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 Hawaiʻi through her stories.
You can reach Hikari at hhida@civilbeat.org
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Hawaiʻi Mormon Population Growing, Diversifying In U.S.
The history of Latter-day Saints in Hawaiʻi can be traced back to the 1850s.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023
HMSA’s Medicare Changes Could Increase Costs For Thousands
HMSA sent a letter to 16,000 kūpuna saying they will no longer have access to their current insurance plan.
Jamm Aquino/Civil Beat/2026
Happier Days Coming For Neighbors Of Collapsed ‘So Stink’ Dim Sum Restaurant
Some clean-up is underway at Kaimukī’s longtime dim sum eatery where the ceiling collapsed, food rotted.
Jamm Aquino/Civil Beat/2026
‘So Stink’: Flies And Stench Overwhelm Collapsed Dim Sum Restaurant
The ceiling of a Kaimukī eatery caved-in, leaving diners to evacuate. A month later, the leftover food remains untouched, swarming with flies.
Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026
Hawaiʻi Has A Physician Shortage – But A Lot Of Dermatologists
The number of physicians in Hawaiʻi rose last year, but so did demand.
Jamm Aquino/Civil Beat/2026
Fewer Tourists, But They’re Spending More. Is This What Hawaiʻi Wanted?
Hawai‘i has long struggled with issues surrounding overtourism, but recent visitor trends may signal long-term problems for the state’s biggest industry.
AP
Abortion Pill Use Has Tripled In Hawaiʻi Over Past Decade
Medication abortion has nearly tripled compared to procedural abortion over the past decade. The Trump administration is pushing to restrict access.
Getty Images
Accused Of Violating Patients, A Hawaiʻi Doctor Still Practices
Nine women accused Dr. Gregory Yim of performing unnecessary breast exams that violated their sense of trust. The Hawaiʻi Medical Board has taken no action.
Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026
This Form Of Japanese Buddhism In Hawaiʻi Could Disappear
Hongwanji temples were valued by early immigrants from Japan. But as congregations age, some say ties to Japan must be watered down for the sect to have a future in the islands.