HONOLULU — Hawaii’s Royal Connection to Japan Tour is now available in Japanese, The Friends of Iolani Palace announced. It’s one of Iolani Palace’s most popular tours that will now allow Japanese-speaking visitors to learn about Hawaii’s relationship with Japan in their native language.

“We are proud to now be offering this unique specialty tour in Japanese, allowing us to accommodate the many Japanese visitors to Iolani Palace,” said Paula Akana, executive director of the Friends of Iolani Palace, in a news release. “We are constantly working to expand our services to improve the way we share the history and legacy of Iolani Palace with the world.”

Guests on this hour-long, docent-led tour will learn about the journey King Kalākaua undertook to Japan in 1881 as he attempted to establish a relationship, one that continues until today. Guests will be able to access restricted areas throughout the palace for an up-close look at precious objects, documents and more. They’ll also learn about people in Kalākaua’s inner circle and hear stories about his efforts to strengthen Hawaii’s position on the world stage.

Each tour is limited to six guests and is available every Wednesday at 1:15 p.m. Guests will receive a special souvenir keepsake. Visitors can request the tour in Japanese by emailing reservations@iolanipalace.org or calling 808-522-0832 at least 72 hours in advance. More information is available at the Iolani Palace website in English and Japanese. $77.95/adult and $51.95/child ages 5 through 12.

Other tours for Japanese-speaking visitors include a self-led audio tour and a Japanese docent-led tour. Visit this page for information on all available tours.

Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.