Kane’ohe, the largest residential community on the windward coast of the island of Oahu, has a population of about 34,597 spread over an area of roughly 8.5 sq. Miles, giving a population density of 4,100 people per sq. mile. It uses the zip code 96744. The commercial center of the area lies along the Kamehameha highway, which runs through Kane’ohe, which includes several restaurants and a shopping mall complex by the name of “Windward Mall”.
“Kane’ohe”, meaning ‘Bamboo man’ in the Hawaiian language, is said to have been named by an old legend told in Hawaii, in which a woman compares the cruelty of her husband to the sharp edge cutting bamboo possesses. And according to this comparison, the area was named. This town originally was a very important town for agriculture, in which masses of area would be used for different types of crops. Today, however, hardly any evidence of that past remains, and is mostly made up of residential areas. The only worthwhile plantation in the town remaining is Banana.
Some places of interest in this town can include but is not limited to -
- The Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden, open to the public and absolutely free every single day, except for Christmas day and New Year’s day.
- 3 Golf Courses, namely Pali (public), Ko’olau (privately owned but also open to the public), and Bayview (privately owned but also open to the public).
- Kane’ohe Bay is a beautiful area, often said to be the most photographed place on the island. It is also a breeding ground for Hammerhead Sharks. At the South end, on the Mokapu Peninsula, you can find the Marine Corps Air Station.
- The Kane’ohe Sandbar, which emerges in low tide, just offshore. It is a popular meeting place, where people meet for barbecues, ball games, and snorkeling.
- The Byodo-In Temple, at the Valley of Temples. Which was built in the 1960s to celebrate 100 years since the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant workers who worked in the Sugar plantation fields of Hawaii. It is complete with a large Buddha Statue, and is a replica of the almost 1000 year old temple of Byodo-In located in Uji, Japan.