Tamashiro Market to Close After Over 80 Years in Business

The iconic Kalihi seafood market will shut its doors on April 30, ending a family legacy rooted in immigration, resilience, and community.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 10:05am

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a vintage cash register, a wooden fish crate, and a framed black-and-white photograph, elegantly arranged on a clean, monochromatic background to symbolize the bittersweet closure of Tamashiro Market after over 80 years in business.As Tamashiro Market prepares to close its doors after over 80 years, the store's legacy is captured in a timeless still life of premium, polished objects that reflect the family's history and the community's deep connection to this iconic Honolulu institution.Honolulu Today

After more than eight decades serving fresh fish and building a fiercely loyal customer base in Kalihi, Tamashiro Market will close its doors on April 30, bringing an end to a family business that began in 1941 when the owners' grandfather, Chogen Tamashiro, an immigrant from Okinawa, opened the first Tamashiro Market in downtown Hilo. The decision to close is more about timing than a business decline, as the current owners, brothers Cyrus and Guy Tamashiro, are ready to enjoy retirement after decades of long hours and commitment to the business.

Why it matters

The closure of Tamashiro Market marks the end of an era for Honolulu's local business community, as the iconic seafood market has been a fixture in Kalihi for over 80 years. The Tamashiro family's story is one of resilience, community, and the immigrant experience, as they rebuilt the business after a devastating tsunami in 1946 and maintained strong ties with their neighborhood over generations. The market's closure is a bittersweet moment, highlighting the challenges facing small, family-owned businesses in the face of increasing competition from larger mainland chains.

The details

Tamashiro Market was founded in 1941 by Chogen Tamashiro, an immigrant from Okinawa who first arrived in Kahuku, Oahu as a 14-year-old before moving to Hilo, Hawaii and opening a small market to sell his pork. After the 1946 tsunami destroyed the original Hilo location, Chogen moved the family to Honolulu, where his son Walter Tamashiro shifted the business's focus to seafood. Walter built the current concrete building and steadily grew the market's reputation for quality fish. When Walter passed away in 2002, his sons Cyrus and Guy Tamashiro took over the business, maintaining the market's close ties to the local community and its loyal customer base.

  • Tamashiro Market was founded in 1941 in Hilo, Hawaii.
  • In 1946, a devastating tsunami struck Hilo, destroying the original Tamashiro Market location.
  • In 1947, the Tamashiro family moved the business to Honolulu.
  • Walter Tamashiro, the son of founder Chogen Tamashiro, took over the business and built the current concrete building.
  • Tamashiro Market will close its doors on April 30, 2026.

The players

Chogen Tamashiro

The founder of Tamashiro Market, an immigrant from Okinawa who opened the first location in Hilo, Hawaii in 1941.

Walter Tamashiro

The son of Chogen Tamashiro who shifted the business's focus to seafood and built the current Honolulu location.

Cyrus Tamashiro

One of the current owners of Tamashiro Market, who has worked in the family business for decades.

Guy Tamashiro

One of the current owners of Tamashiro Market, who has worked in the family business for decades.

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What they’re saying

“While we're still healthy, it would be a good time to maybe enjoy things that we had to sacrifice because of our commitment to our business.”

— Cyrus Tamashiro, Co-owner, Tamashiro Market

“My father was an amazing man. People knew him for his kindness and his industriousness.”

— Cyrus Tamashiro, Co-owner, Tamashiro Market

“The customers were our reward.”

— Cyrus Tamashiro, Co-owner, Tamashiro Market

What’s next

Tamashiro Market will officially close its doors on April 30, 2026, ending over 80 years of operation in Honolulu's Kalihi neighborhood.

The takeaway

The closure of Tamashiro Market represents the end of an era for Honolulu's small, family-owned businesses. The Tamashiro family's story of resilience, community, and the immigrant experience has left a lasting impact on the city, and their departure is a bittersweet moment that highlights the challenges facing local retailers in the face of increasing competition from larger chains.