Reporter

Hikari Mae Hida

Hikari Mae Hida writes for Honolulu Civil Beat. Her first journalism job was in 2020 as a reporter-researcher in The New York Times’ Tokyo bureau, where she worked alongside foreign correspondents to report on gender, shifting demographics, and nuclear power from across Japan. She is a graduate of the Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at Columbia University and is a 2026 Pulitzer Center Reporting Fellow.

Hikari grew up in Tokyo and spent summers in the Isan region of Thailand where her maternal family lives. During her time at Civil Beat, she hopes to reflect and honor the history, culture, and lived experiences of the people of Hawai’i through her stories.

You can reach Hikari at hhida@civilbeat.org

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In A Hidden Hawaiʻi Gulch, A Wartime Secret Opens To The Public Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

In A Hidden Hawaiʻi Gulch, A Wartime Secret Opens To The Public

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Last month, the National Park Service started guided tours to Honouliuli, a former World War II internment camp.

As Flood Aid Trickles Out For North Shore, Southeast Asian Farmers Are Left Behind Thomas Heaton/Civil Beat/2026

As Flood Aid Trickles Out For North Shore, Southeast Asian Farmers Are Left Behind

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For some Thai and Laotian farmers, language barriers and immigration status stand in the way of seeking help they need after the Kona lows.

These Historic Oʻahu Homes Pay Practically No Property Tax Hikari Mae Hida/Civil Beat/2026

These Historic Oʻahu Homes Pay Practically No Property Tax

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Honolulu homes valued in the millions are getting a major tax break. One City Council member says the program is being abused.

High Grocery Bills Burden Shoppers In Hawaiʻi And Beyond

High Grocery Bills Burden Shoppers In Hawaiʻi And Beyond

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Americans across the country are changing their eating and shopping habits.

For Hawaiʻi Wheelchair Users, Air Travel Means Risking Mobility Tim Wright/Civil Beat/2026

For Hawaiʻi Wheelchair Users, Air Travel Means Risking Mobility

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Airlines damage about 1 in 100 wheelchairs they handle, national statistics show. For frequent flyers, particularly on Hawaiʻi’s neighbor islands, the risk adds up.

It’s Your Money: $125,000 On A Model Airplane Field In Kailua  Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

It’s Your Money: $125,000 On A Model Airplane Field In Kailua 

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In a time of budget trimming, the city found $125,000 to pave a runway for toy planes.

Transportation Barriers Block The Route To Opportunities For Many On Oʻahu, Study Finds Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Transportation Barriers Block The Route To Opportunities For Many On Oʻahu, Study Finds

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On the same day a study was released calling for more accessible public transportation, fares for TheBus were hiked.

Hawaiʻi Is Losing Therapists Before They Even Start. A New Law Could Help Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Hawaiʻi Is Losing Therapists Before They Even Start. A New Law Could Help

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A new policy puts Hawaiʻi on par with other states.