Description

Its address is 347 North Kuakini Street, located at 21°19′19"N 157°51′25"W near the corner of Liliha street.
The center is run by the Kuakini Health System which also runs geriatric care facilities and a foundation.

The organization started as the Japanese Benevolent Society in 1892 and incorporated in 1899. The first Japanese Charity Hospital opened in 1900 and exapanded in 1902. A larger facility was built in 1917 at the present site with donations from Emperor Taishō

Emperor Taishō

The was the 123rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 30 July 1912, until his death in 1926.The Emperor’s personal name was . According to Japanese customs, the emperor has no name during his reign and is only called the Emperor...

 of Japan. In 1934 Emperor Shōwa of Japan (known in the West as Hirohito) donated funds for more expansion. After the attack on Pearl Harbor

Attack on Pearl Harbor

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...

 in 1941, the US military occupied the hospital during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 and renamed it Kuakini Medical Center, after the street.
The street was in turn named for John Adams Kuakini

John Adams Kuakini

John Adams Kiiapalaoku Kuakini was an important adviser to Kamehameha I in the early stages of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was responsible for much building and other changes in the Kona District during this era.-Family life:...

 (1791–1844) who was acting Governor of Oahu in the 1830s.