In A Hidden Hawaiʻi Gulch, A Wartime Secret Opens To The Public
Summary
A secret World War II detention site in Hawaiʻi called Honouliuli has opened to the public for the first time since it closed 80 years ago. The site held Japanese Americans and others suspected of disloyalty during the war under martial law, but only a small number of people were imprisoned there compared to the mainland U.S. camps.Key Facts
- Honouliuli National Historic Site opened for public tours starting July 18, 2026, after being closed for 80 years.
- The site was a wartime detention camp on Oʻahu, operating from 1943 to 1946.
- It held around 4,000 prisoners, including Japanese Americans, Korean and Okinawan conscripts, and European Americans suspected of disloyalty.
- The camp was called "Jigoku Dani," meaning "Hell Valley," because of its hot, windless location.
- After the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941, the U.S. military imposed martial law in Hawaiʻi and detained suspects without charges.
- Unlike the mainland, where whole Japanese American families were relocated, only about 400 individuals were detained in Hawaiʻi out of a population with nearly 40% Japanese ancestry.
- Those detained were typically community leaders and influential figures rather than entire families.
- Honouliuli is now managed by the National Park Service, offering free guided tours with over 1,800 people on the waiting list.
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