Brief History

Japanese immigrants came to Hawaii primarily as sugar laborers from the Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kumamoto, Okinawa and Yamaguchi prefectures after 1868 when Hawaii was still under Hawaiian rule with many sugar plantations thriving in the islands.  In fact, sugar was a primary industry in north and south Kona until the mid 1920's when the Kona Development Company closed its operation.
 
During this formative stages, the Japanese community created Kumiais, built churches, and provided a social network at their new home.

Coffee began replacing the sugar industry when families could own their own farms and enjoy their independence.  The Japanese toiled tirelessly in the coffee fields to help Kona to be known worldwide for its "Kona Coffee."  In the 1950's and 1960's, when coffee farmers were primarily Japanese, the production of Kona coffee were at its highest at 22 million pounds of green bean produced annually as compared to today's production of about 4 million pounds.

In the 1950's and 1960's, the Kenjinkais were organized and are still thriving today.  At about the same period the Kona Japanese Civic Association was organized to support activities that related to the Japanese culture, including accommodating visitations by members of the Royal family of Japan and visitations to Kailua-Kona by training ships of Japan.

Our Objectives

1. To preserve the unique legacy of the many contributions of persons of Japanese ancestry to the Kona community.

2. To support cultural and educational programs that promote awareness and pride in our Japanese heritage.

3. To encourage participation in community activities for the benefit of individual members and the community as a whole.

4. To represent the Japanese-American community of Kona by maintaining a relationship with the Japanese Consulate in Honolulu which may include welcoming or hosting dignitaries or groups arriving in Kona from foreign countries, particularly from Japan.

5. To cooperate with other ethnic and civic organizations when such efforts mutually further the goals of the Association.