Cafe 100

In 1946, after being discharged from the Army, Richard Miyashiro, a former member of the highly decorated 100th Infantry Battalion, opened a diner named "Cafe 100" in Hilo, Hawaii as a tribute to his fellow Japanese-American soldiers who volunteered to fight for America during World War II despite facing bigotry due to their heritage. The first Cafe 100, located in Waiakea town, was hit hard by a tsunami in 1946, but Miyashiro and his wife Evelyn rebuilt the restaurant. In 1960, they opened their dream restaurant on Manono Street, only to have it completely demolished by another tsunami just three weeks after its opening. Despite this devastating setback, Miyashiro persisted and rebuilt Cafe 100 at its present-day location on Kilauea Avenue in 1962. His resilience and determination to overcome challenges have become a defining aspect of Cafe 100's history.