I had the chance to visit Hawaii for the first time. Hawaii is home to Pearl Harbor, where the Imperial Japanese Navy, led by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, a native of Nagaoka, Niigata, launched a surprise attack in 1941, marking the beginning of the Pacific War. I also learned that the battleship Missouri, now docked at Pearl Harbor, served as the venue for the signing ceremony that officially ended the war. This makes Hawaii a symbolic place representing both the beginning and the end of the war. Interestingly, Nagaoka and Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii, are now sister cities. Each year, Nagaoka’s famous fireworks are featured at the Honolulu Festival, symbolizing peace and friendship. As December 8 marks the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, it serves as a reminder that the peaceful days we now enjoy came at a great cost. Many lives were lost during the war. (148 words)