What is this place?

[oahu bound]

    When coming down the Pali highway (into Honolulu) on the right hand side you can see a temple (?). It is really beautiful, and was wondering what it was, and can it be visited?

[kaniamea]

This is the Sanju Pagoda in the Kyoto Gradens of Honolulu Memorial Park. It was built between 1964-1966 and is a replica of the 16th century Sanju Pagoda of Minami Hoke-ji temple in Nara, Japan. The only difference is that this one is larger and built using concrete instead of the traditional wood. In 2004, the pagoda was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

I don't know if it's possible to go inside of the pagoda. This is the website but it appears down right now: honolulumemorialpark.com

[oahu bound]

Right on, I will have to visit it when I get there, my wife really thought it looked so interesting, as did I. Thanks also for the link, I'll try it in a couple of days.

[kaniamea]

I digged up an old newspaper article from 2003 and it said they filed for bankruptcy back then and had to close. I don't know if in the meantime they reopened. But even if you can't go inside, you can still see it from the outside.

[oahu bound]

Cool, and if I remember correctly, there is what looks like an old cemetary close to it. Do you know if it is open to the public? I am not some ghoul or anything like that, I just like the history and insight you can gain about the peoples of an area.

[kaniamea]

I don't know if it's a public cemetery. Since their website is down, maybe you can contact the Historic Hawaii Foundation: http://www.historichawaii.org/MostEndang...emple.html

[oahu bound]

Thanks again, and I think when I get there I will have to join, as I find it so important to preserve historical places and slow growth.

[Belanos]

(09-14-2012 09:43 AM)oahu bound Wrote:  When coming down the Pali highway (into Honolulu) on the right hand side you can see a temple (?). It is really beautiful, and was wondering what it was, and can it be visited?

I visited that place a few years ago. It's part of a cemetery and I was able to walk down right next to it and take pictures. No one is allowed to go inside though as it is not safe. This was around 2010 or 2011. I don't know what it's like now though. I could tell it was once a very beautiful place with ponds, etc. Now it is neglected and run-down, but still interesting.