CCH = City & County of Honolulu
DPR = Department of Parks and Recreation
HKF = Hawaii Kyudo Foundation
 
Is public park land being leased or sold for the dojo site?
No, the City retains ownership of the park land and is not giving any property right – lease, rent,
or otherwise to HKF
 
How much land will the dojo take up?
The dojo, including parking and landscaping will take just ½ acres or 1.5% of the park’s 30 acres, with a building footprint of 5,091 Sq. Ft

 
Why is a kyudojo needed?
Up until 2012,  archery, including Japanese archery (kyudo),  was allowed in Kapiolani Park.
After some public concern about safety, those facilities were shut down and DPR ensured there
were alternative western archery ranges at Koko Head, Waipio Regional Park, and West Oahu,. However, no replacement for the kyudo range was ever established. This project will remedy that
shortcoming at  no cost to the taxpayer.

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What  is the history of kyudojo in Hawaii ?

Kyudo came to Hawaii with the first Japanese immigrants and there has been active kyudo organizations here for over 125 years. Prior to WWII there were about  a dozen active kyudo clubs on Oahu alone. Wartime interment devasted this cultural practice; with bows and arrows being confiscated and many sensei being sent to camps. This public dojo will help remedy a historical injustice and restore a rich cultural legacy. 

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Is a formal  environmental assessment being done ? Yes, that assessment has been done and may be viewed in its entirety at this link (LINK) 

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What About Loss of tree canopy? Through replanting of native species and providingnecessary irrigation support for reforestation efforts, we are committed to ensuring that ultimatetree canopy equals or exceeds existing.

What about archeological and cultural concerns?  An extensive archaeological and cultural
assessment of the site has been conducted and that report may be accessed here ( LINK). The
findings of that report are that there were no traditional “kuleana’ land grants in the vicinity
“which further suggests the relative absence of any habitation or settlement patters in the
project area” and that “no heiau are understood to have been in or near the present project
area” . The site was graded and filled decades ago. As part of the project, HKF will work with
Hawaiian cultural advisers to develop a respectful plan – perhaps highlighting the myth of
Mau’umae or the native Hawaiian agricultural practices that were much in evidence in the well-
watered nearby Palolo Valley.
 
Who will own and operate the dojo?
Once construction is complete, the dojo will be gifted to the CCH and become another DPR
facility. It will be operated by Hawaii Kyudo Foundation under DPR supervision.
 
Why Mau'umae and not some other nearby park ? 
DPR did consider other parks,  but they are already heavily utilized and couldn’t support
additional use. The  space at Mau’umae, because it is  overgrown and inaccessible, presented
an opportunity to utilize fallow land that, in its undeveloped condition, invites negative activities
such as illegal dumping, and is also a fire hazard when vegetation dries out in the summer
season. 
 
Will this cost the taxpayers anything?
No. HKF will fund the entire development and construction process. Once complete, HKF will
pay all maintenance costs.

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Will the existing grass portion of the park be disturbed?
No, the dojo will be built on undeveloped scrubland mauka of the grass portion. No part of the
existing grass portion of the park will be changed, so current activities such as dog training, dog
walking, etc. will not be impacted.
 
Can the dojo serve other community uses in addition to kyudo?
Yes, the facility will be available for public use. There is a meeting room that is well suited for
groups up to about 40 people,  and it will have limited kitchen facilities. The shooting gallery is a
large, wooden-floored area of about 1,800 square feet. This can be used for hula, Tai Chi, yoga,
or any other activity that doesn’t require shoes. (because kyudo is practiced wearing tabi (a
special sock), the floor must remain pristine and can’t be damaged by shoes. There is also a
large, outdoor  grass area of about 5,000 square feet that can be used for hula, Tai Chi,
fundraising events, lua, etc.
 
What are some other benefits for the community?
Wildfire is an ongoing concern in the case of undeveloped land adjacent to urban areas. The
dojo will eliminate this threat in its immediate area, and  will also provide critically important
support for ongoing native reforestation efforts being made by EnVision Kaimuki for other areas
of the park. Specifically, an irrigation supply, secure storage for tools and equipment used by
volunteers, and a restroom for use by volunteers. HKF will have a vested interest in keeping all
areas of the park well maintained and clean. We share EnVision Kaimuki’s objective of
removing invasive species and  creating a green oasis that the community can be safely 
accessed via nature paths. Finally, HKF intends to be a great neighbor and will do our best to
ensure all areas of the park are well maintained and serving the neighborhood.
 
Will it include a public restroom?
No & yes. There will be restroom with access from the exterior of the dojo, but this restroom will
always remain locked. A code will be given to HPD to encourage officers to be present in the
neighborhood, and a one-time use code will be given to volunteers working in the park on any
given day. Otherwise, the restroom will not be open to the public.
 
Will kyudo create a lot of noise?
No, kyudo is a silent sport and the quiet is an important part of the “Zen” of the discipline.
 
What about parking?
The dojo will include 19 stalls, more than sufficient for its intended use, so existing street
parking will not be impacted. To prevent unwanted activity, the parking area access will be gated
and locked when not actively in use.
 
Will there be a significant Increase in traffic ?
Currently the dojo is scheduled to operate for about 3 days/12 hours per week at times outside
of peak traffic. The City’s Dept. of Transportation Services will review final design and require
any additional traffic safety measures it deems necessary.
 
Will there be a prolonged and disruptive construction process?

No, once a building permit is issued, we anticipate construction will take 4 – 6 months, with all
activity occurring out of sight on the lot. There will be a few days' impact on 16th Avenue when
sewer and water connections are made, but this work will be scheduled for off-peak hours.
 
Will Drainage Problems in the Neighborhood Get Worse?

No, the building code requires that all storm run-off be fully contained on the site. This is accomplished by a catchment basin that collects all the run-off and allows it to percolate into the soil. the project will neither worsen nor improve the current street drainage situation.

Will This Impact the Water Aquifer?

No, the Board of Water Supply has reviewed the project in detail and there is no impact on the aquifer.

What is being done to ensure safety from arrows?
The entire shooting range will be surrounded by arrow-impermeable barriers, including a metal  “skynet barrier” to preclude arrows going up and out from the dojo, a metal barrier on the side abutting the dog park, and the mauka barrier will be  ballistic netting wiht a secondary containment consisting of a solid wood fence. A qualified “Rangemaster” will always be present any time archery activity occurs. All users will have to complete a rangesafety course before being allowed to use the facility.  Please see the blog for more safety insights. 
 
Can western  archery be done at the facility?
No, the facility is not suitable for western archery. Western archery practitioners have access to
DPR’s other public archery facilities.
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What was the public process that allowed this project to proceed ?
CCH and DPR attorneys confirmed the legal process that allows a non-profit entity to work
under DPR’s supervision to operate such a facility,  and other examples of this arraignment
have operated in the community for years. The project then was presented to the Kaimuki
Neighborhood Board on 4 occasions  to solicit input, and comments. Many good suggestions
came from this process. The Kaimuki Neighborhood Board unanimously passed a resolution in
favor of the project and the CCH administration greenlighted the initiative. Early in the process,
HKF went door-to-door to abutting property owners to hand out information packets.  Finally, a
legally required Environmental Assessment is currently being conducted,  and this includes
soliciting and responding to comments from stakeholders. A formal report will be included as
part of the project packets that goes before the Department of Planning and Permitting for final
approval.
 
I’ve heard that there was once a Hawaiian Heiau on the site, is this true?
No. An  Archeological & Cultural study done by the City in 2002 shows that the nearest Heiau
was over a mile away on Wilhelmina Rise,  and that there are “No other archaeological sites
known in the vicinity” and that there are “No storied places (wahi Pana) known within the project
area.
 
Will the public be able to learn kyudo?
Yes. HKF is legally required by its agreement with DPR to provide public classes so that every
citizen has a path to learning kyudo and using the facility. As of February 2026 more than 70 individuals have contacted us to express thier interest in taking lessons.