List of Living Treasures of Hawaii

The Living Treasures of Hawaii program was created in 1976 by the Buddhist temple Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii to honor residents of Hawaii. It was inspired by the Living National Treasures of Japan award, and is awarded annually.

The criteria for selection are, "First, the designee must demonstrate continuous growth in his or her field; second, the potential Living Treasure must have made significant contributions toward a more humane and fraternal society (and this perhaps is the most important criteria); and finally, he or she must have shown an on-going striving for excellence and a high level of accomplishment." Honorees are nominated by members of the general public by August 1 of each year, and chosen by a committee designated by the temple.

These are the people who have been so honored.

1976

 * Charles Kenn

1977

 * Wright Elemakule Bowman, Sr.
 * Jean Charlot
 * Johanna Drew Cluney
 * Samuel Hoyt Elbert
 * Kenneth Pike Emory
 * Iolani Luahine
 * Rosalie Lokalia Lovelle Montgomery
 * Mary Kawena Pukui

1978

 * Theodore Kelsey

1979

 * Abraham Kahikina Akaka
 * Emma Kalani-kau'i-ka'alaneo-kilioulaninui-amamao-ho'opi'i-wahine-keakaleihilinaka deFries
 * John Dominis Holt, IV
 * Edward Leilani Kamae
 * Edith Kekuhikuhi-i-pu'uone'ona'ali'i-o-kohala Kenao Kanaka'ole
 * Clorinda Low Lucas
 * Aldyth Vernon Morris
 * Alice Kuʻuleialohapoʻinaʻole Kanakaoluna Nāmakelua
 * Gabby Pahinui

1980

 * Gabriel I
 * Maxine Hong Kingston
 * Donald Kilolani Mitchell
 * Pilahi Paki
 * Alfred Preis

1981

 * Solomon Kekipi Bright, Sr.
 * Oswald Bushnell
 * Leo Ohai
 * Leon J. Edel
 * William H. Meinecke
 * Isamu Noguchi
 * Juliet Rice Wichman

1982

 * Juliette May Fraser
 * Annie Lehua Asam Kanahele
 * Richard Lyman, Jr.
 * Silver Kiniohi Piliwale
 * James Ka'upena Wong, Jr.

1983

 * Homer Ahu'ula Hayes
 * Rubellite Kawena Kinney Johnson
 * Zaneta Ho'oululahui Cambra Richards
 * Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona
 * Emily Kau'i Zuttermeister

1984

 * Satoru Abe
 * Bumpei Akaji
 * Irmgard Farden Aluli
 * Francis Haar
 * Herb Kawainui Kane
 * Tadashi Sato
 * Emma Kapi'olani Farden Sharpe

1985

 * Gladys Kamakakuokalani Ainoa Brandt
 * May Moir
 * Sarah M. Wood Nalua'i
 * Katashi Nose
 * Soichi Sakamoto
 * Allan Frederic Saunders

1986

 * Claude F. DuTeil
 * Edward L. Kealanahele
 * Milton M. Howell
 * Margaret Machado

1987

 * Agnes C. Conrad
 * Agnes Kalanihoʻokaha Cope
 * Edmund M. K. Enomoto
 * Joe Harper
 * Claude Horan
 * David Kuraoka
 * John Keolamaka'ainanakalahuiokalani Lake
 * Kahauanu Lake
 * Toshiko Takaezu

1988

 * Kenneth F. Brown
 * David Kauweloa Kaupu
 * Murray Turnbull

1989

 * Reiko Mochinaga Brandon
 * Healani Onohiaulani Chilton Doane
 * Yehan Numata
 * Reuben Tam
 * Tseng Yu-ho (Betty Ecke)

1990

 * Richard Kekuni Blaisdell
 * Edmond Lee Browning
 * Frances Damon Holt
 * Kyo Kawabata

1991

 * Daniel G. Chun
 * Dwight Pauahi Kauahikaua
 * Moses Kapalekilahao Keale, Sr.
 * Puanani Kanemura Van Dorpe

1992

 * Helen Hoakalei Kamau'u
 * David Nu'uhiwa Enoka Kaohelauli'i
 * Marie Emilia Leilehua McDonald
 * Harry Seisho Nakasone
 * Matsuno Yasui
 * David Nu'uhiwa Enoka Kaohelauli'i

1993

 * Elaine Arita
 * Yoshiko Matsuda
 * Stewart Valentine Medeiros, Sr.
 * Edith Hanae Tanaka
 * Shige Yamada

1994

 * Todd Toshiaki Akita
 * Daniel J. Dever
 * Yoshiaki Fujitani
 * Roy T. Fukumura
 * Deborah Kepola Kekalia
 * Yukio Ozaki
 * Marion Grace Saunders

1995

 * Donald Tai Loy Ho
 * Sally Fletcher Murchison
 * Leone Kamana Okamura

1996

 * Wallace F. Froiseth
 * Hiroki Morinoue
 * Shinichi Suzuki

1997

 * Robert Aitken
 * Henry A. Auwae
 * Martha Kaumakaokalani Aoe Poepoe Hohu
 * Ralph Chikato Honda
 * Iwao Mizuta

1998

 * Hubert Victor Everly
 * George Sanford Kanahele
 * Beatrice Kapua'okalani Hilmer Krauss
 * Jerry Okimoto
 * Vladimir Ossipoff
 * Ruth Tabrah

1999

 * Earl E. Bakken
 * Samuel S. A. Cooke
 * Shimeji Ryusaki Kanazawa
 * Yutaka Kimura
 * Abraham St. Chad Pi'ianai'a
 * Adam A. "Bud" Smyser

2000

 * Glenna Fusae Kimura Ewing
 * James K. Fujikawa
 * Ah Quon McElrath
 * Rose Nakamura
 * Charles Nainoa Thompson

2001

 * Ronald E. Bright
 * Sean Kekamakupa'a Lee Loy Browne
 * Rocky Ka'iouliokahihikolo 'Ehu Jensen
 * Bob Krauss
 * Jesse "Takamiyama" Kuhaulua Azumazeki Oyakata
 * Clarence K. M. Lee

2002

 * Alfred Bloom
 * Takeshi Fujita
 * Takashi Nonaka
 * Lynne Yoshiko Nakasone
 * Yoshihiko Sinoto
 * Myron "Pinky" Thompson

2003

 * Beatrice "Beebe" Freitas
 * Mary Lou Kekuewa
 * Dr. Albert H. Miyasato
 * Dr. Margaret Y. Oda
 * Ted T. Tsukiyama
 * Masaru "Pundy" Yokouchi

2004

 * The Rev. Mitsuo Aoki
 * Genoa Keawe
 * Pat Namaka Bacon
 * Fujio Matsuda
 * Edith Kawelohea McKinzie
 * Tau Moe

2005

 * Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott
 * Gabriel "Gabe" Baltazar Jr.
 * Momi Cazimero
 * Dr. Thomas Klobe
 * Sione Tui'one Pulotu
 * Dr. Benjamin B.C. Young

2006

 * Richard K. Paglinawan
 * James T. Kunichika
 * Carol Kouchi Yotsuda
 * Edward T. Kaanana "Uncle Eddie"
 * Walter H. K. Paulo "Uncle Walter"
 * Dr. Terry Shintani

2007

 * Malia Craver
 * George Na'ope
 * Dr. Terence Rogers
 * Norman Sakata
 * Barbara Barnard Smith
 * Dorothy "Aunty Dottie" Thompson
 * Wally Yonamine

2008

 * Edwin Mahiai Beamer
 * Dr. Charles P.K.M. Burrows
 * Rev. Sam Cox
 * Benjamin Kodama
 * Elsie T. Tanaka

2009

 * Amy Agbayani
 * Puanani Sonoda Burgess
 * Sister Joan Chatfield
 * Bert N. Nishimura
 * Nalani Olds

2010

 * S. Stanley Okamoto
 * Elizabeth Kawohiokalani Ellis Jenkins
 * Paul Weissich
 * Reverend Toshihide Numata
 * Patti Lyons

2011

 * Josephine Kaukali Fergerstrom
 * Dr. Claire Ku’uleilani Hughes
 * Masaru Oshiro
 * Dr. Jack H. Scaff Jr.,
 * Dr. Livingston M.F. Wong, MD, FACS

2012

 * Barbara Kawakami
 * Ben Finney
 * Goro Arakawa
 * Gordon Mark
 * Lynette Paglinawan

2013

 * Dennis Kauahi
 * Nola A. Nahulu
 * Michael Nakasone
 * Oswald K. Stender
 * Gary Washburn

2014

 * Ida Keliʻiokalani Chun
 * Samuel ʻOhukaniʻohiʻa Gon III
 * Robert Mitsuru Hamada
 * Arthur & Rene Kimura
 * Chikai Yosemori

2015

 * Haunani Apoliona
 * Blossom Puanani Alama-Tom
 * Laura Ruby
 * Bernice Hirai
 * Paulette Kahalepuna
 * Barry Taniguchi

2016

 * Paul Leland Breese
 * Sooriya Kumar
 * Puakea M. Nogelmeier
 * Dennis Masaaki Ogawa
 * Lillian Noda Yajima

2017

 * Ryokan Ara
 * Beatrice Kanahele Dawson
 * Nobuko Kida
 * Roy Sakuma
 * George Yokoyama

2018

 * Mitchell Eli
 * Mary Jo Freshley
 * Hailama Farden
 * Gordon Umialiloalahanauokalakaua Kai
 * Takejiro Higa

2019

 * John M. Hara
 * Earl Kawaa
 * Gertrude Yukie Tsutsumi
 * James "Jimmy" T. Yagi

2020

 * Robert Cazimero
 * Larry Kimura
 * Carolee Nishi
 * Sachie Saigusa

2021
Not awarded

2022

 * Kenny Endo
 * Patrick Kirch
 * Kealiʻi Reichel

2023

 * Fred Keakaokalani Cachola, Jr.
 * Frederick S. Nonaka
 * Hiromi Nakai Peterson
 * Peter T. Young