Shuichi and Taneyo Fujiwara, immigrants from Shikoku, Japan, were in San Francisco during the 1906 earthquake. The lost everything they owned in the earthquake and went back to Japan. They were returning to San Francisco, stopped in Hawai‘i and decided to stay. They purchased a nearly 1-acre property on Alewa Heights and opened Shunchoro Teahouse (Spring Tide Restaurant) in 1921. “A customer named Yoshikawa used to come here during the day for tea or beer.” Takeo Yoshikawa, a Japanese spy, arrived in Honolulu on March 27, 1941.

“I assumed my job was to help prepare for an attack on Pearl Harbor and I worked night and day getting necessary information.” “(M)y favorite viewing place was a lovely Japanese teahouse overlooking the harbor. It was called ‘Shunchoro.’ I knew what ships were in, how heavily they were loaded, who their officers were, and what supplies were on board.” The government took over Shunchoro Teahouse during World War II and converted the building into an emergency fire and first-aid station. It later reopened and later changed its name to Natsunoya Tea House.