Interview with Charles Bunji Shimomura 3/26/01
Box 401, Hanapepe, HI 96716
Carol Bain, interviewer
Bunji was friends with Eduardo (Eddie) Malapit in grammar school and high school. He remembers growing up in Hanapepe (1940-50) and spent lots of time at the pool hall, as that is where his friend “Mala” lived. Bunji has good memories of the old days growing up, walking to school and hanging around down by that area. Bunji had moved away from Hanapepe for a few years (1950-59) He left to go to school and the service.. He returned to live in Hanapepe in 1959 and lived there until 1992.
Bunji remembers the Malapit family lived back of the pool hall building. Bunji remembers there was a piano in the Malapit living area. He remembers the benches out front and being out there during the parades. There were Christmas parades and other parades like for Miss Cherry Blossom & Miss Narcissus. The parades would go right by the building. The Jardine Theatre was across the street. He remembers Mr. Eping and his shoe-shine and taxi. He remembers one of the shoe-shine chairs out front and the taxi stand next door. He remembers Mrs. Malapit, Eddies mother, managed the pool hall. Later the sister, Connie, managed it. He thinks the old pool hall was painted green then but not sure.
Bunji played pool at this pool hall, but also others. He remembers there were 2 pool halls at one time in Hanapepe. He played money ball called “apple”. He remembers the old abacus on high wires in the old pool hall where you could keep track of the games that way. A patrolman, K C Moniz, kept the kids out of the pool hall back then. “He kept us honest. If he knew you were driving without a license he would just remind you. That was how it was back then...not like today, so strict.”
Bunji lost track when Eddie went off the island to college. Bunji joined the military and was away from Kauai for awhile. Later he knew Eddie Malapit again when Bunji worked for the County. Bunji eventually became Kauai County Clerk.
Hanapepe Merchants Association was very active in the old days. In early 1960’s Bunji was president. “They talked me into it.” he said. “We worked on community projects and arranged for all the beauty queens to come and as part of the annual parades. I just carried over the tradition. I was just small potatos compared to Mr. Okura and Lefty Ozaki. I just did my part.”
Bunji Shimomura still keeps his post office box in Hanapepe and has family nearby. He said he likes to come to that side of the island, even though he lives in Lihue. The town and area always will be important place to him because it’s where he grew up and the old buildings bring back good memories.
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