S. Hata Building

[3] This gave him the inspiration to start his own business at Hilo on the Big Island on January 3, 1896 called S. Hata Shoten, Limited.

Sadanosuke planned a new $25,000 structure on wetlands on Front Street (later renamed Kamehameha Avenue) near the railroad tracks to the plantations.

[5] Because it was so solidly built, it survived the tsunami caused by the April 1, 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake that devastated much of Hilo.

The train tracks of the Hawaii Consolidated Railway were destroyed in that tsunami, so the building now is on the commercial street nearest the ocean.

[10] The path of the railroad was used for the new Hawaii Belt Road (state route 19), called the Waterfront Highway at this point.

David Levenson bought the property from Hata's descendants, renovated the interior while restoring the exterior, and rented it to a number of local businesses.

[1] The family formed the Sadanosuke Hata Charitable Foundation in 1999 which supports the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii in Honolulu.

After the 1960 tsunami, the original wholesale building on Ponahawai Street was abandoned, and offices were moved to a new industrial area, 300 Kanoelehua Avenue in Hilo, and 285 Sand Island Road in Honolulu.

In addition to food distribution to markets across the Hawaiian islands, restaurant supplies and chef services are now offered.

[20] It displays educational interactive exhibits on the Leeward Islands, which are protected along with their surrounding waters as the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

One entire wall is covered by a large mural painted by local artist Layne Luna depicting the coral reef ecosystems found in the leeward islands.

Layne Luna also created several life-sized models of life sized sharks, fish and manta ray that hang from the ceiling.