Kāneohe () is a census-designated place (CDP) included in the City and County of Honolulu and in Hawaii state District of Koolaupoko on the island of Oahu. In the Hawaiian language, kāne ohe means "bamboo man". According to an ancient Hawaiian story, a local woman compared her husband's cruelty to the sharp edge of cutting bamboo; thus the place was named Kāneohe or "bamboo man". The population was 37,430 at the 2020 census. Kāneohe is the largest of several communities along Kāneohe Bay and one of the two largest residential communities on the windward side of Oahu (the other is Kailua). The town's commercial center is spread mostly along Kamehameha Highway. From ancient times, Kāneohe was important as an agricultural area, owing to an abundance of rainfall. Today, it is mostly a residential community, with very little agriculture in evidence. The only commercial crop of any consequence in the area is banana. Features of note are Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden and the Hawaii National Veterans Cemetery. Access to Kāneohe Bay is mainly from the public pier and boat ramp at nearby Heeia Kea. Access to Coconut Island (restricted) is from the state pier off Lilipuna Road. Marine Corps Base Hawaii lies across the south end of Kāneohe Bay from the central Kāneohe, although the town stretches along Kāneohe Bay Drive to the base perimeter. There are three golf courses in Kāneohe: Pali Golf Course (public), Koolau Golf Club (privately owned but open to the public), and Bayview Golf Park (privately owned but open to the public). History Kāneʻohe was home to the early rulers of the Hawaiian Kingdom and consisted of 30 royal fishponds. It was originally an agricultural area for the growing of taro and sweet potatoes. Geography Kāneʻohe is located at (21.409200, -157.799084). Nearby towns include Kailua to the east, reached either by Kāneohe Bay Drive (State Rte. 630) or Kamehameha Highway (State Rte. 83), the former also providing a connection to Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and the latter connecting to Interstate H-3 and (at Castle Junction) Pali Highway (State Rte. 61) to Honolulu. Likelike Highway (State Rte. 63) runs southwest over and through the Koolau to Honolulu. Likelike provides connections to Kahekili Highway and Heeia, and H-3 southbound to Hālawa. The first three exits on the windward side of Interstate H-3 east (north) bound access Kāneohe. Kamehameha Highway runs northward from Kāneohe (State Rte. 830) through Heeia to