About Nakihalani Farm

On the slopes of Mauna Kea, on the breathtaking Hamakua Coast, sits an 11-ac farm called Nakihalani. It is a property with great history where the earliest inhabitants are said to have arrived nearby in 300 AD and flourished with an enlightened spiritual and physical connection to the land that is still felt today. Fast forward to 1915 during the sugar cane era. Japanese immigrants became homesteaders on this acreage in Kihalani (originally named Nakihalani in the Hawaiian Kings land grants of 1848). Renovated by Chicago natives Mike and Jackie Nakamura, their 11-acre farm resides at an elevation of roughly 650 ft. with key plantings being Lilikoi (passion fruit) and Mamaki Tea which are somewhat ever bearing plants. The farm also grows white pineapples, citrus, avocados and has a variety of ornamental gingers and flowers and herbs such as lavender with a apiary on site for pollination and honey production. The farm currently exhibits the largest square footage of Lilikoi pergolas and trellises in the Hawaiian Islands. Mamaki is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and has been used for generations to aid in health and well-being. Lilikoi on the other hand made its way via Australia in the 1700's and has since been hybridized. Both plants thrive at the perfect elevation and microclimate at Nakihalani Farm. Read their story