The following are the different monuments found at the Japanese garden signifying milestones in the Japanese community. Below is an aerial view of Central Mauiĭifferent monuments at the Japanese Garden If we are to approximate the area of the Japanese garden based on the 200-ft guide on this drawing, it will approximately 17,320 square foot or 1,609 square meters. The red designation is where the Japanese garden is located. Below is a copy of the resolution:īelow is a map of the park. We are working with the County to locate official records to confirm. This means the resolution was considered in the year 1968.

Kahekili prevailed, but the carnage was so great that the nearby stream became known as Wailuku (Water of Destruction), and the place where fallen warriors choked the stream's flow was called Kepaniwai (Damming of the Waters).Ĭounty of Maui Resolution 65-008 notes Richard Tongg, as the proposed landscape architect of the park.

An earlier battle at the site had pitted Kahekili himself against an older Hawaii Island chief, Kalaniopuu. The plaque at the entrance of the Japanese Garden included text noting late 1960’s as the time the park was established.Ĭultural significance of site: In 1790, King Kamehameha the Great from the Island of Hawaii waged a successful and bloody battle against Kahekili, the son of Maui's chief. The gardens fell into disrepair for a time, but in 1994 the park was restored to its former glory. Included in these are the Hawaiian, Portuguese, Japanese, Caucasian, and Filipino cultures, which are showcased throughout the gardens in cultural art and structures. HISTORYĪccording to sources online, the Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens was established in 1952 as a place to honor the different cultures that have shaped Maui’s history. It is JCSM’s intent to make sure future generations on Maui enjoy the park and feel proud of its beauty. The project is located on County of Maui property in Iao Valley.Īs many unsung volunteer groups and individuals have occasionally done clean-up projects and minor restoration work at the park, this tells us about the importance of representation of the Japanese culture to the community. The Japanese Garden at the Kepaniwai Park is one of the many ethnic cultural gardens at the park that is symbolic of Maui County’s diverse population and rich history. The Japanese Cultural Society of Maui, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, has determined to raise funds to help restore the Japanese tea house, and help repair other dilapidated parts of the garden located at the Kepaniwai Park in Iao Valley. This project is supported by a grant from the County of Maui and Office of Economic Development.

Tea box maui