Born in 1836, King Kalakaua ruled Hawaii from 1874 until his death in 1891. With his wife, Queen Kapiʻolani, Kalakaua traveled the world extensively. This statue, designed by Native Hawaiian sculptor Sean Browne, greets visitors coming into Waikiki and was donated by the Japanese-American Community of Hawaii to mark 100 years of Japanese immigration in 1985. Kalakaua was instrumental in the signing of a Japan-Hawaii Labor Convention that brought 200,000 Japanese immigrants to Hawaii between 1885 and 1924.
King David Kalakaua Statue
Waikiki
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.03 MILES
In the shadow of Diamond Head, the former mansion of billionaire tobacco heiress Doris Duke is a sight to behold for art-lovers and celebrity hounds…
Stones of Life of Kapaemahu and Kapuni
0.71 MILES
Near the police substation at Waikiki Beach Center, four ordinary-looking volcanic basalt boulders are actually sacred and legendary Hawaiian symbols…
8.18 MILES
This impressive, little-known viewpoint is at the end of Lumahai St in Portlock, makai (toward the sea) from the traffic lights at the Koko Marina Center…
9.44 MILES
This somber memorial is one of the USA's most significant WWII sites, commemorating the Pearl Harbor attack and its fallen service members with an iconic…
4.23 MILES
Hawaii’s version of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, the Bishop Museum showcases a remarkable array of cultural and natural history exhibits…
2.34 MILES
No other place evokes a more poignant sense of Hawaii’s history. The palace was built under King David Kalakaua in 1882. At that time, the Hawaiian…
1.75 MILES
This exceptional fine-arts museum is among the best of its kind anywhere. The collection is effectively a 'best of' summary of major art movements…
Pearl Harbor National Memorial
8.97 MILES
One of the USA’s most significant WWII sites, this National Park Service (NPS) monument narrates the history of the Pearl Harbor attack and commemorates…
Nearby Waikiki attractions
0.15 MILES
This bronze statue just off Kalakaua Ave represents 'The Storytellers,' the keepers of Hawaiian culture. For centuries, women have been at the top of…
0.21 MILES
The Ala Wai Canal was completed in 1927 to drain the taro fields, marshes and swamps that would become present-day Waikiki. Running from Kapahulu Ave, the…
0.38 MILES
At Fort DeRussy, this museum exhibits an almost mind-numbing array of military paraphernalia as it relates to Hawaii’s history, starting with shark-tooth…
0.42 MILES
Less crowded than adjoining beaches, this often-overlooked beauty extends along the shore of its namesake military facility. The water is usually calm and…
0.45 MILES
Nestled up against the Halekulani luxury resort, Gray’s Beach has suffered some of the Waikiki strip’s worst erosion. Because the seawall in front of the…
0.49 MILES
With its Moorish-style turrets and archways, this gorgeously restored 1927 art deco landmark, dubbed the ‘Pink Palace,’ is a throwback to the era when…
0.5 MILES
Fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village, large Kahanamoku Beach is Waikiki’s westernmost beach. It takes its name from Duke Kahanamoku (1890–1968), the…
0.51 MILES
Fronting the Honolulu Convention Center, this magnificent statue was created by local artist Shige Yamada. It symbolically acknowledges the Hawaiian…