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The aloha spirit in Japan: Hawaii pop-up store at Haneda Airport breaks sales records

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1 year ago

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The aloha spirit in Japan: Hawaii pop-up store at Haneda Airport breaks sales records


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A new Hawaii-themed pop-up store is bringing the aloha spirit to Japan’s busiest airport.

More than 40 local brands are being showcased at the “Aloha Market powered by Mana Up” in Haneda Airport’s Terminal 1.

An estimated 60,000 people pass through that area of the terminal every day — both travelers and people who go to the airport to shop or eat.

“We love Hawaii,” said Roppongi resident Yoko Matsumoto. “We go to Hawaii twice a year, so I came to check it out. It’s overwhelming! Very popular with the Japanese people.”

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The pop-up market is a lucrative opportunity for Hawaii companies who want to share their products with Japan and the world.

Also in this series:
  • Hawaii delegation proposes pre-clearance program to bolster Japanese tourism
  • Special fares and chartered flights aim to reignite Japanese tourism to Hawaii

“Having people know and recognize our products is a great feeling,” said Ruth Hashisaka, president of Kauai Kookie.

Since its debut on Nov. 15, the Aloha Market has broken the records for opening day sales and sales in the first week of any pop-up store ever opened at Haneda.

“This is a wonderful demonstration of Hawaii’s authentic and quality products, many of which are award winning. It’s exciting that we have three companies here that have never been in Japan before,” said Mana Up co-founder Meli James.

Noho Home is one of those companies making its debut in Japan.

Founder Jalene Kanani says she’s grateful for the chance to share her story and Hawaii-inspired home decor with the international community.

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Our Casey Lund and Ashley Nagaoka report live from Tokyo as they tag along with Gov. Josh Green in his effort to bring Japanese visitors back to Hawaii.

“It’s been wonderful. The traffic is amazing. I mean, we’re in the middle of an airport,” Kanani said.

The market is an initiative that came from the state’s Japan Export Accelerator program — run by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. It helps both established and emerging brands with product development, marketing, and export logistics.

“It’s always a challenge to bring products here. The paperwork to get product to Japan it is quite a lot,” Hashisaka said.

With Hawaii’s Japanese visitor arrival numbers still struggling at around 38-percent of pre-pandemic levels, Gov. Josh Green hopes the market will inspire new and returning travelers to visit to the islands.

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“We know people here in Japan love Hawaii, but its gotten so expensive with the yen. This market helps people get a little taste of Hawaii and then their next trip we expect will be back to our home,” the governor said.

The Aloha Market will be open until November 30th. But because its already a huge success, state leaders say airport executives want to keep Hawaii at Haneda.

“They said we’re going to give you the permanent store so let’s start working on that now,” said Jimmy Tokioka, DBEDT director.

Copyright 2023 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.



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Hawaii

College football's Hawaii Bowl highlights slowest sports day of 2024

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8 hours ago

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December 24, 2024

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College football's Hawaii Bowl highlights slowest sports day of 2024


Sports fans can breathe easy on Christmas Eve as there will only be one game played on Tuesday before a full buffet of games on Christmas Day.

College football aficionados will be happy to know there is one bowl game on the slate. The Hawaii Bowl between South Florida and San Jose State. The game will start at 8 p.m. ET.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

South Florida Bulls quarterback Israel Carter runs the ball against the Florida Atlantic Owls at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida, Nov. 1, 2024. (Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images)

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The Bulls finished 6-6 on the season and earned a second straight bowl game under head coach Alex Golesh. They had the same record last season before entering and winning the Boca Raton Bowl over Syracuse, 45-0.

The Spartans finished the season 7-5 overall in Ken Niumatalolo’s first season at the helm. The team is on a three-bowl-game losing streak. They lost the Hawaii Bowl last season and the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 2022. The Spartans also lost the Arizona Bowl in 2020.

San Jose State hasn’t won a bowl game since the 2015 Cure Bowl under Ron Caragher.

Ken Niumatalolo coaches

San Jose State Spartans head coach Ken Niumatalolo after their win over the Stanford Cardinal at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, California, Nov. 29, 2024. (Eakin Howard-Imagn Images)

TEXAS FOOTBALL MASCOT BEVO BARRED FROM SIDELINES OF UPCOMING CFP GAME, ORGANIZERS SAY

Sports fans looking for some action should take it all in and be able to get some sleep before opening presents and starting Christmas Day at noon ET with NBA games.

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The NFL also has games on Christmas Day for the second straight year – a two-game menu featuring the Kansas City Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET and the Houston Texans hosting the Baltimore Ravens at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Patrick Mahomes tackled

Browns defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. and linebacker Devin Bush rush Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland on Dec. 15, 2024. (Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)

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College football will return on Dec. 26 and the NHL will be back on Dec. 27.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.





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Nebraska tops Hawaii 69-55, will play Oregon State in title game of Diamond Head Classic

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16 hours ago

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December 24, 2024

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Nebraska tops Hawaii 69-55, will play Oregon State in title game of Diamond Head Classic


Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — Brice Williams matched his career high with 32 points and Juwon Gary scored a season-high 21 to lead Nebraska to a 69-55 victory over Hawaii on Monday night, sending the Cornhuskers to the title game of the Diamond Head Classic.

Nebraska (9-2) will play Oregon State on Christmas Day for the championship of the eight-team tournament. Hawaii (7-4) will play Oakland for third place, also on Wednesday.

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Williams made 10 of 18 shots with four 3-pointers and all eight of his free throws for the Cornhuskers (10-2), who have won three in a row and will play for their first tournament title since the 2018 Hall of Fame Classic. Gary buried 8 of 10 shots with three 3-pointers and both of his foul shots.

Williams had 11 points and Gary scored eight to help Nebraska take a 29-27 lead into halftime. Marcus Greene had nine points to keep Hawaii close.

Williams and Gary combined to score 34 of the Cornhuskers’ 40 points in the second half. The senior duo combined to make 13 of 18 shots while their teammates made 3 of 9.

The Rainbow Warriors scored the first four points of the second half to grab the lead. Williams answered with a layup and a 3-pointer and Nebraska never trailed again.

Greene led Hawaii with 11 points. Kody Williams and Akira Jacobs both scored 10.

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Nebraska has won 34 in a row when holding its opponent to 70 points or less.

Hawaii leads the series 7-3 with all 10 games being played in Honolulu. The two teams had not met since the 2014 event.

____ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-toWp-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball



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Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts, spewing columns of lava

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24 hours ago

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December 23, 2024

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Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts, spewing columns of lava


LOS ANGELES — 

One of the world’s most active volcanoes sprang into life again Monday, spewing columns of lava 80 meters above Hawaii, U.S. vulcanologists said.

Images showed enormous fissures in the caldera of Kilauea, on Hawaii’s Big Island, spraying jets of molten rock into the air.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the eruption began just after 2 a.m. local time (1200 GMT) in the southwestern section of the caldera.

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“At 4:30 a.m., lava fountains were observed with heights up to 80 meters [262 feet],” the agency said.

“Molten material, including lava bombs, is being ejected from the winds on the caldera floor up onto the west caldera rim.”

The eruption was also sending matter much higher into the atmosphere.

“The plume of volcanic gas and fine volcanic particles is reaching elevations of 6,000-8,000 feet above sea level … and winds are transporting it to the southwest,” the observatory said.

The observatory said sulfur dioxide emanating from the fissure would react with other gases in the atmosphere.

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So-called vog — volcanic smog — can affect people and animals, as well as crops.

Kilauea has been very active since 1983 and erupts relatively regularly, including most recently in September.

It is one of six active volcanoes in the Hawaiian Islands, which include Mauna Loa, the largest volcano in the world, though Kilauea is far more active.



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