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tep inside the gigantic, nondescript building near the corner of Auahi Street and Ward Avenue and you are greeted by a gold, life-size statue of Hawai‘i-born sumo wrestler Akebono in mid-grapple. Above, the Hawaiian Islands are airbrushed on the ceiling; below, the aquatic blue floor shines, giving the impression that you’re walking on water. A deep breath brings in a mix of smells coming from all directions: fried food, Vietnamese pho, pork (maybe it’s hot dogs, maybe it’s barbecue), milk tea and freshly brewed coffee. Vendor booths offering everything from hand-carved koa pendants to mass-produced heart-shaped sunglasses line aisles where teenagers, tourists, kids running ahead of parents, construction workers and police officers on lunch or off-duty, and small groups of assorted tūtū in mu‘umu‘u wander.