Four children from the Holy Family Home were welcomed to Hawai‘i after landing at the airport.

Last month, Hawai‘i was pleased to welcome and commemorate special guests from Holy Family Home orphanage in Osaka, Japan. Four 11-year-old children from Holy Family Home were greeted by more than 150 dignitaries, military personnel and community members. This was the 76th year of this tradition which started when the Wolfhounds of the 27th Infantry partnered with the children of Holy Family Home, demonstrating a remarkable alliance. The children — Umi, Kanami, Ryota and Ryuki — stayed with military host families for two weeks and enjoyed a bountiful taste of O‘ahu life.

To better understand this friendship, we must look back to 1949 — the aftermath of World War II. The Wolfhounds of the 27th Infantry were stationed in Osaka. On Christmas Day, they met the children of the Holy Family Home orphanage and were deeply moved by the difficult conditions they faced — not enough food, clothing, or shelter and a nation still rebuilding.

After seeing the poor conditions of the orphanage, the soldiers began collecting donations by passing around an Army helmet. They raised a total of $143, which was donated to the orphanage on New Year’s morning. The soldiers continued to donate every pay day. In 1957, another tradition began: every summer, children from Holy Family Home would travel here to Hawai‘i to stay with Wolfhound families, forming friendships that crossed oceans and generations.

In 2024, Governor Green was the first Hawai‘i governor to visit the Holy Family Home in Osaka and on Aug. 18, he presented a proclamation to Lt. Col. “Teddy” Borawksi, 1st Battalion Commander, marking Aug. 18, 2025, as “Wolfhounds Day.”

Mahalo to the Wolfhounds, Peace Bridge, our Japanese partners and everyone who has helped keep this incredible connection alive. Here’s to the next 75 years of friendship and aloha.