Annual Living Treasures of Hawai’i™ Recognition
The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii honored the following individuals as the 2023 Living Treasures of Hawai’i™ in recognition of their personal and professional achievements and their contributions to the community.
For information about the 2023 honorees, see the February 1, 2023 press release.
For the first time in three years, we were back in person for the awards program, held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki on February 11, 2023.
The 2022 honorees, who were profiled in a special TV program that year, were also recognized at the 2023 in-person program.
- Kenny Endo
- Dr. Patrick V Kirch
- Keali’i Reichel
About Living Treasures
Living Treasures of Hawaii™ recognizes and honors individuals who have demonstrated excellence and high achievement in their particular field of endeavor, and who, through continuous growth, learning, and sharing, have made significant contributions toward enriching our society.
The program was inspired by the Living National Treasures (Ningen Kokuho) of Japan. In 1976, Bishop Yoshiaki Fujitani instituted the program within the Hongwanji at the suggestion of Paul Yamanaka, a local insurance executive. Initially established to honor those involved in the perpetuation of the island’s distinctive cultural and artistic heritage, the recognition has been expanded to include contributions by individuals in all areas of endeavor.
You may view a complete list of honorees since Living Treasures was established in 1976.
Living Treasures Fund
A special fund supports the Living Treasures of Hawai’i™ program. You can easily make a donation online.
Donate to the Living Treasures Fund