The Hilo-based Japanese Community Association of Hawaii will honor Hirano Store (established 1918) and Yamada Furniture (established 1929) as recipients of the 2019 Nikkei Kigyo Award.
The two companies will be honored Friday, May 10, during the sixth annual Nikkei Kigyo Banquet at Nani Mau Gardens.
The event is sold out.
“We’re proud to recognize both companies — Hirano Store, now led by a third-generation family member, and Yamada Furniture, now being led by third- and fourth-generation family members,” said association president Mike Miyahira. “They truly epitomize the Japanese values of gaman — perseverance; otagai — deep sense of obligation; and gambaru — hard work.”
HIRANO STORE
Naojiro and Shige Hirano, from Shizuoka, Japan, originally came to Hawaii to work for Ola‘a Sugar Co. They opened Hirano Store in Glenwood on Feb. 22, 1918.
The store quickly distinguished itself from its competitors, becoming the spot for residents of Glenwood and the surrounding communities to stock up on canned goods, kerosene and other supplies.
In addition to operating the store, Naojiro also farmed, operated charcoal and taxi businesses, served as the Glenwood postmaster, started his own Japanese language school and served as a consular agent for his fellow Issei, who had to remain Japanese citizens since they were not allowed U.S. citizenship.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Naojiro was taken to an internment camp because of his role as a businessman and his involvement with the Japanese community.
Shige and her children kept Hirano Store going while Naojiro was confined to several internment camps on the mainland for four years. He returned to Hawaii in 1945 and reopened his Japanese language school, which remained his passion for the remainder of his life.
When Naojiro passed away in 1962, son Wataru and his wife, Shinae, became the proprietors of the business. In 1969, the Volcano Highway was widened and the store had to be relocated to accommodate.
Wataru and Shinae decided to build a larger store several hundred feet behind the original site. The new Hirano Store opened March 3, 1969 — the birthday of its founder, Naojiro.
Wataru and Shinae operated the new store for the next 15 years with the help of other family members, including their two daughters, Naomi and Phyllis. Nephew Eric Inouye, then only 27 years old, took over when Wataru and Shinae retired in 1984 and has operated the store since, winning statewide acclaim for his homemade chili and ohelo berry jam.
On Feb. 17, 2018, Hirano Store celebrated its 100th anniversary, a testament to the family’s entrepreneurial spirit, strong work ethic and commitment to their community.
YAMADA FURNITURE
Yamada Furniture Store Ltd. was established in August 1929 by Iwakichi Yamada, who immigrated to Hawaii from Kumamoto, Japan. He worked on sugar plantations, built stone walls in Ka‘u and worked at the Ikeda Shoyu Factory in addition to being a farmer, ranch hand and hunter.
He bought the former Kim Furniture store on Kilauea Avenue despite having no prior knowledge about the furniture business. Iwakichi taught himself how to operate the business with the help of his wife, Toki.
In addition to being the mother of 10 children, Toki was a housewife, seamstress and expert in upholstery, who sewed cotton mattresses to sell at the store.
After Iwakichi retired, his sons, Masao, Tatsuo and Yoshitaro, took over as the business’ second generation in the 1950s.
The original store location was demolished and rebuilt as a two-story building featuring the very first elevator in downtown Hilo. Residents would make special trips to the store just to ride the elevator between the two floors.
In order to reach potential customers outside Hilo, the store had two traveling salesmen who sold furniture door to door by catalog; one for the Hamakua, Waimea and Kohala districts and another for the Puna, Volcano and Ka‘u districts.
In 1978, Yamada Furniture moved to its current location on Kinoole Street.
Tatsuo firmly believed one should “always get your children involved,” with hopes that his own children would become part of the business’ third generation. His wishes were fulfilled when daughter Carol and sons Robin and Gene agreed to succeed the ownership.
The third generation transitioned the store from its former manual inventory system to its current computerized system. Yamada Furniture became known for having the largest showroom in Hilo with the widest selection of home furnishings, offering free islandwide delivery since the company was founded.
Today, members of the fourth generation, including Carol’s son, Gareth Makino, and Gene’s son, Bryce Yamada, are working alongside the third-generation owners to learn the ropes of the business with hopes of guiding Yamada Furniture into the future
The fourth generation has helped the store transition into the 21st century by creating a website and using social media to further reach and engage customers in innovative ways.
The Japanese Community Association of Hawaii is a nonprofit organization that promotes and preserves the Japanese culture. Proceeds from the Nikkei Kigyo Banquet benefit the association’s scholarship program and enable JCAH to continue its mission.
For more information, call 969-6437, email jcahawaii@yahoo.com or visit www.jcahawaii.org.