Ring in the New Year with the ‘First Day Hike’ to Makapuʻu Lighthouse
Be among the first to witness the sun peak over the Pacific in 2025 during the annual sunrise hike to Makapuʻu Lighthouse, which is followed by an invigorating taiko drum performance.
Rising before dawn to witness the sun gradually rise above the Pacific Ocean and illuminate the Islands is a magnificent experience any time of year in Hawaiʻi. But it’s also a beautiful way to welcome the new year.
On Jan. 1, locals and visitors are invited to join the annual First Day Hike to the Makapuʻu Lighthouse on Oʻahu. The paved trail is one of the most popular morning hikes throughout the year and it’s an idyllic way to usher in the new year.
The trail is located within the Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline. On Jan. 1, the park gates open early at 5 a.m., allowing hikers ample time to reach the summit for sunrise at 7:10 a.m. It’s about one mile to the top of the trail, and hikers should bring comfortable walking shoes, water and a flashlight.
As the sun peaks above the Kaiwi Channel a ceremonial conch is blown and a Hawaiian ʻoli (chant) is performed to welcome the new year. Soon after, you’ll begin to hear the unmistakable and energizing beating of taiko drums.
“It’s very simple but it’s a wonderful way to start off the new year,” Chizuko Endo says, the co-founder of the Taiko Center of the Pacific. Her students perform every year and have been part of this park tradition since its inception.
Students of the Taiko Center of the Pacific have performed at the First Day Hike since its inception in 2012.
Photo: Courtesy of the Taiko Center of the Pacific
The First Day hike to Makapuʻu Lighthouse started in 2012 but was on a 2-year pause during the Covid-19 pandemic. The ritual was revived in 2023. The U.S. National Park Service started the tradition of holding First Day Hikes on Jan. 1 in parks across the country to encourage healthy outdoor activities all year long. The sunrise hike along the Kaiwi coastline is one of the best-attended first day hike events in the U.S. In previous years, as many as 700 people have participated.
“It feels like we’re connected with the universe,” Endo explains. “We start off in a very ceremonial way with the conch shell and ʻoli. Then the taiko brings a lot of energy.”
The Taiko Center of the Pacific was started by Chizuko and her husband, Kenny Endo, the artistic director of the school. The school is celebrating its 30th anniversary in August 2025 along with Kenny Endo’s 50th anniversary of taiko drumming.
Endo explains the visceral sounds of taiko drums are often used for celebrations and to bring people together, making it a beautiful and unique part of the new year’s hike to Makapuʻu Lighthouse.
Built in 1909 on a 600-foot sea cliff, the Makapuʻu Lighthouse sits on the eastern most point of Oʻahu. Renovations were recently made to the lighthouse, and the trail was also repaved with additional lookout points added. It’s a moderately easy trail and hikers are rewarded with breathtaking views of Oʻahu’s Windward Coast.
The Molokaʻi Channel also runs past the lighthouse making it a great spot for whale-watching during the winter months. Hikers might even spot a whale once the sun is above the horizon on Jan. 1.
