Amy Hānaiali‘i arrives in Japan

June 23, 2011

Diane Seo,

By Amy Hānaiali‘i
Special to Nonstop

Mushiatsui desu ne!

So we arrived at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, or for all of you at home in Hawai‘i, 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. We got out of the airport and the humidity hit us… Women, you know what that does to your hair, right? But it’s great to be here.

My first trip ever to Japan was 15 years ago with my dear friends Robert & Roland Cazimero. We stayed in the Hotel Okura Tokyo, where I am staying on this trip. It brings back great memories of my first time. The hotel is in the Minato, Tokyo Prefecture. It’s not too far from one of the neatest places on earth — the Tsukiji Market! If we have time, I’ll try to check it out and send some pictures.

After we checked in and settled down, we went out to eat at a little okazu-ya near our hotel. I had pork tonkatsu — can I just say you can’t beat Japanese food in Japan… hehehe. The tonkatsu batter was flaky, the pork was cooked perfectly, and the miso soup had little clams in it… oishiikatta yo!

Went back to the hotel to get some much needed rest and get used to the time change.

I was in and out of bed through most of the morning and felt what we thought was an aftershock. Instead it was a 6.7 earthquake. Thankfully, we’re all okay, but it certainly made me reflect on that day in March. Part of my reason to come back to Japan is to help pay tribute to the graciousness Japan and her people have shown me throughout my career.

Ever since we got here, so many people have been telling me to tell the people of Hawai‘i thank you for raising money and supporting the people of Japan throughout this ordeal.