Japanese Grandma

Top choice in Waimea Canyon & the Westside


With its local take on Japanese cuisine, this smart little restaurant has earned a sky-high, island-wide reputation. The sushi is impeccable, but there’s a whole lot more on the menu too, including poke and bento bowls bursting with fresh ahi, and futomaki-rito, a combination of sushi and burrito filled with shrimp or eel.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Waimea Canyon & the Westside attractions

1. Swinging Bridge

0.07 MILES

First erected to span the Hanapepe River in 1911 and rebuilt after the 1992 hurricane, this wood-and-cable suspension footbridge is just three planks wide…

2. Glass Beach

0.93 MILES

While certainly not a swimming beach, this little cove lures visitors to pick through the well-worn debris along the shoreline. The glass hasn’t come far;…

3. McBryde Sugar Company Cemetery

1.02 MILES

Recently unearthed following decades of neglect, this cemetery above Glass Beach has an impressive view. Worker camps encircled this area during the 19th…

5. Hanapepe Valley Lookout

1.49 MILES

Well before you reach Hanapepe as you approach from the east, shortly after Mile 14 on the highway, this roadside lookout offers a view deep into Hanapepe…

6. Salt Pond Beach Park

1.58 MILES

One of Kaua‘i’s safest and loveliest-looking beaches, a favorite with local families, Salt Ponds owes its off-putting name to the separate saltwater flats…

7. Kauai Coffee Company

1.83 MILES

With more than 4 million trees planted on former sugar fields, Hawaii’s largest coffee estate produces around 60% of the state’s entire crop. In the…

8. Kukuiolono Park

3.84 MILES

You’re only likely to visit this little park if you’re staying in Kalaheo. It’s worth a quick stop, though, to stroll through its fascinating Hawaiian…