On the sparkling morning of Monday, January 15, about 20 members of the Honpa Hongwanji ohana participated in the 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Parade through Waikiki. Carrying colorful signs and strings of origami peace cranes on bamboo poles, the group clearly communicated its gratitude for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his teachings of nonviolence, equality, and nondiscrimination.

Hawaii Betsuin group assembles at temple parking lot with signs and cranes (MLK 2024)

Hongwanji group assembles at Magic Island with signs and cranes. (MLK 2024)

Capturing the jubilant mood as the Hongwanji group prepares for the start of the MLK Parade 2024!

Reverend Daido Baba and family at Magic Island before the parade. A photo of Rev. Baba and his poles of origami cranes appears in the Star-Advertiser's online photo gallery of the event.

The Pacific Buddhist Academy bus, driven by Head of School Josh Hernandez Morse, rounded out the Hongwanji contingent in the MLK Parade 2024.

Hongwanji contingent leaving Magic Island at the beginning of the MLK Parade 2024.

The Buddhist Women's Association has traditionally played a leadership role in Hongwanji's participation in the MLK Parade.

Expressing gratitude: "Thank You Martin Luther King Jr.!"

Parade watchers show origami peace cranes given to them by Hongwaji participants in the MLK parade 2024.

Group photo of Hongwanji participants at the end of the 2024 MLK Parade route (not all participants pictured)

MLK and Thich Nhat Hanh met in Chicago in 1966 (see When Giants Meet on the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation website).

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Photos courtesy of Wendie Yumori and David Atcheson.

Maintaining a tradition from years past, group members carried bags filled with origami peace cranes and presented the cranes one by one to delighted onlookers lining Kalakaua Avenue. A yellow Pacific Buddhist Academy school bus, driven by Head of School Josh Hernandez Morse, followed behind the walkers. A sign affixed to the front of the bus proclaimed “All Embracing Wisdom & Compassion” as colorful strings of peace cranes flew in the breeze outside the windows. Inside the bus were a few participants who chose to ride instead of walk.

The Hongwanji parade contingent was organized through the Social Concerns Committee of Honolulu Hongwanji Council. Each of the four temples in the Honolulu District — Hawaii Betsuin, Moiliili Hongwanji, Jikoen Hongwanji, and Windward Buddhist Temple — was represented. A number of Buddhist Women’s Association members participated, and the long BWA banner at the front helped clearly identify the group as Honpa Hongwanji. (Pacific Buddhist Academy students held their annual Run/Walk for Peace earlier in the weekend and did not attend this year, but may very well swell the ranks in 2025.)

We conclude this item the same way we concluded our video tribute to Dr. King produced in 2021: “Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii treasures the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. May we continue to learn from – and be challenged by – his work and life’s example. Namo Amida Butsu.”