In the early 1900's, the last reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Queen Lili'uokalani, gifted Hilo with 30 acres of land on Hilo Bay to be used as a park.
Started in 1907, the park was dedicated as a memorial to the thousands of Japanese migrants who came to work in the island's sugar plantations.
The park, named after the Queen in 1917, the year of her death, is the largest Japanese garden outside of Tokyo and one of the largest in the world landscaped in the yedo-style.
Not only a popular stop for visitors but also a very popular wedding, picnic and fishing location for locals....you can sometimes watch a group practicing the graceful ballet movements of tai chi in the early mornings.
The setting is breathtaking, the landscape exquisite and it is fun to stroll down all the winding paths, crossing the several little bridges spanning the serene ponds as you pause here and there to admire the beautiful collection of concrete and stone Japanese lanterns that dot the landscape.
One of the focal points of the park is the 'chashitsu' or little wooden Japanese tea house known as "Shoroan" or Pine Ocean House. The inspiration for a Japanese style tea house came from a local Japanese business man of Hilo. At this time, I haven't been able to learn his name, but he traveled to Kyoto to learn all he could about tea houses.
Eventually materials and carpenters started arriving in Hilo from Kyoto along with the plans for the tea house.
The original tea house was completed in March 1972. Burned by vandals as a devastating prank in 1994, the footprint for the tea house remained as a sad reminder of its former history until 1997 when a new one was built in its place.
The completion and dedication of the present tea house was in July 1997. It was then given to the County of Hawaii by the local chapter of the Urasenke School of Tea and, along with the park, it is now run under the jurisdiction of Hawaii County Parks and Recreation Department.
Besides being used for formal Japanese Tea Ceremonies, the tea house is also used from time to time for Japanese calligraphy classes and Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arraging.
You can find out more about The Urasenke Tradition of Tea and their history.
"Shoroan" - Pine Ocean House can be seen in the distance through one of several Japanes style "gates" surrounding the park.
Related articles:
Destination Hilo - Lili'uokalani Garden - Part I
Destination Hilo - Lili'uokalani Garden - Part II
(c) Sonia R. Martinez
You can read my other Gather articles http://foodiesleuth.gather.com/ and keep up with my garden and food blog
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Comments: 32
Yes, it was stupid. A little group of teens bragged to some friends at school that they had done it and someone turned them in. They were given to the care of their parents by the Juvenile Court and the parents had to pay for the rebuilding. This happened just a couple of months after I moved here and I was so sorry to hear about it.
Thank you Sonia!
Who is the man in your picture(icon)?
Unfortunately the tea house is not open to the public as a regular tea house where you can go and sit and enjoy a cup of tea....it is used only for formal tea ceremonies and the Ikebana or calligraphy classes as I mentioned above.
Thank you, Lou. The man is my dad. Several of us are using photos or our dads as icons this weekend in honor of Father's Day.
Thank you, Anne Marie! Glad you enjoyed it.
;-)
Thanks for commenting!
Dalal, actually the whole park and gardens are always very well kept. It was a rainy day and the wind had been blowing......I took the pictures in between showers.
Happy me... I actually pronounced Queen Lili'uokalani flawlessly, without stumbling once!
Hawaii here I come!
Who is the man in your new icon?
Dorine, yes, but not at the tea house.
That is my dad.
I'm in the midst of turning a corner of my yard into a tea garden. Tough going, because I thought I could still sling rocks around and I guess I can't. So I am having someone do that part of it.
I hope you will be writing about your tea house and have pictures!!!
I know what you mean...in my mind I can do anything.... ;-)
Yes, my dad was a very nice man.
It's hard to imagine why anyone would want to vandalize a tea house! But it's good news that the place is up and running. It's lovely.
Unfortunately, I cannot imagine where it could be situated....
I know...why those kids thought it would be a "fun" idea to burn it down escapes me.
This looks like a very pleasant and relaxing place to visit. I hope you get to enjoy going to or observing a tea ceremony there someday.
You are making wonderful contributions to Gather about tea! Thank you!
Thank you so much....I love all the rituals of tea.
Too bad about the original tea house. I ´m glad they restored it. Your photographs of the stone Japanese lanterns, tilted and arced gates and the ¨Shoroan¨itself are absolutely stunning.
Thanks for these three great articles! One day I shall visit these gardens and walk about thinking of you, and how you inspired me to walk through these spaces virtually before I did it in real life!