Lead Stories

Centenarian Mildred Kobashikawa Maintains a Healthy Body, Mind and Spirit Kevin Kawamoto Special to The Hawai‘i Herald At 100 years old — 101, next month — Mildred Kobashikawa is an active older adult who enjoys cooking, taking care of her home and garden and spending time with her family. On the day of our interview....

The “Christmas Classic” Has Meaning All Year Long Alan Suemori Special to The Hawai‘i Herald In November of 1939, the American author, editor and Civil War historian Philip Van Doren Stern sat down to write an original short story based on a vivid dream that he couldn’t forget. Stern completed the 4,100-word tale in 1943,....

The Queen’s May 1901 Visit to Hongwanji Temple is Remembered and Celebrated Kristen Nemoto Jay Special to The Hawai‘i Herald This past Nov. 11 marked 100 years since the passing of Hawai‘i’s last reigning monarch, the beloved Queen Lili‘uokalani. The anniversary of her passing and the legacy she left in stories, her music, and in....

Twenty-five Years Later, Former Kaua‘i Mayor JoAnn Yukimura Remembers ‘Iniki’s Fury Richard Borreca Special to The Hawai‘i Herald On the evening of Sept. 10, 1992, the lives of JoAnn Yukimura and the 50,000 people living on Kaua‘i were about to change dramatically. Just after 6 p.m., Yukimura, the fresh-faced, new, liberal mayor of Kaua‘i, was....

Exemplary Service Keeps Loyal Customers Coming Back Gwen Battad Ishikawa Long before the arrival in Hawai‘i of Costco and Sam’s Club, Shimaya Shoten was the place to go for food that could be purchased in bulk, especially ethnic fare. My grandmother used to sell food at community events, so she made one or two trips....

Dr. Mitch Maki: “Because of You, Our Nation is What It is Today” Editor’s note: The following is the text of Dr. Mitchell Maki’s speech to the veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion and their families and friends at the One Puka Puka’s 75th anniversary banquet. The gathering, which was attended by seven 100th Battalion....

The Okinawan Songbird’s Performance Set for Sunday, Sept. 3 Jodie Chiemi Ching Special to The Hawai‘i Herald The Japanese characters for Rimi Natsukawa’s family name mean “summer river.” How else could you describe the pure and magical flow of Natsukawa’s voice? The songbird whose recording of “Nada Sousou,” the signature tune from the heartbreaking 2006....

Richard Borreca Special to The Hawai‘i Herald For the past quarter of a century, only two men have controlled the House of Representatives in Hawai‘i. Maui Democratic Rep. Joe Souki was Speaker of the House from 1993 until 1999, when he was ousted by Pälolo Democratic Rep. Calvin Say. Then in 2013, Souki put together....

Colleen Uechi Special to The Hawai‘i Herald The wind was gusting fiercely as Kalä Baybayan Tanaka hunched behind the communications box to do an interview at sea. It was May 31, a sunny Wednesday afternoon, and Tanaka was sailing homeward through the South Pacific with the crew of the Polynesian voyaging canoe, Höküle‘a. The canoe....

Roy Kodani Special to The Hawai‘i Herald Summertime in Japan is synonymous with Obon, the time of the year when the spirits of deceased family members, ancestors and other loved ones return to the world of the living. In Japan, millions of Japanese are on the move during the summer months, returning to their ancestral....