Chinatown Cultural Plaza — Attraction in Honolulu

If you're looking to feel deep sense of melancholy and the abandonment of all hope, this is the place for you. Viewing Chinatown through the lens is to see a pilgrimage of misery from all the darkest corners of life, and what new life springs from its cracks are sure to be trapped within, in a cage of fear and apprehension Visitors beware... she is medusa's trapping gaze that you cannot will yourself away from. You may look upon her grotesque pagodas and decrepit mildewed finishes... marvel at the stacks of ancient airconditioning units precariously situated one one top of the other.. you may look upon her shiny treasures of bootleg steven chow dvds and plastic luck totems with wonder- but there in the reflection looking back at you trapped in time, you will see the dragging on of your remaining days- Tethered to a cursed drag of 3 square miles doomed to gamble penniless on college walk and nuuanu Avenue for the rest of your life among the...

During week days, it can be a bit hectic in Chinatown. The Cultural Plaza is usually a bit quieter than the street and has areas to sit to eat or play chess on one of the tables with embedded checkerboards. There's a public restroom here that was closed during the pandemic lockdowns, but I think is open again now. The architecture and decorative details are really beautiful. This area usually states pretty clean, with many of the unhoused residents helping pick up the litter that the shoppers create. During the day it is quite safe in this area but there hangs of youths (NOT homeless) that have been attacking and robbing people late at night- mostly our transient folx, but I hear they're targeting other people now as well. Just be sure to keep your wits about you and travel in groups whenever possible. And, just because, I want to stress that the homeless people down here are (generally speaking) not dangerous and should be treated with dignity...

Updated parking, no person collecting money. Everything is automated. Pay at machines before going back to your car. As of 01.01.2023 validation no longer needed. 1st 30 minutes is free. After that is around $2 per half hour. ****Older review below 5 levels of parking available upstairs. Make sure to get validation for discounted parking fees good up to 6 hours. I enjoy walking around the airy open courtyard, looking at all the little specialty shops and jewelry knick knack stores. Some shop owners are gruff with stink eye others super friendly. I don't let that bother me. Lots of food places and I'll be reviewing those too. Open market selling fresh veggies and kimchee on mountain side of plaza opposite side of stage. Walk through a dark hall next to shop full of foreign DVDs. Ask for Kathy if you want 5 star friendly service. Kathy's mom offer home made style marinated cuttle fish and pickled spicy...