Source: Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines recently celebrated its fifth anniversary of Fukuoka service with a special three-day event at Tenjin’s Daimaru department store. In commemoration of the Fukuoka service and the airline’s 95th anniversary, the carrier launched an exclusive line of cute and rare miniature collectibles, also known as capsule toys, featuring four beloved Hawaiian Airlines products, including the popular loco moco in-flight meal, POG (passion orange guava) juice, sunglass sleeping mask and a small branded tote bag.
The event kicked off with remarks by Hawaiian Airlines Japan country director, Toru Sakaguchi. “When we launched Fukuoka service in 2019, we could have never expected that we would have to suspend service only a few months later due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But, as soon as we were able to resume our three-times weekly service, we did so, and we’re pleased to have carried more than 115,000 guests between Honolulu and Fukuoka in that time,” said Sakaguchi. “It’s been a privilege connecting Fukuoka and Honolulu and I thank Kyushu residents for their continued support of Hawaiian Airlines.”
Miki Miyazeki was waiting for her husband to use the department store’s restroom when her daughter asked for a “gachapon” (the Japanese term for toy capsules). So, she and her daughter, who had her eye on the orange POG juice toy, stood in line and later walked away with a vacation to Honolulu. At first, Miyazeki didn’t realize she had won the grand prize; she wondered why everyone was making a commotion about a toy, but quickly understood what had happened when she was presented with a supersized “ticket” to Hawaiʻi.
“I couldn’t believe my daughter received the winning gachapon,” said Miyazeki. “The last time I went to Hawaiʻi was seven years ago for my honeymoon…and it was on Hawaiian Airlines! I’m so excited to return this time with my daughter. Hawaiʻi is a very special place for me that I have great memories of and I’m happy to make new memories with my daughter.”
