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Attraction >Neighborhood
| Chinatown |
Address:
42 North King Street
| Hawaii |
Region:
Hawaii
Rating:
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Description and Basic Information ::
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 Chinatown occupies an area of approximately 25 square blocks just west of downtown Honolulu. From the mid-19th century this area became the predominant settling place for those Hawaii Chinese not working on the sugar or pineapple plantations. Devastated by fires in 1886 and again in 1900, the Chinese never returned to populate the area in the numbers they once had. Today, the name Chinatown is somewhat of a misnomer. Though it has lost none of its vitality and is still strongly colored by a Chinese ambience (even the local Bank of Honolulu has a Chinese motif), the area now is a much more eclectic mixture of Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Chinese, and Hawaiian influences. A Japanese Shinto shrine, a Chinese temple to Kwanyin, a Vietnamese noodle shop, or Filipino eatery now inhabit the same space, in what is at times an invigorating chaos.
Chinatown is currently undergoing a revival of sorts. Its cultural and historical value now recognized, many of the century old shops are being renovated and reoccupied as small restaurants or art galleries, the area’s soothing sense of benign neglect attractive to boutique owners and restaurateurs. The Hawaii Theatre at Bethel and Pauahi Streets is perhaps the best showcase of this revitalization. Opened in 1922 as Hawaii’s premier theatre, it fell into neglect and was nearly demolished a few years back. Reopened in 1995 following extensive renovations, it has regained a spot as one of the premier Hawaii venues for live performances and theatre.
Take a morning to stroll through Chinatown’s network of streets and small shops. Saturday morning is best, when produce hawkers, fish vendors, buyers, families out for dim sum, locals, visitors, and students from the nearby university make the place a vibrant place to spend a few hours. Enjoy the varied scents of the markets (Oahu Market, established in 1904 on the corner of King and Kekaulike is a good start). The odors of local fish like aku (tuna) and opakapaka (snapper), mix with Korean kimchee, char siu (roasted pork) and incense in a feast for the senses. Maybe some ginseng is just the remedy for your sluggishness - you can find it at the local herbalist. Or treat yourself to a pig’s head, they run about .75 cents a pound. Watch the old men playing Chinese chess or cards along the River Street Canal, or spend your time browsing one of Chinatown’s many antique and curio shops. You can top it all off with some pho(a popular Vietnamese noodle dish) and a can of cold soy milk.
After over 150 years Chinatown has retained its color and authenticity, and remains a living and colorful community of Hawaii’s many cultures. |
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