MANA — On a small plot of land near the aircraft hangar at the Pacific Missile Range Facility lies a piece of Westside history that far predates the base itself. A Japanese graveyard with markers dating as far back as
MANA — On a small plot of land near the aircraft hangar at the Pacific Missile Range Facility lies a piece of Westside history that far predates the base itself.
A Japanese graveyard with markers dating as far back as 1859 has been virtually untouched since it was constructed, the gravestones left to the mercy of the elements.
All those years have put a lot of distance between the graveyard’s current neighbors and the stories of those who were buried at the site.
Interested in learning more, PMRF Commanding Officer Capt. Aaron Cudnohufsky has begun a campaign to identify living relatives of the deceased and get the local community involved in the upkeep of the site before the deteriorating markers become unrecognizable.
Along those lines, the base captain invited Rev. Takeshi Fujita and Noriake Fujimori of the Hanapepe and Waimea Buddhist churches, respectively, as well as 94-year-old Lillian Yamasaki, who was born in Mana in 1914, to inspect the kanji, or characters, on the gravestones last November.
Fujita and four PMRF employees were able to translate the names, dates and eras of death, and prefectures for almost 30 people who are believed to be former residents of the Mana sugar plantation camp.
“Asking for their assistance and guidance with the care of the graveyard seemed the obvious thing to do,” Cudnohufsky said. “It was a special moment when Mrs. Yamasaki told me that she was pleasantly surprised that we had taken such good care of the grounds. However, I think there is more that can be done as far as documenting the grave sites and encouraging friends and descendents of the buried to come visit.”
The oldest marker dates to 1859 and the newest, in the 1920s. PMRF officials believe the sandstone for some was sourced from the nearby coastline. There are a few others made of granite.
In the early 20th century, a civilian airfield was built in Mana. It later become an Army facility, which turned into Bonham Air Force base in the early 1950s. Later, in the ’60s, the Navy took over what is now the Pacific Missile Range Facility.
It’s not known whether remains are still at the graveyard, and it’s not the base’s intention to find out at this point.
PMRF Public Affairs Officer Johnny Michael said there are no plans beyond finding out more about the graveyard and those who were buried there.
“We consider this culturally sensitive and we are not going to infringe on that,” Michael said.
So far, no surviving family members have been identified.
“We don’t have any solid leads yet in terms of names of specific people,” he said.
For more information or anyone with an interest in the preservation of the graveyard or who wishes to visit their family grave site, contact Public Affairs Officer Tom Clements at 335-4740.
• Blake Jones, business writer/assistant editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 251) or bjones@kauaipubco.com.
Names from identified grave markers
Tateyama family (husband and wife)
Date of death: March 14
Era of death: Tamana Gun
Remarks: Husband and wife
Katsuji Mayekawa
Date of Death: April 26
Era of death: Taisho 4
Jintaro Hayashi
Date of death: March 23, 1867
Era of death: Meiji 45
Prefecture: Kumamoto
Sanjiro Hori
Date born: 1861
Era of death: Meiji 39
Prefecture: Kumamoto
Remarks: oldest daughter
Chosaku Fukunaga
Era of death: Meiji 1860s
Prefecture: Kumamoto Tamana Gun
Isohachi Shintani
Date of death: 1859
Era of death: Meiji 36
Prefecture: Fukuoka
Shizuo Kumagai
Keitaro (father)
Date of death: Nov. 3
Era of death: Taisho 8
Prefecture: Fukuoka
Remarks: Shizuo n male,
No. 2 son
Kango Hamada
Prefecture: Hiroshima Saekigun
Koike Kazusaku
Era of death: Taisho 8
Prefecture: Nagano
Yame
Date of death: May 21
Era of death: Meiji 45
Prefecture: Fukuoka
Remarks: Child girl’s grave
Megumi Kumagai ‘chogan’
Remarks: Keitaro’s eldest son
Koide Fukuoka
Era of death: Meiji 28
Remarks: Child’s grave
Sada or Jo
Date of death: April 19
Era of death: Taisho 23
Remarks: Two years old
Kyoiku Kai
Deate of death: 10 July
Era of death: Showa 10
Remarks: Ed. Assoc.
Japanese School
Memorial of 30-year stone anniversary
Suetaro Miyamoto
Date of Death: July 30
Era of death: Showa 5
Prefecture: Yame Fukuoka
Remarks: 66 years old
Toyokichi Noda
Era of death: Mejii 39
Prefecture: Gumma
Kawayo n second girl
Tamijiro Horiguchi
Prefecture: Gumma
Tanogun
Mitsugi Uemoto
Date of death: Dec. 8
Era of death: Menjii 42
Prefecture: Hiroshima Ken Asaguy
Mitsukawa Village
Mitsuga Tomita
Date of death: Oct. 2
Era of death: Taisho 5
Prefecture: Hiroshima n Asa Gun n Hara Village
Remarks: Father Shichigowan Kichi n boy’s grave No. 2 boy
Nakamoto
Date of death: March 10
Era of death: Taisho 7
Prefecture: Yamaguchi Ken
Remarks: 52 years old
Yamaguchi Ken
Seichi Oda
Date of death: Dec. 18
Era of death: Taisho 10
Prefecture: Hiroshima
Remarks: 45 years old
Nagotaro Numashime
Death of death: Jan. 2, 1923
Prefecture: Hiroshima Ken
Remarks: 61 years old
Bunjiro Doi
Date of death: April 16
Era of death: Meiji 42
Prefecture: Torii Miyagi
Bunji Shishido
Prefecture: Miyagi
Yaichi Yoshida
Date of death: Feb. 6
Era of death: Taisho 9
Prefecture: Hiroshima
Remarks: 63 years old
(built by Mana Japanese community)
Shinano Suke
Okayama
Date of death: March 4
Era of death: Taisho 9
Remarks: 46 years old
Tsuruko Yamaguchi
Date of death: March 3
Era of death: Taisho 9
Prefecture: Okayama
Ken Yamaguchi, Ine Yoshii, Magogiku
Remarks: No. 2 girl, Ine (mother), Magogiku (father)
