻi and the lasting impacts of conflict on local communities.
All events are supported by Pacific Historic Parks, the philanthropic partner of Honouliuli National Historic Site, which assists with preservation, interpretation, education, research, and visitor services.
Tour information and event updates are available on the Honouliuli National Historic Site website and social media channels.
Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America’s treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of current and future generations.
