Japanese Exhibit on Display through Spring

January 2024 — Lāna‘i Culture & Heritage Center celebrates 2024 with a new exhibit featuring more than 30 artifacts and 25 photos from its vast archive. This exclusive exhibition honors the legacy of Lāna‘i’s Japanese community. Many of these treasures have never been viewed by the public before.

The exhibit highlights Lāna‘i's evolution as a multicultural community through artifacts from Japanese immigrant families that span generations. It will remain on display through Spring 2024. Therefore, this is a rare opportunity for the public to see a curated selection of historically significant items. Additionally, it sheds light on Japanese history and community on the island.

The Kodomo no tame ni Exhibit (which means “for the sake of the children”) honors the sacrifices families made for a better future. The Issei who came to Lāna‘i left their old lives behind to seek new opportunities. Despite hardships such as starting anew in a foreign land, surviving the Great Depression, and enduring anti-Japanese sentiment during World War II, these immigrants built a vibrant, close-knit community. Consequently, they created an enduring legacy for their children.

Lāna‘i Culture & Heritage Center also aims to expand its archive and welcomes historic or family photographs. This exhibit is part of the center’s archival program and ongoing digitization efforts to preserve its history.

Support for this exhibit is provided by Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority through the Community Enrichment program. To learn more, watch coverage on KHON and listen to an in-depth interview about the exhibit on Hawaii Public Radio.

Lāna‘i Culture & Heritage Center celebrates 2024 with a new exhibit of more than 30 artifacts and 25 photos from its vast archive. Honoring the legacy of Lāna‘i’s Japanese community, this exclusive exhibition features a first-hand glimpse of pieces from the island’s Japanese families.