Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Koloa
POP 2144
On the South Shore, all roads lead to Koloa, which was a thriving plantation town until it
withered after WWII, when sugar gave way to tourism. Today the quaint historic build-
ings are labeled with plaques and filled with galleries, affordable shops and restaurants -
a welcome complement to the budget- breaking selection in Poʻipu. The adjacent resid-
ential towns of Lawaʻi (population 2133) and Omao (population 1313) are low-key,
neighborly and blooming with foliage.
When William Northey Hooper, an enterprising 24-year-old Bostonian, arrived on
Kauaʻi in 1835, he took advantage of two historical circumstances: the Polynesians' in-
troduction of sugarcane to the islands and Chinese immigrants' knowledge of refining
sugar. With financial backing from Honolulu businesspeople, he leased land in Koloa
from the king and paid island
aliʻi
(royalty) a stipend to release commoners from their
traditional work obligations. He then hired the Hawaiians as wage laborers and Koloa be-
came Hawaii's first plantation town.
Sights
As you cross the bridge between the two main historic buildings, be sure to pay your re-
spects to the
Monkeypod Tree
, wrapped in lights. This gorgeous hulk was planted by
Howard Yamamoto on this spot in 1925. Thank him, won't you?
Lawai International Center
TEMPLE
(
639-4300;
www.lawaicenter.org
;
3381 Wawae Rd; admission by donation; 2nd & last Sun of
the month, tours depart at 10am, noon & 2pm)
Magical. Enchanting. Stirring. Such
words are often used to describe this quiet spiritual site. Originally the site of a Hawaiian
heiau, in 1904 Japanese immigrants placed 88 mini-ature Shingon Buddhist shrines
(about 2ft tall) along a steep hillside path to symbolize 88 pilgrimage shrines in Shikoku,
Japan. For years, island pilgrims would journey here from as far as Hanalei and Kekaha.
But the site was abandoned by the 1960s, and half of the shrines lay scattered in
shards. In the late 1980s, a hearty crew of volunteers, led by Lynn Muramoto, formed a
nonprofit group, acquired the 32-acre property and embarked on a backbreaking project
to repair or rebuild the shrines. Now, all 88 are beautifully restored, and there is a won-
derful wooden temple, the Hall of Compassion, being constructed on the property as of
this writing. You are welcome to take a self-guided pilgrimage on the trail past all 88
