Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui
For more than 25 years, I’ve been sharing Hawai‘i’s haunted history, weaving together folklore, history, and firsthand accounts to bring our ghost stories to life. As a Native Hawaiian born and raised on O‘ahu, I grew up listening to traditional mo‘olelo from my kupuna, stories that shaped my passion for preserving our islands’ supernatural and cultural heritage. That passion has led me to a lifetime of storytelling, earning a special citation from the Hawai‘i State Legislature for my work in keeping these legends alive.
My wife, Tanya, and I run Mysteries of Hawai‘i, a locally owned ghost tour company dedicated to exploring the eerie and unexplained. Tanya, a lifelong horror enthusiast and researcher of hauntings and native legends, and I have co-authored Hawaii’s Night Marchers: A History of the Huaka‘i Po and Kahuna, our first full-length novel.
We are thrilled to share our love for Hawaii’s history, haunted and otherwise, with Aloha State Daily readers. Hawai‘i has some of the most chilling and fascinating supernatural tales in the world, and we can’t wait to bring them to you.
Latest from Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Beware Nu‘uanu Pali Drive
Lush and beautiful as it may be, Nu‘uanu Valley also has a dark side as the site of the battle that defined King Kamehameha's Hawai‘i and as the home to infamously haunted Morgan's Corner.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJune 04, 2025

Smoke and Whispers at the State Capitol
Something more than the memory of thousands of failed bills haunts the State Capitol, possibly including a gubernatorial ghost.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMay 28, 2025

Strange occurrences at Diamond Head
The legend of Hawaii’s night marchers has endured over time, and the ghostly procession is still seen today all around the islands, even at Lē‘ahi, the Hawaiian name for Diamond Head.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMay 21, 2025

The Haunting Legacy of Ali‘iōlani Hale
The Massie Case may still haunt this building — literally!
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMay 14, 2025

Mysterious Whispers at Kawaiaha‘o
Spectral experiences at Kawaiaha‘o Church and its neighboring cemetery, which sit on lands in use by Hawaiians since before Westerners arrived.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMay 07, 2025

Lost Time at Topa Tower
Weird experiences at the site of the former Honolulu Fort suggest that the boundaries between past, present and future might be porous.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 30, 2025

A Hair Pulling Ghost at the Pier
Honolulu's waterfront changed dramatically 100 years ago, but the presence of an even older past did not.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 23, 2025

A Haunting at a Princely Hotel
Hospitals, and the places where they once stood, can be a source of strange experiences. Here, our columnists share a firsthand account.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 16, 2025
Hawaiian History Meets Feng Shui
Looking into the eerie energies surrounding the Mānoa Chinese Cemetery.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 09, 2025

Bringing Pork Over the Pali
Kama‘āina know itʻs bad luck. Even visitors have heard itʻs bad luck. But do you know why?
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 02, 2025

The cave of an ancient shark god
On the Wai‘anae Coast near Mākua is Kāneana Cave. In distant ages, the cave was underwater and the home of the shark god, Kāmohoali‘i. His romance with a mortal woman produced a son with a terrifying nature.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 26, 2025

Eerie Impressions in Iwilei
The land beneath the Iwilei Salvation Army building has a dark history.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 19, 2025

Haunted Hānaiakamalama
This storied house in Nu‘uanu Valley was well known more than a century ago for its many frightening experiences, from the sound of footsteps to visions of a disembodied head.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 12, 2025

The eerie history of Chinatown's Hocking Hale
This week, ASD launches a weekly column by Robert and Tanya Kapanui, historians and co-owners of the popular ghost tour, Mysteries of Hawai‘i. Together, they'll take readers on a journey into the historic, spiritual and supernatural dimensions of Hawai‘i places.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 05, 2025