Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bargaining: A Way of Life in Chinatown
In Chinatown, nearly every purchase—from chicken's feet to an 18-carat gold necklace—is
made by bargaining. It's the way of life for most Asian countries—and part of the fun and
charm of shopping in Chinatown.
The main rule of thumb when negotiating a price is
respect.
The customer must have re-
spect for the merchant and understand that he's in business to make money. This respect is
coupled with the understanding that the customer does not want to be taken advantage of
and would like the best deal possible.
Keep in mind two rules when bargaining:
cash
and
volume.
Don't even begin haggling if
you're not planning to pay cash. The second you pull out a credit card (if the merchant or
vendor will even accept it), all deals are off. And remember, the more you buy, the better the
deal the merchant will extend to you.
Significant savings can be realized for high-ticket items like jewelry. The price of gold in Chin-
atown is based on the posted price of the tael (a unit of weight, slightly more than an ounce),
which is listed for 14-, 18-, and 24-carat gold, plus the value of the labor. The tael price is
non-negotiable, but the cost of the labor is where the bargaining begins.
Along the River Street Mall, extending nearly a block over to Maunakea Street, is the:
7
Chinatown Cultural Plaza
This modern complex is filled with shops featuring everything from tailors to calligraphers
(most somewhat more expensive than their street-side counterparts), as well as numerous
restaurants—a great idea, but in reality, people seem to prefer wandering Chinatown's
crowded streets to venturing into a modern mall. A couple of interesting shops here spe-
cialize in Asian magazines; there's also a small post office tucked away in a corner of the
plaza, for those who want to mail cards home with the “Chinatown” postmark. The best
feature of the plaza is the
MoongateStage
in the center, the site of many cultural presenta-
tions, especially around the Chinese New Year.
Continue up the River Street Mall and cross the Nuuanu Stream via the bridge at Kukui Street, which will bring you to
the:
8
Izumo Taisha Mission Cultural Hall
This small, wooden Shinto shrine, built in 1923, houses a male deity (look for the X-shaped
crosses on the top). Members of the faith ring the bell out front as an act of purification
when they come to pray. Inside the temple is a 100-pound sack of rice, symbolizing good
health. During World War II, the shrine was confiscated by the city of Honolulu and wasn't
returned to the congregation until 1962.
If temples interest you, walk a block toward the mountains to Vineyard Boulevard; cross back over Nuuanu Stream,
past the entrance of Foster Botanical Gardens, to:
9
Kuan Yin Temple
