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The unpainted wooden building consists of honden, an elevated space for the Shinto gods, and haiden, a space for worshippers.
Historic Structures Report, Maui Jinsha Shrine
In 1999 Mason Architects completed a Historic Structures Report on the Maui Jinsha Shrine in Wailuku, Maui. We:
- Outlined its significance
- Prepared measured drawings
- Assessed its condition
- Recommended measures for its immediate stabilization, interim maintenance, and eventual restoration to its 1954 appearance
The shrine was built in 1915 in Kahului, Maui, by Japanese immigrants aided by a master carpenter from Japan. It was dedicated to Emperor Yoshihito.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the shrine was closed, and in 1942 the Reverend Arine and his wife were evicted from their adjacent home. They moved into the shrine, enclosing two narrow decks as living space for their family of eight.
In 1951, under threat of its demolition, they moved the shrine piece by piece and reassembled it on a lot in Wailuku. Completed in 1954, it is one of the last remaining Shinto shrines in Hawaii and is still used regularly.
Photos: MAI
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The shrine was listed on the National Register in 1978 and on the Hawaii Register in 1981.
The shrine was constructed in accordance with the Kiware system, in which the ratio of the post diameter to the span between posts governs the proportions of the entire building. |
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