Bishop Toshiyuki Umitani delivered the English-language message at the 2025 New Year’s Day Service at Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin. Rev. Shingo Furusawa served as emcee and appears briefly in the video.

Embedded below is an excerpt of Hawaii Betsuin’s Zoom recording of the service so you may watch and listen to the Bishop’s message. A bit of the kansho from the beginning of the service and the end of the gatha “Nembutsu” bookend the bishop’s message.

Bishop Umitani mentions the 2025 Hongwanji Hawaii theme and slogan, Nurturing Nembutsu: Cultivating Awareness. At the end of the video, an image of a poster based on the new theme and slogan appears. This poster was Aiea Hongwanji’s first-place entry in a recent poster contest sponsored by Hongwanji Hawaii. You can view all the poster submissions in a prior news item.