Mo’ili’ili Japanese Cemetery is a very active cemetery in the University Avenue-King Street-Kapiolani Blvd. triangular area, situated just outside the makai driveway entrance of Kuhio Elementary School. Even after more than 100 hundred years, its presence is felt by all in the area. Many local residents have memorials of their family members which they visit frequently, especially on Memorial Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Obon.

However, this historical cemetery is bounded on the mauka side by a shabby chain-link fence connected to two crooked lava-rock pillars on each side of the driveway. The gateway is a sorry sight and is in great need of improvement.

We propose a new gateway entrance. We will brace the existing lava-rock pillars. On each side we will build a low lava-rock and concrete wall to replace the chain-link fence. No City and County building permit will be necessary. We will have permission from Cliff Hosoi, president of Hosoi Mortuary, the overseer of the Japanese Cemetery Association/Moiliili Japanese Cemetery.

Laura Ruby was commissioned by the Hawai’i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the City and County of Honolulu to create large site-specific public sculptures (of which concrete featured prominently). Please see www.hawaii.edu/lruby and www.laurarubyart.com.