Yamase Building
Encyclopedia
The Yamase Building at the corner of Moana Road and Kaumualii Highway
in Waimea, Kauai
, was built around 1921 by an itinerant Japan
ese temple
architect
for Seiichi Yamase, a nisei
son of Japanese immigrants. Despite being the only structure of its kind in Hawaii
, it well represents both commercial architecture in rural Hawaii and the contribution of immigrants to the growth of commerce there. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1996.
Corner buildings with curved facade
s are rare, but not unknown in Hawaii. However, most of them are masonry
, not wood frame constructions, and no other such curved corner sits beneath a cantilever
ed, rectangular, Japanese-style (irimoya
) hip
and gable roof. The cantilevered, wrap-around balcony
on the upper floor follows the curve of the walls beneath, serving the same function as the verandah
walkways around traditional Japanese homes. The upper-story doors are also paned sliding doors, like Japanese shōji
. Upper-story balconies were typical of many small family-owned shops, where the family lived above the shop.
The ground floor has two sets of double doors, each providing access to a separate commercial space. The building first housed a branch of Sumitomo Bank, but has also housed at times a shoe
store, barber shop
, liquor store
, and other small enterprises. Its current tenants are a mortgage
company and a sandwich
shop.
The building has sustained some flood damage over the years, and very severe wind damage during Hurricane Iwa
in 1983 and Iniki
in 1992, but has since been restored to good condition.
Hawaii Route 50
Route 50 is a road that stretches from Route 56 at the junction of Rice Street in Lihue to a point approximately 1/5 mile north of the northernmost entrance of the Pacific Missile Range Facility on the western shore of Kauai. It is the longest numbered road on the island of Kauai is named...
in Waimea, Kauai
Waimea, Kauai County, Hawaii
Waimea is a census-designated place in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 1,787 at the 2000 census...
, was built around 1921 by an itinerant Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
for Seiichi Yamase, a nisei
Nisei
During the early years of World War II, Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated from their homes in the Pacific coast states because military leaders and public opinion combined to fan unproven fears of sabotage...
son of Japanese immigrants. Despite being the only structure of its kind in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, it well represents both commercial architecture in rural Hawaii and the contribution of immigrants to the growth of commerce there. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1996.
Corner buildings with curved facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
s are rare, but not unknown in Hawaii. However, most of them are masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
, not wood frame constructions, and no other such curved corner sits beneath a cantilever
Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
ed, rectangular, Japanese-style (irimoya
Irimoya
A xieshan style or roof in Japanese architecture is a hip roof integrated on two opposing sides with a gable. It can be also described in English as a hip-and-gable, gablet, or Dutch gable roof...
) hip
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
and gable roof. The cantilevered, wrap-around balcony
Balcony
Balcony , a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade.-Types:The traditional Maltese balcony is a wooden closed balcony projecting from a...
on the upper floor follows the curve of the walls beneath, serving the same function as the verandah
Verandah
A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...
walkways around traditional Japanese homes. The upper-story doors are also paned sliding doors, like Japanese shōji
Shoji
In traditional Japanese architecture, a shōji is a door, window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo...
. Upper-story balconies were typical of many small family-owned shops, where the family lived above the shop.
The ground floor has two sets of double doors, each providing access to a separate commercial space. The building first housed a branch of Sumitomo Bank, but has also housed at times a shoe
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...
store, barber shop
Barber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
, liquor store
Liquor store
In the United States, Australia and Canada, a liquor store is a type of store that specializes in the sale of alcoholic beverages. In South Africa and Namibia these stores are generally called bottle stores....
, and other small enterprises. Its current tenants are a mortgage
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
company and a sandwich
Sandwich
A sandwich is a food item, typically consisting of two or more slices of :bread with one or more fillings between them, or one slice of bread with a topping or toppings, commonly called an open sandwich. Sandwiches are a widely popular type of lunch food, typically taken to work or school, or...
shop.
The building has sustained some flood damage over the years, and very severe wind damage during Hurricane Iwa
Hurricane Iwa
Hurricane Iwa, taken from the Hawaiian language name for the frigatebird , was at the time the costliest hurricane to affect the state of Hawaii. Iwa was the twenty-third tropical storm and the twelfth and final hurricane of the 1982 Pacific hurricane season. It developed from an active trough of...
in 1983 and Iniki
Hurricane Iniki
Hurricane Iniki was the most powerful hurricane to strike the U.S. state of Hawaii in recorded history. Forming on September 5 during the strong El Niño of 1991–1994, Iniki was one of eleven Central Pacific tropical cyclones during the 1992 season. It attained tropical storm status on...
in 1992, but has since been restored to good condition.