Waimea Valley, Oʻahu Featured in “Hawaii from Age 65” Project by Hawaiʻi Tourism Japan
俳優・寺島進さんが応援団長に就任！「65歳からのハワイ」プロジェクト発表会レポート｜ハワイ州観光局公式日本語サイト
Waimea Valley|Hawaii State Tourism Authority Official Japanese Site
[English Translation] [Post-Event Release] Actor Susumu Terajima Appointed as Support Captain!
“Hawaii from Age 65” Project Launch Event Report
April 2026
Hawaii Tourism Japan Office
The Hawaii Tourism Japan Office (Location: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Ryuta Teramoto; hereafter referred to as Hawaii Tourism) launched a new project today called “Hawaii from Age 65”, aimed at promoting and revitalizing travel to Hawaii among senior travelers.
To commemorate the launch of this project, a media presentation event was held on April 28 (Tuesday), Senior Citizens’ Day.
In addition to the recent recovery trend in Japanese visitors traveling to Hawaii, approximately one in three people in Japan belongs to the senior generation, and about 80% of them are considered “active seniors” who live independently without difficulty. Based on this social background, the project was created.
At the event, Hawaii Tourism introduced a new style of travel through cross-industry collaboration. Actor Susumu Terajima, who was appointed as the project’s “Support Captain,” also appeared on stage. He shared behind-the-scenes stories from filming in Hawaii and talked passionately—and at times with warm smiles—about the unique appeal of Hawaii that can be fully appreciated with age.
“Don’t Give Up Traveling Because of Age”
Supporting Hawaii Travel Across the Entire Industry
At the event, Hawaii Tourism Deputy Director Ayaka Takahashi explained the strategic background of the “Hawaii from Age 65” project.
Through this initiative, she proposed a new travel style where people can fully enjoy Hawaii in their own way, regardless of age.
She emphasized encouraging active seniors—who value how they spend their time and invest in meaningful experiences—to take on new challenges and enrich their lives through travel.
The project also introduced:
a promotional project movie
a dedicated project website
travel products tailored to diverse senior needs
information designed to reduce concerns about traveling
Additionally, Hawaii Tourism called for partners across industries to join and help promote “Hawaii from Age 65.”
The project slogan is:
“Enjoy It—Because You’re Older.”
Susumu Terajima in an Aloha Shirt
“Your 60s Are the Second Half of Life—Recharge with Hawaii’s Sun!”
At the event, Tourism Agency Counselor Kyoko Negoro also gave remarks:
“The Japan Tourism Agency is focusing on restoring and expanding outbound travel through new policies and the Basic Plan for the Promotion of a Tourism Nation. Our goal is to exceed the 20.08 million outbound travelers recorded in 2019 by 2030 and achieve a new all-time high.
Currently, the overseas travel rate for people in their 60s and older is only 6% for men and 4% for women. Through the U.S.-Japan Tourism Exchange Promotion Campaign 2026, conducted with JATA, we hope this project becomes an opportunity to increase outbound travel to the U.S. among seniors.”
She expressed strong expectations for the project.
Strong Support from JATA
JATA Vice Chairman Jun Sakai also appeared and stated:
“With this campaign targeting seniors and such a strong support captain in place, we feel very encouraged.
Passport renewal rates among seniors are currently the lowest, but considering Japan’s population structure, revitalizing the senior generation—the largest demographic—is essential.
This generation also strongly values deepening family connections. For us, this is a long-awaited campaign and could become a major turning point for the travel industry.
We have high expectations and intend to participate fully and proactively.”
Hawaii Travel Numbers Continue to Rise
Masahiko Inada of Hawaii Tourism also commented:
“We launched this project today, April 28, to coincide with Senior Citizens’ Day.
Currently, the number of Japanese visitors to Hawaii is about 732,000. Compared to approximately 708,000 in 2024, that represents a 3.3% increase, and the trend remains strong in 2026.
January and February alone showed a 6.6% increase year-over-year. This Golden Week, visitor numbers are also expected to be 10–20% higher than last year.
We estimate around 750,000 visitors to Hawaii this year.”
He added that:
seniors
affluent travelers
repeat visitors
make up a large portion of Hawaii travelers.
The average traveler age rose from 42.9 years in 2016 to 47.1 years in January 2026, clearly showing the increase in senior travelers.
He emphasized that Hawaii should no longer be promoted simply as a destination, but as a place of valuable experiences and meaningful memories.