Eshinni Day honors the wife of Shinran Shonin and her dedication to Shinran. The observance was established at the 1978 World Buddhist Women’s Convention in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with donations collected on the day to help youth activities. Eshinni and Kakushinni images before that altar at Hawaii Betsuin Subsequent World...

The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970, and is now celebrated in at least 193 countries. At the 2016 Hongwanji Legislative Assembly (Giseikai), delegates voted to approve the Green Hongwanji Initiative to encourage environmental consciousness and actions consistent with the expression of our Buddhist values. Temples are...

Details to come at https://yesscamp.wixsite.com/yesscamp and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/YESS-Camp-144127293432/.

Buddha Day (Hanamatsuri / Flower Festival) is held to commemorate the birth of Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini Garden. He became the historical Buddha, Sakyamuni, and was the manifestation of Amida, the Buddha of Infinite Wisdom and Compassion. Temples hold Buddha Day services on or near this date. Services often feature...

“Higan” means “the other shore.” It is an abbreviation for “to-higan,” meaning “reaching the other shore (of Nirvana).” During the vernal and autumnal equinoxes when days and nights are of equal length, temples conduct Higan services that encourage us to meditate on the harmony of nature and devote ourselves to...

With Professor Takeshi Hasegawa.

Hongwanji Day honors the Rev. Soryu Kagahi, the first Jodo Shinshu minister who came to Hawaii from Japan in March, 1889 to propagate the faith among the Japanese laborers on the sugar plantations. Visiting them on the Big Island, Kauai and Maui, his aim was to comfort them and try...