Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

ʻĀina Mauna

ʻĀina Mauna, or mountain lands, reflects a term used affectionately by elder Hawaiians to describe the upper regions of all mountain lands.

In pre-Contact times, these upper forested lands were left relatively untouched, as they were integral to the functioning of the ahupua‘a due to the water they provided to the lowlands. These upland forests were considered wao akua (“realm of the gods”) and were therefore protected by kapu.  (Iwashita)

Small cultivated areas were located primarily in the lowlands, which were extensively cleared for agriculture.  Most permanent settlement initially was near the ocean and at sheltered beaches, which provided access to good fishing grounds, as well as facilitating convenient canoe travel.

Koa tree canoe logs were cut from the ʻĀina Mauna; it is estimated that it takes up to 125-years or more to grow a koa tree large enough for a voyaging canoe.

Traditional dwellings (hale pili) were constructed of native woods lashed together with cordage most often made from olonā. Pili grass was a preferred thatching. Lauhala (pandanus leaves) or ti leaf bundles, called pe‘a, were other covering materials used.

In addition, implements incorporated into hula were made of wood and other forest products.  Weapons used wood products for spears, daggers, clubs, shark tooth and other wooden weapons.

With ‘Contact’ came changes to the ʻĀina Mauna.

In 1778, Captain Cook left goats and pigs.  In 1793, Captain George Vancouver gave Kamehameha cattle (which he placed a kapu on to allow herds to grow.)  In 1803, American Richard Cleveland presented horses ‐ a stallion and a mare ‐ to Kamehameha.

The goats, pigs and cattle started to have negative impacts on the Islands’ mauka lands.

On top of that, ʻiliahi (sandalwood) became first recognized as a commercial product in Hawai‘i in 1791 by Captain Kendrick of the Lady Washington, when he instructed sailors to collect cargo of sandalwood.

Trade in Hawaiian sandalwood began in the early-1790s; by 1805 it had become an important export item. Unfortunately, the harvesting of the trees was not sustainably managed (they cut whatever they could, they didn’t replant) and over-harvesting of ʻiliahi took place.

By 1830, the trade in sandalwood had completely collapsed.  Hawaiian forests were exhausted and sandalwood from India and other areas in the Pacific drove down the price in China and made the Hawaiian trade unprofitable.

Through King Kamehameha III’s Act No. 2, Chapter III, Article I, Chapter VI, Section VII of April 27, 1846, ‘forestry’ began in Hawaiʻi.

“The forests and timber growing therein, shall be considered as government property, and under the special care of the minister of the interior, who may from time to time convert the products thereof into money for the benefit of government.”

By the late-1800s, the sugar industry had been lobbying for forest protection, as the cattle grazing and denudation of upland forests threatened the water supply critical to sustaining the sugar economy.

A lasting legacy of that era was the implementation of the Forest Reserve System, created by the Territorial Government of Hawai’i through Act 44 on April 25, 1903.

That year, on May 13, 1903, the Territory of Hawaiʻi, with the backing of the Hawaiʻi Sugar Planters’ Association, established the Board of Commissioners of Agriculture and Forestry.  (HDOA)  By 1930, a million acres of land – nearly 25% of Hawaii’s land area – were in the Forest Reserve System.

Forest reserves were useful for two primary purposes: water production for the Territory’s agricultural industries, and timber production to meet the growing demand for wood products.

The forest reserve system should not lead to “the locking up from economic use of a certain forest area.” Even in critical watersheds the harvesting of old trees “is a positive advantage, in that it gives the young trees a chance to grow, while at the same time producing a profit from the forests. (Ralph Sheldon Hosmer; LRB)

And, forests are not just about trees.

Virtually all our fresh water comes from the forest, also clean air, recreation areas, habitat for native species, plants for cultural practices and woods for fine arts are among the thousands of forest benefits.

Our forests present endless opportunities for both residents and visitors; Hawaii’s forests offer employment, recreation and resources – including ecological goods and services.

Ecological goods include clean air, and abundant fresh water; while ecological services include purification of air and water, plant and wildlife habitat, maintenance of biodiversity, decomposition of wastes, soil and vegetation generation and renewal, groundwater recharge, greenhouse gas mitigation and aesthetically pleasing landscapes.

Water, wildlife and wood are just a few of the products found in our forests.

A little side note related to the ʻĀina Mauna … we prepared the ʻĀina Mauna Legacy Program, its Implementation Work Plan  and Environmental Assessment for the Hawaiian Homes Commission (they unanimously approved all.)

The ‘Āina Mauna Legacy Program is DHHL’s long‐range planning document geared to restore and protect approximately 56,000‐acres (about ¼-of all the DHHL lands in the Islands) of native Hawaiian forest on Mauna Kea that is ecologically, culturally and economically self‐sustaining for the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust, its beneficiaries and the community.

We were honored and proud when our planning document, the ‘Āina Mauna Legacy Program, received awards: the “Environment/Preservation Award” from the American Planning Association‐Hawai‘i Chapter and the “Koa: Standing the Test of Time Award” by the Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association.  The image shows some forest of the ʻĀina Mauna.

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Mokihana Club

In 1903, the first Lihue Public Hall was built and a group of enthusiastic and resourceful young women undertook to assume the debt of $1,400.  “The ladies of Lihue and Hanamaulu met at the Social Hall … to prepare for the Fair, proposed for the benefit of the hall … They were busy in sewing and making articles to be sold at the fair.” (Evening Bulletin, Feb 15, 1905)

“Saturday, June 17th, the Day of the Fair, will be a red letter day long to be remembered in the annals of Lihue. … On that day all roads led to the Fair, and every road was astir with travelling feet.”

“The Hall debt of $1400 has been paid off and there is money left in the treasury. Great credit is due the ladies of Lihue and elsewhere for their untiring, enthusiastic work in the preparation and conduct of the Fair.”  (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, July 26, 1905)

The women were convinced of the need on Kauai for a group who would be a force for social and cultural stimulation that would undertake civic development and improvements. (Mokihana Club)

On November 5, 1905, twenty-six young women – under the leadership of Dora Isenberg – met at Nawiliwili and formed the Mokihana Club.

At the first regular meeting, Elsie Wilcox was elected president; Mrs. Sweetser, Vice President; Mrs. Carter, secretary; and Kate Christian, treasurer. Meetings were to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 3 pm and dues were set at $1 per year.

The first civic project undertaken was to pioneer for a public library, and the Mokihana Club committee shared in establishing the Kauai Library Association.

As membership grew, the Club developed a new interest: a garden club and a beautification program.  The  group was responsible for much of the roadside and park planting that exists today. The Garden Club was one of the early committees whose function was to encourage the development of gardens.

The Club’s Beautification Committee, also called Garden Club Committee, Outdoor Improvement Committee and/or Village Improvement Committee, worked closely with the Outdoor Circle of O‘ahu, which consequently led to the formation of the Kauai Outdoor Circle in 1975. (Kauai Historical Society)

In 1916, the membership of the Club brought attention to the pressing need for health services, and appointed Mabel Wilcox, a registered nurse, as chairman of the Health Committee. Miss Mabel hired the first public health nurse, making possible the services of the Territorial Board of Health.

The Public Health Committee was established in October 1916 and it “was immediately successful in fulfilling that need.” The Committee raised funds for a nurse’s salary and provided her with lodging and a car.

A list of rules included a salary of $100 per month, and an auto plus $25 per month for auto expenses. Responsibilities included pre-natal care, well-baby clinics, nutrition guidance, and dental checks.

For the past two decades, Mokihana Club has presented scholarships to students in the Kauai Community College (KCC) Nursing Program.

The first chair of the Nursing Scholarship Committee, Marie Ryan Pietro, which appears relevant 20 years after the club’s first scholarship presentation said,

“We look forward to an ever-increasing program directly connected to one of the Mokihana Club founders, Miss Mabel Wilcox who graduated from the R.N. program at John Hopkins University, and was responsible for many of the local health decisions made those many years ago.” (The Garden Island)

The nursing students continue to remember and honor Miss Mabel Wilcox by hosting their traditional Pinning Ceremony following graduation on the grounds of the Grove Farm Museum, which was Wilcox’s residence. (The Garden Island) 

The Community Entertainment Committee was responsible for the planning of all entertainment given under the auspices of the Club.

Until about the 1940s, this consisted primarily of Christmas activities – the Community Christmas tableaux held for the enjoyment of the public at the Lihue Armory, the delivery of Christmas trees to schools, and candy to school children for example.

The Community Education Committee was formed to take an active interest in the betterment of educational conditions existing in the community. A 1925 annual committee report mentions developing a League of Women Voters on Kauai, but notes that the Club would “let our successors undertake that project.”

This committee later became the Social Service Committee. A 1966 Community Service report notes that the “Club has been inactive.” It is possible that members felt that other organizations were filling the educational needs of the community.

In 1955, The Mokihana Club sponsored the first performance of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra on Kauai. In the ensuing years, the Symphony introduced island students to music through concerts and classroom visits by orchestra members.

The Mokihana Club gives music scholarships to graduating seniors of voice or instruments to continue their music studies after high school.

The scholarship funding for nursing and music awards is generated by concerts featuring Hawaiian artists (recently, Kalani Pe‘a (2023) and Jeff Peterson and Keola Beamer (2024)), golf tournaments, wine tastings, and other programs and events.

Membership in The Mokihana Club is open to all interested women who is a resident of Kauai or regular visitor, and who is willing to cooperate in the work of the Club; to become a member you must be sponsored by two other members and voted on by the Board of Directors.

Annual dues are $25 which covers membership from October through June, the yearbook with the Club Constitution and Bylaws, and the Membership Directory. If you are interested in joining please contact at info@TheMokihanaClub.org.  (Information here is from Mokihana Club and Kauai Historical Society.)

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kapuanoni

“The village with the walled pond and grove of hau and coconut trees was Kahalu‘u, and Kahalu‘u-kai-ākea was the chief who controlled the ahupua‘a which bears his name.”

“He was the father of the beautiful, glowing-skinned chiefess, Mākole‘ā. The beauty of Kahalu‘u is described with the saying “Kahalu‘u ua ‘āina ala i ka wai puka iki o Helani” (Kahalu‘u is the land [known for] the small rising waters of Helani.)”

“At Kahalu‘u, Hale‘ōpele was the āhua (hillock-agricultural feature) covered with coconut trees…”

“…A hō‘ea i ke kuono iloko he ‘ili‘ili wale no ke one, a ke kai e po‘i ana me ka ho‘omaha ‘ole o nā Keauhou ia — And when you arrived at a bay with pebbly sand, where the ocean continuously laps upon the shore it was Keauhou…”

“A komo mai la ‘olua i ka ulu ‘ōhi‘a o nä Keauhou ia, o ka ulu ‘ōhi‘a o Moku‘aikaua — and when you entered the ‘ōhi‘a grove in the lands of Keauhou, it was the ‘ōhi‘a grove of Moku‘aikaua…” (Ka Hōkū o Hawai‘i, April 9, 1914, Maly)

At Kahalu‘u is Kapuanoni Heiau … “Only portions of walls could be traced, 97 feet apart; one of them, a wall foundation, could be followed for 40 feet, and the other, a standing wall 4.5 feet wide, was distinguishable for 34 feet. The place had the appearance of having been much disturbed in early times.”

“It is now overgrown with hau. Local information, from the grandson of its last priest, was that the heiau was built by Kalani‘ōpu‘u and that it was for prayers in general.” (Stokes, 1906) It was “a temple dedicated to agricultural and fishing success.” (NPS)

Thrum (1908) describes Kapuanoni as “a large heiau of Kahaluu, described as an ancient puuhonua and luakini, built in the time of Lono.”

“Tradition has it that when Malaihi was its kahu (or keeper), a native fled to it from Pahoehoe and was followed in by his pursuers, seized, and taken away without remonstrance, which violation coming to the ears of the king he had the keeper slain and sacrificed on the altar of Ohiamukumuku.”

The name “ka pua noni” can be translated literally as ‘the’ (ka) ‘noni flower’ (pua noni). The deeper kaona (meaning) behind this place name has not been passed on. (SWCA)

Kapuanoni is situated on the promontory that forms the southern headland of Kahaluʻu Bay and is surrounded by water on three sides. The heiau formed an integral component of the chiefly and religious compound of coastal Kahalu‘u during the traditional period. (SWCA)

Subsequent to c. 1730s, the chiefs Alapa‘i, Kalani‘ōpu‘u, and Kamehameha I, are all associated with residency and activities in this region of Kona, with specific references to Kahalu‘u and Keauhou. (Maly)

“The years 1775, 1776, 1777, 1778, and 1779. Kalaniopuu went to war at Kaupo on Maui, with his Alii, his war Officers, and his soldiers. Kalaniopuu first went to war at Kaupo …” (Kuakoa, Dec 8, 1866)

“Ka-lani-‘opu‘u returned to Hawaii embittered against Ka-hekili by the realization of his defeat, and spent a year in preparing an army made up of a body or men from each of the six districts of the island, each division led by a warrior chief.” (Kamakau)

“Six army corps or brigades were organised, and became known by the names of I, Ahu, Mahi, Palena, Luahine, and Paia; the members of the royal family were formed into a life-guard, called Keawe; and the Alii-ai-alo – the nobles who had the privilege of eating at the same table with the Moi – composed two regiments called Alapa and Piipii.”

“While thus preparing material resources, Kalaniopuu was not forgetful of his duties to the god whom he acknowledged and whose aid he besought. This god was Kaili – pronounced fully ‘Ku-kaili-moku’ – who, from the days of Liloa, and probably before, appears to have been the special war-god of the Hawaii Mois.” (Fornander)

“[H]e repaired and put in good order the Heiaus called ‘Ohiamukumuku’ at Kahaluu, and ‘Keikipuipui’ at Kailua, in the Kona district, and the high priest Holoae was commanded to maintain religious services and exert all his knowledge and power to accomplish the defeat and death of the Maui sovereign.” (Fornander)  Kalani‘ōpu‘u is also credited with building the heiau of Kapuanoni, presumably during this time. (Maly)

At the time of Captain James Cook’s arrival (1778-1779), the Hawaiian Islands were divided into four kingdoms: (1) the island of Hawaiʻi under the rule of Kalaniʻōpuʻu, who also had possession of the Hāna district of east Maui; (2) Maui (except the Hāna district,) Molokai, Lānai and Kahoʻolawe, ruled by Kahekili; (3) Oʻahu, under the rule of Kahahana; and at (4) Kauai and Niʻihau, Kamakahelei was ruler.

When Cook arrived on the Island of Hawai‘i (1779), Kalaniʻōpuʻu was on the island to Maui to contend with Kahekili, king of Maui. The east side of Maui had fallen into the hands of Kalaniʻōpuʻu and Kahekili was fighting with him to gain control.

Kalaniʻōpuʻu returned to Hawaiʻi and met with Cook on January 26, 1779, exchanging gifts, including an ʻahuʻula (feathered cloak) and mahiole (ceremonial feather helmet.)   Cook also received pieces of kapa, feathers, hogs and vegetables.

“After Captain Cook’s death [in 1779] Kalaniopuu dwelt some time in the Kona district, about Kahaluu and Keauhou, diverting himself with Hula performances, in which it is said that he frequently took an active part, notwithstanding his advanced age. “

“Scarcity of food, after a while, obliged Kalaniopuu to remove his court into the Kohala district, where his headquarters were fixed at Kapaau.” (Fornander)

“During the period of his rule, between c. 1782 to 1819, Kamehameha I was noted for his dedication to his gods and their kapu. Kamakau records that Kamehameha I dedicated the heiau of Kama-i-ke‘e-kū and ‘Ōhi‘a-mukumuku in Kahalu‘u to his war god.”

“In Thrum’s account of Hawaiian temples, readers are told that Kamehameha also built the heiau named Hāpaiali‘i shortly after the battle at Moku‘ōhai in c. 1782. It was through the battle of Moku‘ōhai at Ke‘ei, that Kamehameha I secured a portion of the island of Hawai‘i under his rule.”

“Also, following the death of Kalani‘ōpu‘u the lands of Kahalu‘u and the “two Keauhou” were among those divided between the chiefs.”

“Among the most important ali‘i of the Kamehameha I period associated with Keauhou and Kahalu‘u, was the chiefess Keōpūolani, known in her youth as Wahinepio. She was raised at Keauhou, where she lived until ca. 1795.”

“The daughter of Kïwala‘ō, she was also the sacred wife of Kamehameha I, and mother of the children who succeeded him in rule.” (Maly)

“Kuakini was born in 1791, while his parents lived at Kahalu‘u and Keauhou. Kuakini was a younger brother of Ka‘ahumanu, the favored wife of Kamehameha I, and regarding the birth of Kuakini, and his tie to the lands of Kahalu‘u and Keauhou, Kamakau, recorded that:”

“At the birth of the child [Kuakini] there was a great hula at Kaha-lu‘u, and the name hula (hula inoa) was being danced for the birth of the new son to Na-mahana and Ke‘e-aumoku.”

“Visitors came to bring gifts (ho‘okupu), and among them was Ka-mehe-‘ai-ku who had gone away and hidden in the country and slept with a man and given birth to a child.”

“She was a cousin of Ke‘e-au-moku, and when she was discovered among the spectators at the hula Ke‘e-au-moku gave the child to her to suckle and gave with him the land of Keauhou; and Ka-mehe-‘ai-ku took the little chief to Keauhou and there nourished him until he was grown…” (Kamakau, Maly)

“In 1931, a visitor to nearby Keauhou Bay described Kahalu‘u as ‘miles off the beaten path … a place where people used to live in numbers and now live no more’ (Schench). By the 1950s, the area was mostly abandoned and heavily overgrown”

“In 1970, the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Hotel was constructed just inland of Kapuanoni Heiau. The heiau was situated directly adjacent to the hotel pool.” (SWCA) (The demolition of the Keauhou Beach Hotel was completed in August 2018.) (KSBE)

While some of the walls of the heiau complex remain, the seaward edges of the structure have been badly damaged by high surf events while its interior has been modified by various additions and reconstruction efforts undertaken when it formed part of the grounds of the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort.

In 2005, the trustees of Kamehameha Schools decided to restore the five coastal heiau of Kahalu‘u, including Kapuanoni.  Restoration of two heiau (Ke‘ekū and Hāpaiali‘i) was completed in 2009.  Restoration of Makoleā followed that and planning and activities to restore Kapuanoni and Po‘o Hawai‘i pond are underway.

Drone flyover of Kapuanoni: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxsRxa1pimA&t=1s (SWCA)

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Alāla

Alāla (lit., awakening) is a point at the south end of Kailua Beach that separates Kailua Beach and Kaʻōhao (an ʻili in the Kailua ahupuaʻa – the area is now more commonly called Lanikai) on Oʻahu.

The point takes its name from the fishing shrine, a natural stone formation, on the ridge above. Wailea, a companion fishing shrine (and point,) is located at the south end of Lanikai.  (Ulukau)

In 1920, a bridge was constructed across Kaʻelepulu Stream, giving better access to the area.

Shortly after, Harold Kainalu Long Castle sold land to developer Charles Russell Frazier (the head of Town and Country Homes, Ltd., which was the real estate division of the Trent Trust Co) to create what Frazier and Trent called Lanikai (a name they made up.)

They laid out the subdivision and the first permanent homes in the area were constructed in 1924. Development began at the northern end of the neighborhood and moved further south along the beach.

The area was initially considered a remote country location for weekend getaways or vacations at the beach for swimming, fishing, boating and hiking.

The construction of the Lanikai streets was completed by October 1925. Included in the deeds for the Lanikai subdivision were restrictions that remained in effect until 1950, against building within 18-feet of the property boundary line along the street or using the property for anything other than residences.

At about the same time, Frazier leased a couple-hundred acres of neighboring land from Bishop Estate.  He persuaded sixty-five men, many of whom were purchasing his lots and cottages at Lanikai, to commit to a country club project (Kailua Country Club; the name quickly changed to Mid-Pacific Country Club.)

In 1926, the development doubled in size and Frazier added the now-iconic monument at the entrance to the development.

It was designed by the famed local architect Hart Wood.  (Wood, known for residential and commercial structures (including Alexander & Baldwin Building and Honolulu Hale,) designed the also-iconic “Hawaiian” double-hipped roof pattern and “lanai” or broad roofed-in patio with open sides.)

The Lanikai Monument’s use of rough concrete and stone is in keeping with Wood’s experiments with natural stone indigenous to the structure’s site, an example of which is his Makiki Christian Science Church.

The Lanikai Monument is a simple pillar located on a narrow strip of land that is a high point next to the road; it’s there to mark the boundary and entry point of the subdivision and golf course. It is still in its original location and its original design remains almost intact.

The tapered concrete base structure is 40-feet in circumference and 56 inches high. The pillar is made of concrete and stone.

The 16 foot tall pillar has a gentle taper from its 5-foot-diameter lower portion to a slightly narrower and rounded concrete top that is capped with a conical concrete cap. Two curved metal plates near the top bear the name, “Lanikai.”  (NPS)

For decades, beach houses in Lanikai were mainly used as a retreat from Honolulu; however, in the 1950s, the area began to develop into a more suburban residential area.  (The Pali Highway and its tunnels opened in 1959; that helped spark the change.)

Lanikai Beach had a white sandy beach approximately one mile long (about half of this has disappeared over the years due to erosion and seawalls along the shore.)

During cleaning of the monument in 2001, it lost its pointed metal spear at the top, as well as the heavy chain that surrounded the monument and draped from four metal rings.

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Suo Oshima

The Seto Inland Sea is dotted with about 700 islands of various sizes, and Suo Oshima (officially Yashirojima), located in the southeastern part of Yamaguchi Prefecture, is the third largest island. (Kawai, JANM)

Situated off the coast of western Honshu is Suo Oshima, often noted English as “Suooshima” or “Suo-Oshima,” this rural part of Japan is one of the countless landmasses that can be found out on the Seto Inland Sea. Officially part of Yamaguchi Prefecture. (Kimball)

Seto Inland Sea is the largest inland sea of Japan and is surrounded by Honshu. Shikoku, and Kyushu.  Features of the Seto Inland Sea is fast tide due to a big difference of high and low tide There are high tides and two low tides twice a day.

Water level difference between high tide and low tide is called “tidal range” – here, it is 3-10-feet in the east and 10-13-feet in west. (International Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas (EMECS) Center)

Suo Oshima is home to a series of peaks that are collectively called the “Seto Inland Sea’s Alps”. Comprised of Mt. Monju, Mt. Kano, Mt. Genmeizan, and Mt. Dake, the heights of this mountain quadruplet are nearly 2,300-feet tall.

Back during the Edo Period (1603–1868), Suo Oshima was overpopulated. Due to the mountainous core of the goldfish-shaped island, residents had a hard time finding ample space to live. (Kimball)

“The population is now around 15,000, but at the beginning of the Meiji period there were about 70,000. At that time, politics was in chaos, and there were also natural disasters such as typhoons, so the islanders could not make a living.”

“At the same time, the island had a history of migrant workers, and it was common for people to go out on boats. At that time, the government talked about migrant workers (overseas emigration), and many people applied. For the islanders, it probably felt like going to a faraway place for a long period of time.” (Makoto Kimoto, JANM)

A shortage of laborers to work in the growing (in size and number) sugar plantations in Hawai‘i became a challenge.  The only answer was imported labor.

Starting in the 1850s, when the Hawaiian Legislature passed “An Act for the Governance of Masters and Servants,” a section of which provided the legal basis for contract-labor system, labor shortages were eased by bringing in contract workers from Asia, Europe and North America.

The first to arrive were the Chinese (1852.)  The sugar industry grew, so did the Chinese population in Hawaiʻi.  Concerned that the Chinese were taking too strong a representation in the labor market, the government passed laws reducing Chinese immigration.  Further government regulations, introduced 1886-1892, virtually ended Chinese contract labor immigration.

In 1868, an American businessman, Eugene M Van Reed, sent a group of approximately 150-Japanese to Hawaiʻi to work on sugar plantations and another 40 to Guam. This unauthorized recruitment and shipment of laborers, known as the gannenmono (“first year men”,) marked the beginning of Japanese labor migration overseas.  (JANM)

However, for the next two decades the Meiji government prohibited the departure of “immigrants” due to the slave-like treatment that the first Japanese migrants received in Hawaiʻi and Guam.  (JANM)

In March 1881, King Kalākaua visited Japan during which he discussed with Emperor Meiji Hawaiʻi’s desire to encourage Japanese nationals to settle in Hawaiʻi.

Kalākaua’s meeting with Emperor Meiji improved the relationship of the Hawaiian Kingdom with the Japanese government and an economic depression in Japan served as motivation for agricultural workers to move from their homeland.  (Nordyke/Matsumoto)

The first 943-government-sponsored, Kanyaku Imin, Japanese immigrants to Hawaiʻi arrived in Honolulu aboard the Pacific Mail Steamship Company City of Tokio on February 8, 1885.  Subsequent government approval was given for a second set of 930-immigrants who arrived in Hawaii on June 17, 1885.

With the Japanese government satisfied with treatment of the immigrants, a formal immigration treaty was concluded between Hawaiʻi and Japan on January 28, 1886. The treaty stipulated that the Hawaiʻi government would be held responsible for employers’ treatment of Japanese immigrants.

Many Japanese people living on Suo Oshima opted to move.  From 1885 to 1894, 3,913 people living on the island took advantage of the opportunity and moved to Hawai‘i (about 13.5% of the total of about 29,000 Japanese emigrants to Hawai‘i during that time).  Thus, many of the Japanese now living in Hawaii originally have roots that harken back to Suo Oshima. (Kimball)

After Hawai‘i was annexed by the US, many people from Suo Oshima went to Hawaii, and many Suo Oshima people were active in Hawaiian society. After the war, many donations and goods were brought from Hawaii to Suo-Oshima. (Japan Hawaii Immigration Museum)

To commemorate the connection between Suo Oshima and Hawai‘i, the Japan Hawai‘i Immigrant Museum was opened February 8, 1999 after four years of collecting materials.

Here is a link to the Museum website: https://suooshima-hawaii-imin.com/en

The building of the Japan Hawai‘i Immigrant Museum is a reproduction of the former Fukumoto residence built by the late Chouemon Fukumoto.

After returning to Suo Oshima in 1924, he built the Fukumoto residence, which is now the Japan Hawaii Immigrant Museum, in 1928. (Japan Hawaii Immigration Museum)

Many of the materials displayed in the Immigration Museum were donated by townspeople and their families who had returned from Hawaii. The museum also has historical materials, old documents, and a data search corner for information on the history of immigration to Hawaii. (Japan Hawaii Immigration Museum)

Kauai County and Suo Oshima established a sister city relationship which was signed in June 1963.  “The relationship between Japan and Hawai‘i is an integral part of our state’s historic, cultural, and economic well-being – just look at our food, our customs, and our people,” said Mayor Kawakami.

“Through our 60 years of friendship, we have come to share a mutual understanding of each other’s government, economy, agriculture, tourism, and community. And as we celebrate together this milestone, we continue our promise to pass along our customs with the next generation, keeping both Japan and Hawai‘i culture and tradition alive.” (Kauai County)

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