Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui
For more than 25 years, Iâve been sharing Hawaiâiâs haunted history, weaving together folklore, history, and firsthand accounts to bring our ghost stories to life. As a Native Hawaiian born and raised on Oâahu, I grew up listening to traditional moâolelo from my kupuna, stories that shaped my passion for preserving our islandsâ supernatural and cultural heritage. That passion has led me to a lifetime of storytelling, earning a special citation from the Hawaiâi State Legislature for my work in keeping these legends alive.
My wife, Tanya, and I run Mysteries of Hawaiâi, 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 Hawaiiâs Night Marchers: A History of the Huakaâi Po and Kahuna, our first full-length novel.Â
We are thrilled to share our love for Hawaiiâs history, haunted and otherwise, with Aloha State Daily readers. Hawaiâi has some of the most chilling and fascinating supernatural tales in the world, and we canât wait to bring them to you.
Latest from Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

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 MÄnoa Chinese Cemetery.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 09, 2025

Bringing Pork Over the Pali
KamaâÄina know itÊ»s bad luck. Even visitors have heard itÊ»s bad luck. But do you know why?
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 02, 2025

The cave of an ancient shark god
On the Waiâanae Coast near MÄkua is KÄneana Cave. In distant ages, the cave was underwater and the home of the shark god, KÄmohoaliâi. 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 HÄnaiakamalama
This storied house in Nuâuanu 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 Hawaiâi. Together, they'll take readers on a journey into the historic, spiritual and supernatural dimensions of Hawaiâi places.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 05, 2025