Hawaii Betsuin held the 2025 Hongwanji Spring Bazaar on Sunday March 30. We were joined by sister temples Moiliili Hongwanji and Windward Buddhist Temple, who brought their specialty food items to sell. Besides food, the bazaar included rummage and clothing sales organized by our Buddhist Women’s Association, a craft fair in the Lounge, Hongwanji-connected authors […]
Press Advisory For Immediate Release Contact: (808) 536-7044 | webmaster@hawaiibetsuin.org Nirvana Day Concert at Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin to Feature Cello, Shakuhachi, Chanting, and Poetry Honoring Rabindranath Tagore’s 1929 Visit Honolulu, HI – February 12, 2025 – Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin invites the public to a special Nirvana Day Concert featuring a unique blend of […]
Hawaii Betsuin held its Annual Membership Meeting and New Year’s Party on Sunday, January 26. The meeting included remarks by Rimban Yuika Hasebe, Temple President Cindy Alm, Treasurer Reed Yamamoto (who reported we finished 2024 with a modest surplus), and a slideshow of 2024 highlights by month assembled by David Atcheson. Rimban Hasebe and Cindy […]
Members of Honpa Hongwanji organizations including Hawaii Betsuin, Jikoen Hongwanji, Windward Buddhist Temple, Pacific Buddhist Academy, and Hawaii Betsuin BWA participated in the 2025 Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade from Magic Island to Kapi‘olani Park on January 20. We passed out origami peace cranes — including many shipped from California especially for use in the […]
Hawai‘i Betsuin was among the organizers and hosts for an important event at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii on Oct. 25, 2024. The event was entitled, “Kagirinaki Ai to Jihi: Toward LGBTQ+ Equity & Inclusion in Hawai‘i’s Japanese Communities,” and featured multiple panelists, two moderators, and representatives from organizations active in LGBTQ+ equity and […]
A group of inter-temple members and friends visited the grave of Mary Mikahala Foster for a Bon Memorial service at Makiki Cemetery on September 19, 2024. Lehua Matsuoka offered an oli, Rimban Hasebe officiated the service and offered words about Mary Mikahala Foster, as did Pete Doktor and Cindy Alm. It was a small and […]
Over 55 members and friends of Hawai‘i Betsuin went on an excursion on August 16, 2024 to the ‘Aiea ahupua‘a (traditional Hawaiian mountains-to-sea land management unit). Dr. Kyle Kajihiro, Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa was our main guide and curator. At Kea‘iwa Heiau we were met by Kumu Hula Vicky […]
A memorial service for Kahu Sherman Thompson will be held at Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin on Sunday, July 14 at 5 p.m. Visitation begins at 4 p.m. The service will be in the Hondo, our main sanctuary space. Please note that although the temple address is 1727 Pali Highway, access to parking at Hawaii Betsuin is from the other side of the temple, 1742 Lusitana St.
This article originally appeared in the February 2024 Goji newsletter. The Betsuin BWA sends a heartfelt mahalo to all our members and friends who have, in past years, generously donated countless items for the Rummage Sale of Hawaii Betsuin’s Taste of Hongwanji Spring Bazaar. Although our desire to assist the Betsuin with its fundraising is […]
Want to go to Jodo Shinshu class together? We can try it out in January 2024. You are invited to come to the Hawaii Betsuin Lounge on: Saturday morning January 13 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. to watch Dr. David Matsumoto answer, “What is Mahayana Buddhism?” “What is Pure Land Buddhism?” These are the topics […]