In front of you is The Peninsula, opened on 11 December 1928 by the Kadoorie family with the ambition of being «the finest hotel east of Suez». It stood opposite the ocean liner quays and next to the Canton railway station: whoever arrived in Kowloon arrived here.

1Black Christmas

On 8 December 1941, hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan invaded Hong Kong. After eighteen days of fighting, on 25 December Governor Sir Mark Young crossed the harbour and surrendered at the Japanese headquarters, set up on the third floor of this hotel. Hong Kong people call that day «Black Christmas».

The governor was held in a suite before being moved as a prisoner to Shanghai. The hotel was renamed the Tōa Hotel and reserved for Japanese officers. So began the «three years and eight months» of occupation, which ended in August 1945.

2Post-war luxury

With its name restored, The Peninsula became the city's great drawing room once again. In 1994 a 30-storey tower with a helipad was added, keeping the original façade. Afternoon tea in the lobby is a tradition dating back to colonial times.

From this corner in 1928 you could see the sea and the ocean liners; today museums and waterfront buildings block much of the view.

3What to look for

  • The Rolls-Royces painted «Peninsula green».
  • The stone lions at the entrance.
  • The 1928 façade set against the 1994 tower.

Documented

The hotel opened on 11 December 1928; on 25 December 1941 Governor Mark Young surrendered at the Japanese headquarters set up here, and the hotel was called the Tōa Hotel during the occupation.

Sources and credits

The Peninsula Hong Kong, «Our history» (official website); Philip Snow, «The Fall of Hong Kong: Britain, China and the Japanese Occupation» (2003); Tony Banham, «Not the Slightest Chance: The Defence of Hong Kong, 1941» (2003).

Photos:

  • White façade of The Peninsula hotel with blue-striped awnings, an entrance canopy and two stone lions: 93MAINGMaisee Hungom, CC0.

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