Hakalau Japanese Language School: 

The first Hakalau Japanese Language School started in the Hakalau Lower Camp (Down Camp) bakery owned by Shotaro Shimizu in 1904. Between late 1904 and October 1927, a total of 4 Hakalau Japanese Language Schools were built on the one acre site in Hakalau Upper Camp (Up Camp) now occupied by the Hakalau Jodo Mission and the "Stairs to Nowhere" . These language school buildings met the needs of the increasing Japanese population for both childcare and teaching their children. Japanese language and culture. ​
Picture
Hakalau Japanese Language School circa 1918-1920. Rev. Tachikawa is sitting in the front row to the right of center. Assistant Ministers Yamaguchi Ryukai and Soga Tetsuzui stand behind him. Photo courtesy of Jaime Yugawa, great grandson of Tetsuo and Yae Yugawa.
The use of the last building changed over time to include, in addition to the Japanese Lanaguage School, the Plantation Personnel Office, the ILWU Office, an Aikido Studio, the Hakalau Karate Club. The educational needs also changed.

With the demise of the sugar industry and the depopulation of Hakalau in the 1960s and 1970s, the school was no longer relevant. The building (the one built in 1927) was demolished in late 1984 or in 1985. Now, all that is left are the "Stairs to Nowhere", a monument to Hakalau's population of Japanese ancestry during the sugar era.

Updates: November 27, 2023

Upcoming Events: ​
  • 10/31/23 - Updated schedules for all classes and events​​​​​
Yesterday:
  • 11/27/23: Expanded content of the Hakalau Japanese Language School with translations from Japanese language newspapers and content provided by family members and from displays used by the Hakalau School and Community Reuntion.
  • 11/27/23: Updated story of Pfc. Yeishun Soken. 
  • 11/19/23: Updated story of Sgt. Ronald Takara with photos provided by François Patard of Véranne, France in the vicinity where the C-47 carrying Sgt. Takara and 19 others crashed during "appalling weather". Each year, residents of the area hold a service honoring all 20 victims.
  • 11/18/23 - Expanded content on the Hakalau Japanese Language School.​
  • 11/15/23 - Added a newspaper article to the 1900s Timeline showing that the Hakalau Plantation produced more sugar in 1900 than any other Big Island Plantation. 
  • 11/15/23 - Redeveloped and expanded background on the Hakalau Japanese Language School, including translated articles from Nippu Jiji in 1927 and additional class  photos from 1927 and 1928. 
  • 9/8/23 - Voice of Hakalau - Many thanks to former Chin Chuck resident Robert Yara for finding and sharing 4 issues of the Voice of Hakalau to add to our archives:  November 15, 1956; December 15, 1956; January 15, 1957; and March 15, 1957. This collection is particularly interesting because each issue also includes 2 pages for Hilo Sugar News, The [Independent] Grower's Page, The Onomea Echo, and Maka O Pepeekeo as well as Hakalau. Together the reports from the 4 plantations and the independent growers provide a clear picture of major changes taking place in the industry as well as highlighting community activities.

​Today: ​​​​
For the Hakalau Kuleana, our responsibility is to care for the land, the people, and the culture. We are guided by cultural values of YESTERDAY: Engage in collective effort. Look out for each other. Honor hard work. Show respect for those who came before us. Aloha and Mālama `Aina. In 2021, Akiko Masuda added two more values to the list: Consistently show up. Whatever has to be done, jump in and do it!