The vermilion bridge pavilion is restored as a centerpiece in Lili‘uokalani Gardens

County officials dedicated the new vermilion-colored bridge, better replicating the original, on Friday afternoon, just in time for Queen Liliʻuokalani’s birthday celebration yesterday.

The bridge pavilion is a signature feature of Liliʻuokalani Gardens, the historic 25-acre Japanese garden in Hilo. The previous version of the wooden bridge was removed last fall after it deteriorated mainly due to termite damage.

The bridge pavilion was part of the original park construction and has been rebuilt several times. The original, and its successor, were destroyed by tsunamis in 1946 and 1960.

Carpenters in the Parks and Recreation Maintenance Division replicated the previous structure using Alaskan yellow cedar — a species known for its termite resistance — while adding several details to bring it closer to its original design.

“I found this incredible photo and blew it up to where I saw details of the original bridge that I had never seen before,” said K.T. Cannon-Eger, president of Friends of Liliʻuokalani Gardens. “The carpenters on this project did an absolutely magnificent job.”

After building the new structure in the shop, carpenters and other Maintenance Division staff transported it to the park on Aug. 26 and installed the wooden pavilion on its stone foundation. Once the main structure was in place, they added roofing, the capstone, railings, and other finishing touches.

Friends of Liliʻuokalani Gardens, which has been maintaining and overseeing the popular Japanese-style garden space since 2012, contributed $7,500 to the project. The county spent $5,800 on the restoration project, which allowed the purchase of more lumber, according to Thatcher Moats, spokesman for the Department of Parks and Recreation.

“It’s exciting to bring back this bridge, which is an iconic feature of Liliʻuokalani Gardens,” said Clayton Honma, director of Parks and Recreation. “It’s something people have enjoyed for over 100 years, and we hope the community can appreciate it for the next 100 years as well.”

The bridge has been painted various colors over the years but was most recently painted vermilion, a red-orange color recommended by a garden designer from Kyoto.

The new bridge continues to be vermilion, or “shuiro” in Japanese, which is symbolic of protection from evil spirits in the Shinto religion. At least 10,000 vermilion torii stand on the grounds of Fushimi Inari in Kyoto.

The completion of the bridge aligns with the 26th annual Queen Liliʻuokalani Festival, which celebrates the life and legacy of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s last queen each year.

The bill to create Liliʻuokalani Gardens was passed in the spring of 1917; however, the queen was too ill to visit her beloved Hilo again before her death in November of that year.

“It’s important to us to continue reflecting on the impact of Queen Liliʻuokalani’s vision,” Cannon-Eger said. “We preserve the park’s cultural and natural heritage as a way to carry the Queen’s legacy into the future.”

To learn more about the park, to volunteer or donate to its preservation, visit the Friends of Liliʻuokalani Garden’s website.