Waiakea Town (Yashijima)

Waiakea Town, or Yashijima, was a close-knit, vibrant community on what is now Banyan Drive, where homes, businesses, and Waiakea Kai School supported a local economy based on fishing, stevedoring, sugar, railroading, and service industries. Businesses including Suisan Company, LTD., KTA Superstores, and Cafe 100 had roots there, and the Waiakea Social Settlement was a hub of activities for Waiakea’s children. The Waiakea Pirates Athletic Club was established in 1924 and included the Waiakea Pirates baseball team, which still exists today. The tsunami of 1946 had a major impact on Hilo and Shinmuchi and a lesser effect on Waiakea Town, but those communities rebuilt. After a magnitude 9.5 earthquake off the coast of Chile, a warning was issued to the State of Hawaii on the afternoon and evening of May 22, 1960, and community members responded in different ways, with some evacuating, some waiting, and some gathering at the Suisan Fish Market to watch for the expected tsunami. After midnight passed without large waves, many believed no major tsunami would come, but the first crest had already been recorded, the second crest arrived in Hilo at 12:46 a.m. and flooded Kamehameha Avenue, the water began to withdraw from Hilo Bay at 1:00 a.m., and at 1:04 a.m. a 20-foot wall of water struck Suisan and destroyed Waiakea Town. The Waiakea Social Settlement clock remains frozen at 1:04 a.m. on May 23, 1960, a lone reminder of the community and a symbol of the strength, courage, and resiliency of its residents. The disaster killed Hazel Baji, Rufino Bas, Fortanato Baiamad, Clara Camaram, Wesley K. Campbell, Richard S. Castro, Lani K DeLuz, Epitacio Domingo, Linda F. Dryman, Michael G. Dryman, Jereniah K. Estahilio, Hatsumi Elsie Fujiyama, Alan T. Hashimoto, Katie F.N. Hataraka, Daniel S. Ichijo, Clarence S. Imada, Joseph B. Importe, Roy Toyotaro Kanda, Shoji Kawano, Shoji Kawano, Sumako Kawano, Fay N. Kimura, Myles K. Kinmura, Samuel K. Kimura, Mary H. Kirk, Hanami Kiyosaki, Shio Kobyashi, Chan Vee Kow, Robert E. Lemmon Jr., Eugenio Lito, James K.K. Look, Maria Mabunga, Constnace E. Masutani, Mildered Y. Matsumura, Toshio Matsumura, Mariano Marciano, Pedro Moniz, Atsushi Motomura, Alvin M. Nakashima, Karl M. Nakashima, George B. Namauu Jr., Francis B. Omega, Robert A.B. Omega, Lynn A. Ota, Wakino Ota, Julian Pasiliban, Toyoji Sato, Maria L. Sea, Jamie Sugundo, Brian H. Shimazu, Daisy Shizuko Shimazu, Kishi Simazu, Nick M. Shimazu, Rachel M. Shimazu, Gary V. Tabing, Yumi Taniguchi, Arthur Topley, Masanosuke Tsunoda, John Wailing, Chuichi Yamamoto, Esuko Yamamoto, and Suezi Yoshioka.

Paukaa, Hawaii · United States