The question of whether Beretania Street begins or ends in Moiliili is rather moot. It just sort of appears, branching off from King and forming a widening triangle that is firmly anchored by Star Market. It is a neighborhood that verges upon the University of Hawaii, just off-campus, but far enough away that students don't duck there between classes. Rather, it's an old-fashioned block of businesses, doing just enough to stay alive.

But change is coming. Leases are expiring, tick-tock. The time capsule that is this brief stroll through the suburbs of academia will be changing its architectural palette.

This is the only Beretania in the world, by the way. That's because the royal cartographers who wished to celebrate the Hawaiian Kingdom's close ties to England weren't real good at spelling “;Britannia.”;

The Torii Gate

At the intersection of King Street, Beretania Street and University Avenue fronting Star Market

Hard to miss, actually. It's red, huge and stands alone where Beretania and King go their separate ways. A gift to Moiliili from the sister city of Hiroshima, Japan, it's a galvanized steel and titanium replica of the famous Miyajima torii, which is stranded on the mud flats near the historic temples at Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima.

Torii gates are part and parcel of Japan's shinto religion, symbolizing a portal between the sacred and the profane, what was and what is. Pass through a gate, and you know you're getting somewhere. The cosmic joke is that torii gates stand alone—they have no walls.

The Miyajima gate is composed of centuries-old timber; this new one clangs like a bell when you rap on it. It stands in a teardrop-shaped berm—on which the eye is made of crunchy black lava bits—with the track pointing toward a large banyan—in the evening, home to a zillion screeching mynahs. Beyond the tree, not the gates of heaven, but rather the parking lot of Star Market.

The torii gate is an ideal spot to reflect on your journey through life. Or on how many cans of Rustoleum the thing needs annually.

Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii

2454 South Beretania St.
» Phone: 945-7633
» jcch.com

This multistory structure, a light peach and beige monolithic slab that sways out over Beretania, supported by vermilion poles the same shade as the torii gate, absolutely dominates the area. As a building, it's not shy. Its curved prow is most imposing.

Erected in the late '80s by the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce, the center was meant to create a kind of cultural anchor for the various clubs and organizations tied to the home islands. In realistic terms, that means a lot of rooms and offices and meeting and exhibit areas, and once you get past the granite and polished river pebble entrance facade, that's pretty much what you get.

It's a busy place, and at any given moment an exhibit or a meeting or a conference or a class is taking place. It even has its own miniature torii gate, albeit in a kicky Memphis deco groove.

As if to underscore the good-works point, the building is physically connected to the nearby Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation offices, via a third-floor skyway.

Anna Bannanas

2440 South Beretania St.
» Phone: 946-5190

“;Nothing changes,”; shrugged Anna's bartender Bob Foley. “;At least not here since 1969.”;

It's a bar. If you walked into Anna Bannanas 30 years ago, and staggered out today, nothing would seem altered except for the drink prices. The big change was when the upstairs pool room was changed to a small concert venue in 1980. Owned for a very long time by entrepreneur Gary Budding, it was sold in 2001 and some of the facilities were updated, particularly the sound system upstairs.

“;An eclectic mix, as always,”; said Foley. “;College professors and bikers downstairs, punks and bands upstairs. Every Monday is open-mic night, too.”;

Gary Budlong's famously long lease is due to expire in the next couple of years, and Anna's may have to gentrify its ambiance, alas.

The Center

2424 South Beretania St.

It's all locked up now, being stripped and gutted and perhaps demolished, depending on the fiscal projections, and all safely behind new chain-link. But The Center for a couple of decades served as a clearinghouse for public-minded community organizations. The latest was the Aloha Pride Center, the offspring of the “;Love and Peace Together”; coalition—heavy, dude!—of the early '70s. Basically, it was a gay and lesbian community center. That it existed peacefully next door to testosterone-swollen Anna Bannanas is a tribute to the American way of life.

But they've moved out, and landowner Bishop Estate is busily remodeling the property. Although gentrification has helped save some old neighborhoods, it has also erased the unique character of others.

Perhaps a more upscale gay and lesbian support organization needs a swankier office?

Moiliili Field

Stephen Shoji, 12, plays second base for the Kawananakoa “;Nakoa”; baseball team. He was getting in some batting practice recently at the wide green sward that is Moiliili Field, still the sports hub of the neighborhood. The sun was setting and he was loading a bag of bats in the car.

“;Why do I play here?”; he repeated, making a face. “;Because it's FUN.”; He made a “;Well, duh”; look for the clueless reporter. “;The people who play here do it because they enjoy it. It's a great field, yeah? The grass is so smooth that the ball sometimes goes straight at you, no sign of a bounce. Keeps you on your toes.”;

The lights flickered on and the green grass seemed afire in the gloaming. It was a field of dreams, caught between night and day, between what was and what will be, there at the cusp of Beretania Street.

“;Me, I'm gonna be playing ball here a long time,”; said Stephen.