Open house pick of the week: Teahouse in Manoa

Thanks to its location, Hawaii offers many landmarks and even homes that have a lot of unique culture and history behind them. Such is the case at 3571 Akaka St. in Manoa, a home that holds elements of east and west, old and new, and a charming bit of history.

Built in 1950, this home was owned by a Japanese tea ceremony teacher, so they put an authentic teahouse on the property. Many students dressed in formal kimonos came through this secluded cul-de-sac on their way to class—which was probably quite a sight even back in the day.

It has since gone through a complete remodel, so the interior is very modern and very Western with wood floors, new appliances, and unique antique bathroom cabinets and fixtures. The teahouse is no longer used for class, so the family connected it to the house to be used as an additional family room. You can still see the teahouse roofline from inside the house, which sounds odd but is actually nice (and a bit of a conversation piece) when you see it in person.

The home has five bedrooms and 4.5 baths with high ceilings and 4,031 square feet of living area, so once inside you will find yourself in a very large space—a surprise, since it doesn’t look as large from the street. The property itself is 10,231 square feet, so there’s lots of room inside and out.

As you go through your list of open houses this weekend, make sure you check this one out and soak in its unique history. Happy house hunting!

Money talk: $1,750,000 fee simple
Contact: Beth Chang, Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties, 808-478-7800, Bchangvp1@aol.com