Kudos to Gerald Hirata, Roberta Yanagawa and the Kauai Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji and the Kapaa Hongwanji Mission on their respective mochi-making efforts to keep the New Year traditions alive on Kauai! Kim Murakami said he’s retired now so his entire family (even Kalani came home from California to help) gets involved with the church, and Brian Yamamoto had his Okinawa exchange students, Natsuki Morii and Kana Iwamoto, helping at the Kapaa gathering.
Kudos to Gerald Hirata, Roberta Yanagawa and the Kauai Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji and the Kapaa Hongwanji Mission on their respective mochi-making efforts to keep the New Year traditions alive on Kauai! Kim Murakami said he’s retired now so his entire family (even Kalani came home from California to help) gets involved with the church, and Brian Yamamoto had his Okinawa exchange students, Natsuki Morii and Kana Iwamoto, helping at the Kapaa gathering.
Kaulana Finn visited the Kauai Community Market to seek out kadomatsu (another New Year tradition) since the leaders of the Hawaii Government Employees Association kadomatsu project “retired” and no one stepped up to take over. Elvrine Chow was thrilled her supply sold out just before the market ended.
Belle Heephol of Little Thai Food said in Thailand, people do a lot of barbecuing and have papaya salad to welcome the new year, and Ned and Poiy Chakano (mahalo Feem Payungiuk and Shay Mason for the help in communicating!) unveiled new ways of preparing Thai banana — fried and barbecued! The couple from Kauai Adenium should have the new banana preparations available for the next few weeks during the market at Kauai Community College on Saturdays.
And, there is always what’s left at Erica Kleinfeld’s Pacific Fireworks shop at Kukui Grove Center.
Happy New Year, Kauai! Stay healthy and safe!
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
