To welcome the New Year, I would like to extend my heartfelt greetings to you all. On behalf of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to all of you for your support, dedication, and participation in our services and...
Happy New Year! Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu! Hauoli Makahiki Hou! I hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and in good spirits as we enter the New Year, 2024. The year 2023 was an eventful one. Many of our Sangha were able to attend the Joint Celebration (Commemoration of...
Originally released in Japanese on January, 16, 2023 – Japanese version available as a PDF. Message on the new Ryogemon, a way of appreciating the teaching “Gratitude for the Jodo Shinshu Teaching” In March of this year, we will be observing the Joint Celebration of the 850th Anniversary of Shinran...
Aspiration Delivered at the 2022 Nagasaki Peace Bell Gathering Bishop Eric Matsumoto August 9, 2022 As we gather today, regardless of national origin, ethnicity and religious affiliation, let us reflect and rededicate ourselves to world peace and harmony, to a world that is free of nuclear weapons of destruction and...
Delivered April 15, 2021 (translated September 2021) This year we will once again have the opportunity to observe the Commemorative Service of the Establishment of the Jodo Shinshu Teaching together. This service’s name, ‘Establishment of the Jodo Shinshu Teaching,’ refers to Shinran Shonin’s systematical presentation of the Jodo Shinshu teaching...
The following statement by Chiko Iwagami, Governor General, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha was released March 8, 2022. On February 24, 2022, Russia aggressively began its invasion of Ukraine through military force. It has been reported that in cities across Ukraine, many civilians including children have become victims in addition to...
Bishop Eric Matsumoto (from the February 2022 Headquarters Update newsletter) Recently, an invitation from Murabbi (Missionary) Matiullah Joyia of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Hawaii was extended to the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii to participate in the 2nd World Religions’ Conference with the theme “Compassion of my Religion’s Founder.”...
The Gomonshu is the spiritual head of our denomination based in Kyoto, Japan. The current Gomonshu is His Eminence Monshu Kojun Ohtani, the 25th-generation descendant of Shinran Shonin to head the Hongwanji. Here is his New Year’s message. See Also 2022 New Year’s Message from Bishop Eric Matsumoto 2022...
New Year Message The New Year has always been a time of hope, renewal and new beginnings. I am hopeful that the year 2022 will be brighter and happier for you and your Ohana of family and friends, and all of us! Needless to say, the Pandemic has adversely affected...
President’s New Year’s Message Happy New Year! Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu! Hauoli Makahiki Hou! I hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and in good spirits as we enter the New Year, 2022. Last year, as I wrote my message, we had reason to hope that the year 2021...