Liliuokalani Park and Gardens

Liliuokalani Park is a Japanese garden spread across roughly 30 acres along Banyan Drive near Hilo Bay. The grounds include stone lanterns, arched bridges, pagodas, a traditional teahouse, and koi ponds arranged throughout the landscape.

Queen Liliuokalani donated the initial five acres in 1907, and the state legislature expanded the site to around seventeen acres by 1917. This growth reflected Hawaii's recognition of Japanese cultural contributions to the islands.

The park honors Japanese immigrants who shaped Hawaii's development in the 1800s and early 1900s, and its design reflects their cultural traditions through stone lanterns, arched bridges, and a traditional teahouse. Walking through the grounds, visitors experience how these elements connect to the daily life and values of the community that built it.

The park is open daily with no admission fee, and paved pathways make it easy to walk through the grounds at your own pace. Rest areas and restroom facilities are scattered throughout, with plenty of spots to sit and enjoy views by the water.

The United States Postal Service chose this garden for a Priority Mail stamp design, recognizing its place in Hawaiian cultural history. This honor shows how the grounds became a symbol of the islands' heritage and identity.