SPRING, 2015

Group photo from the 120th Commemorative Service for the Arrival of the First Jodo Shu Ministers at Hamakua Jodo Mission on September 21, 2014

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!

HAWAII COUNCIL OF JODO MISSIONS1429 Makiki Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96814

THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST JODO SHU MISSIONARIES

Thefirstgovernment-sponsoredJapaneseimmigratedtoHawaiiinJanuary,1885. In less than a decade, Japanese Buddhist missionaries arrived to offer spiritu-alcomforttotheJapanesecommunitiesinHawaii.In1893,theHawaiiSenkyo-kai(HawaiiMissionaryAssociation)wasformedatZojo-jiheadtempleinTokyoandrecruitmentforministerstoengageinmissionaryworkinHawaiibegan.

Rev.TaijoMatsuo(age26)ofHakushin-jiTempleinIida,NaganoPrefecture,wasthefirsttobeselectedasamissionary.OnMarch15,1894,hesetsailonthe

CityofChinafromYokohamaandarrivedonMarch25inHonolulu,whereherentedahousetostarthismissionaryactivities.Rev.GakuoOkabe(age27)ofSairen-jiTempleinOshimaCounty,YamaguchiPrefecture,wasdispatchedtoHawaiiinMay1894.

FromNovember7toDecember30,1894,Rev.MatsuowentKauai,wherehevisitedninecampsandheldfifteenNembutsusessions.HereturnedtoOahubutwentbacktoKauaiinJuly,1897withtheplantoestablishaJodoMissiontempleinKapaa,however,hefellillfromexhaustionandleftforJapanonAugust3,1898.Rev.TaijoMatsuopassedawayinTokyoonSeptember13,1898,attheageof30.

Meanwhile,Rev.OkabepropagatedJodoShuonMauiduringthesummerof1894.ThenhewenttotheBigIsland,wherehevisitedvariouscampsincludingHakalau,Kalopa,Honokaa,Kukaiau,Paauilo,Paauhau,EastOkaku,Papaloa,andKukuihaele,andbegangainingfollowers.In1895,hebegancollectingdonationstobuildatemplefortheAmidaBuddhaimagehebroughtfromJapan.ConstructiononthetemplebeganonSeptember25,1896andwascomplet-edinNovember.OnNovember26,thededicationceremonyforthenewtemple,HamakuaBuddhistTemple”(later,HamakuaJodoMission)wasobserved.ThistemplewasthefirstBuddhisttempletobebuiltinHawaii,anditstotalconstructioncostwas$3000,whichwasalotofmoneyinthosedays.InOctober1897,Rev.Okabecontractedtyphoidfever and was in critical condition but recovered. He returned to Japan in June 1898. Thededicationandhardshipofthesepioneeringministersshouldnotbeforgotten.TravelingtoHawaiibyseawasdifficultinthelate19thcenturyandestablishingJodoShuasthefirstmissionarieswasnoeasytask.Rev.MatsuoandRev.OkabepavedthewayforfutureJodoShuministersandlaidthefoundationforJodoShuinHawaii.

(BasedonRev.JunshinMiyazaki’stranslationofRev.GidoShimbo’sbookinJapaneseon90yearsofJodoShu inHawaii.)

CELEBRATING A NEW SPRING, HONORING 120 YEARS SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF OUR FIRST JODO SHU MINISTERS TO HAWAII Wishingyouallapeacefulandhappyspring!AlthoughHawaiiisrelativelywarmthroughouttheyear,aroundtheworld,springtimerepresentsrejuvenationandtransformation.Inourtradition,anewbeginningmeansanopportunitytostepforwardaswellastoreconnectwithandreflectonourtraditionandpast.

IncelebrationofthearrivalofourfirstJodoShuministers—Rev.TaijoMatsuoandRev.GakuoOkabe—toHawaiiin1894,lastyear,weobservedacommemorativeservice.Continuingwiththecommemorativeobser-vances,thisyear,asymposiumonMarch14and15attheJodoMissionofHawaiiinHonolulu(seep.8ofthisissueformoreinformation).Inadditiontothissymposium,wewillhavemanymoreeventsatourrespectivetemplesthroughouttheyear(seeour2015calendarofeventsonp.7).Welookforwardtoseeingyouthisyear!

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LAYPERSONS’ AND FUJINKAI CONVENTION IN HILO ByRobertMiyake,PresidentoftheLaypersons’Association

Iftheyardstickforsuccessismeasuredbyhowmucheveryoneenjoyedthemselveswhenmeetingoldfriendsormakingnewones,orbyhowmuchwelearnedaboutourreligionorbythepositiveenergythatwasfelt,thenthe23rdLaypersons’andthe24thRengoFujinkaiConventionheldonSeptember19–21,2014inHilowasahugesuccess.EveryoneenjoyedwhatHilohadtooffer…goodfood,goodweather,goodshoppingandgoodfriends OnSaturday,September20,LaypersonsandFujinkaimembersandministerstraveledtoHamakuaJodoMissiontoparticipateinthe120thCommemorativeServiceofthefoundingofthetemplebuiltbythefirstJodoShuminister,Rev.GakuoOkabe.Intheevening,Rev.ShinriHarapresentedaninterestingtalkaboutournewOtsutomebook. ThenextLaypersons’andRengoFujinkaiConventionwillbeheldonMauiin2016.LaypersonsPresidentDonaldFujiiandFujinkaiPresidentJocelynTenganinviteeveryonetoMaui.Thinkaboutgoing,youwillhaveagreattime.

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120th Commemorative Service at Hamakua Jodo Mission

Honoringour KeiroFujinkaiLadies

Rev. Shinri Hara on our newOtsutomebook

ParticipantsenjoyingHilo’swarmwelcome

BishopGenshoHaraspeaksaboutfirstJodoShu ministers to Hawaii

Offeringincense

Service at Hilo Meishoin

A RENEWED BEGINNING: WAILUKU JODO MISSION CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

“HonoringthePastandEmbracingtheFuture,”thethemeforWailukuJodoMission’scentennialcelebration,sig-nifiesappreciationtoourpredecessors,whomadeacenturyofpracticingtheNenbutsupossibleforus,whilelookingtothenext100years.Ourpastshouldbeourinspirationtoachievenewchallenges.Letusrememberhowtheyovercamemanychallengesintheirtimeandsucceeded.Withthisinmind,letustogetherworktowardsabrighterfutureandrenewoursup-port and dedication to the Jodo Shu movement in Hawaii.

OnOctober24,2014,acommemorativeconcertwasheldtokickoffthecelebrationwithanopeningblessingbyRev.JohnHaraandanenergeticperformancebyMauiTaiko.KyodanPresidentTonyIshikawaandFujinkaiPresidentDallasHoweopenedthedoorstotheCentennialGalleryinthesocialhall,wherehistoricphotosandarti-factsfromthetemplewereexhibited.FollowingthisbyBishopShinkoKandaofHozen-jiTemple(Osaka)present-edRev.MasayoshiItoofHoden-jiTemple(Kyoto),Rev.HiromasaMizobuchiofDaiho-ji(Osaka),Rev.RyogenOkadaofShonen-ji(Osaka),andformerWJMministerRev.YoshinoriNakazawa,whoperformedinamagicalCommemorativeShomyo(Buddhistliturgicalchanting)concertinthetemple.

OnOctober25,membersandfriendsfromJapan,themainland,neigh-borislands,andMauifilledthetemplefortheCommemorativeCentennialservice,whichwasofficiatedbythecurrentandformerministersofWailuku(fromlefttorightRev.MitsuakiKozu,Rev.JohnHara,Rev.Nakazawa,andRev.ShuyuNagahori).EspeciallyheartwarmingwasthepresenceoffamilymembersofformerresidentministerRev.TaizenImamura,whowasinstru-mental to the foundation of Wailuku Jodo Mission and served for over 50

years,andhissonRev.YuzenImamura,whowasalsoadevotedresidentminister,andofRev.YoshinoriNakazawa,wholosthisfamilytempleduringtheFukushimatripledisasterandisnowworkingtoestablishanewtemple.

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MauiTaiko’sOpeningPerformance CommemorativeExhibition enjoyedbyall

CommemorativeShomyoConcertin the Temple

AllthosewhoattendedenjoyedawonderfulfellowshipluncheonandentertainmentattheKahiliiGolfcourserestaurant.WailukuJodoMissionextendstheirheartfeltgratitudetoalltheirfriendsandguests.Ourdeepappreciationgoestoalltheformerministers,theirwives,andfamiliesfortheirhardworkanddevotiontothetemple.AspecialMahalotoourlongtimefriendanddedicatedKyodanPresidentof27years,Mr.WalterYoshida,whooriginallyheadedtheCentennialCommittee,forhismanylongyearsofservicetoWailukuJodoMission.Duetohealthcomplications,hepassedawayinJulybeforetheCentennial.SpecialthanksalsogoestotheImamurafamilyfortheirmanyyearsofsupport!

PleasevisitMelanieAgrabante’ssite(http://goo.gl/wCqa35)formorephotographsofthecentennialservice and luncheon.

HALEIWA JODO MISSION’S ANNUAL CRAFT FAIR

Craftfairsandbazaarsareonewayfortemple’stofundraise.TheHonoluluBetsuin’sannualbazaariswellknownforitsmanyhiddentreasures.Haleiwa’spopularcraftfairisalsoabigattractionthat’sbothfunandenter-tainingforall.

Duetoanexpectedhurricane,theHaleiwaJodoMissionYBArescheduledthecraftfairforOctober25,2014.Thefairprovidesavenueforlocalcrafters,artists,andotherstoshowcasetheirproducts.Theday,fortunately,turnedouttobeabeautifulasmanyvendors,greatentertainment,andlotsofvisitorsfilledthetemplegrounds.Thankyoutoalloftheentertainers,vendors,visitors,friends,members,andneighbors.Weareparticularly gratefultotheAsanofamilywhoallowedourvendorsandstafftoparkintheiryard,andRev.Ezakiandallofthehard-workingmembersandfriendswhopreparedfor,setupfor,managedduring,andcleanedupafterthecraftfair.Mahalotoyouall!

Wecouldalwaysusemorehelpforactivitiessuchasbondanceandcraftfair.Ifyouwouldliketojoinus,pleaseletusknow,andwewillbesuretoletyouknowaboutupcomingopportunitiestovolunteeryourtime.

UPCOMING EVENT!!

*YBACONVENTIONatAULANIRESORT/June5–7(Fri.–Sun.)

Joinoldfriends,meetnewfriendsatthisyear’sconvention,whichwillbeheldatDisney’sAulaniResort!Formoreinformationortoreserveaspot,emailHaleiwaJodoMissionYBA(haleiwajodomissionyba@gmail.com).

* 10THANNUAL24-HOURCONTINUOUSNENBUTSUSESSIONATZOJO-JIMAY29TOMAY30

TemplesinJapan,Hawaii,andaroundtheworldwillparticipateviainternet.Pleaseaskyourresidentministerforyourtemple’sparticipationtimeinthisinspirationalevent.

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Commemorative Centennial Service

LuncheonattheKahiliiGolfCourseRestaurant InMemoryofRev.&Mrs.TaizenImamura

YULA YULA EVENT AT HAKALAU JODO MISSIONbyJanNakamura

OnDecember2,2014,HakalauJodoMissionexperiencedawonderfulcollaborationwiththeJodoShuYoungPriests’OrganizationfromJapanandHawaiiministers.ThisevententitledYulaYula(referringtotheimageryofgentlyswayinglights)includedawedding,Gagaku(traditionalimperialcourtmusicperformedbythepriestsfromJapan),aprofessionalKabukidancer,traditionalOkinawandancebytheKinRyoshoDanceAcademy,Ukulelemu-sicbyBJSoriano,andabeautifulcandlelightceremonyunderthefullmoononthetemplegrounds.The100partic-ipants(24fromJapan)enjoyedthevariousperformancesandgotauniqueunderstandingofandappreciationfortheJapanesecultureandnewknowledgeofourJodoShureligion.Eachparticipantreceivedacandletotakehomeasamemento of their attendance.

ThisYulaYulaeventwasinconjunctionwithHakalauJodoMission110thanniversary.ItwasasuccessfuleventbecauseofthepeoplefromJapanandourlocalcommunity.Wewishthisactivitywillfosteracloserrelationshipwith the Jodo Mission temples in Japan and in Hawaii.

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BeautifulweddingatHakalauJodoMission YulaYulaCandlelightCeremony

LIST OF HAWAII COUNCIL OF JODO MISSIONS, LAYPERSONS’ ASSOCIATION, AND FUJINKAI OFFICERS

Becominganofficerrequiresalotofhardwork,sacrifice,anddedication,soweareeversogratefultoallof-ficersonboththelocalandstatelevel(duetospace,onlystatewideofficersarelistedbutwegreatlyappreciateallofyou!)Mahalonuiloatoallourdedicatedofficers,members,andministers!

HCJM (Kyoku) Officers for 2015–2017President:LeonardChow(Hilo)1stVicePresident:RobertMiyake(Hilo)2ndVP:IanKitajima(Honolulu)Secretary:EleanorMiyake(Hilo

Asst.Secretary:PatriciaMatsuo(Hilo)Treasurer:HerbertFujikawa(Honolulu)Asst.Treasurer:CliffordMiyamoto(Honolulu)Auditors:AlbertAkimoto(Kauai),DonaldFujii(Maui)

President-Maui:DonaldFujii1stVP-Maui:JocelynTengan2ndVP-Kauai:CliftonHayashi3rdVP-Hawaii:DaleNagata4thVP-Oahu:JonKaramatsuSecretary-Maui:CindyWadaCorrespondingSecretary-Maui:YayoiHara

Treasurer-Maui:JuneNouchiAuditors(oneperisland) Directors(oneperisland)Oahu:HerbertAkimoto JoAnnMatsuoHawaii:NorrisHawthorne AlexMuramotoMaui:TonyIshikawa JennieHashiroKauai:AlvinAkimoto DavidSaiki

President:JocelynTengan(Kahului)VicePresident:DallasHowe(Wailuku)

Secretary:JennyHashiro(Kahului)Treasurer:EikoKawamura(Haleiwa)

Laypersons’ Association Officers for 2015–2016

Hawaii Jodo Shu Rengo Fujinkai for 2015

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2015 HAWAII COUNCIL OF JODO MISSIONS MAJOR EVENTS

FOR SUGGESTIONS ON FUTURE ARTICLES AND/OR COMMENTS, PLEASE WRITE US AT HAWAIIBUDDHISM@GMAIL.COM

HonenShonin’sMemorial (Gyoki-e)

Jan. 18 Jan. 4 Jan. 11 Jan. 11 Jan. 18 Jan. 18 Jan. 25 Jan. 18 Jan. 25 Jan. 25 Jan. 25 Jan. 18 Jan. 25

NewYear’sParty Jan. 25 Feb. 15 Jan. 18 Feb. 15 Jan. 31 Jan.17 Jan. 11 Jan. 24 Feb. 14

NirvanaDayService Feb. 8 Feb. 1 Feb. 8 Feb. 8 Feb. 15 Feb. 15 Feb. 22 Feb. 15 Feb. 8 Feb. 15 Feb. 22 Feb. 8 Feb. 22

SpringOhigan(Equinox) Mar. 22 Mar. 1 Mar. 8 Mar. 8 Mar. 22 Mar. 29 Mar. 22 Mar. 8 Mar. 22 Mar. 22 Mar. 8 Mar. 8

BuddhaDay(Hanamatsuri) Apr. 5 Apr. 12 Apr. 12 Apr. 19 Apr. 19 Apr. 26 Apr. 19 Apr. 12 Apr. 19 Apr. 12 Apr. 12

Buddhist Council BuddhaDay Apr. 5 Apr. 5 Apr. 5

O-Bon/Segaki Jul. 17-19

Jun. 19 &20 Aug.1 Aug.

15Jul. 11 &12 Aug.1 Aug.8 Jul. 11 Jun. 19 Aug.

15 Jul. 31 Jun. 5 Jul. 19

BonDance Aug14&15

Jun. 19 &20 Aug.1 Aug.

15 Jul. 11 Aug.1 Aug.8 Jul.17 Jun. 19 Aug.15 Jul. 3 Jun. 12

&13Jul. 24 &25

ToroNagashi Jun. 20 Aug.2 Jul. 3 Jun. 21 Aug.9

AutumnOhigan(Equinox)

Sept. 27 Sept. 6 Sept.

13Sept.

13Sept.

13Sept.

13Sept. 27

Sept. 13

Sept. 13

Sept. 27

Sept. 20

Sept. 13

Sept. 27

Ojuya Nov. 8 Nov. 1 Nov. 8 Nov. 8 Nov. 15 Nov. 15 Nov. 22 Nov. 15 Oct.18 Nov. 8 Nov. 1

BodhiDay (Buddha’s

Enlightenment)Dec.6 Dec.13 Dec.13 Dec.6 Dec.20 Dec.27 Dec.20 Dec.13 Dec.6 Dec.20 Dec.13

Buddhist Council Bodhi

DayDec.6 Dec.6 Dec.6 Dec.6

Joya-eorNewYear’sEve Dec.31 Dec.31 Dec.31 Dec.31 Dec.31 Dec.31 Dec.31 Dec.31 Dec.31

SERVICES&EVENTTEMPLE H

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120thAnniversarySeminarMarch14&15@BetsuinYouthRetreatMarch17&18onMaui

YBAConventionJune5to7@AulaniResortKyokuConventionSeptember18to20@Betsuin

KYOKU EVENTS

“The Next Generation of Jodo Shu Ministry” (English Session)

9:00 a.m. English Service

9:30 a.m. Overview of “The Eastward Movement of Honen Buddhism” by Dr. Kiyohiko Fujimoto (English Translation by Rev. Shinri Hara)

10:00 a.m. “The Potential for Honen’s Buddhism in the West” by Gary Link

10:45 a.m. Q & A / Recess

11:00 a.m. “Honen Buddhism in South America” by Rev. Eduardo Ryoho Sasaki

11:45 a.m. Q & A / Recess

12:00 noon Perspective of Honen Buddhism in Hawaii by Leonard Chow

12:30 p.m. Lunch in the Social Hall

All are welcome. Please join us to listen and share your thoughts on presentations by speakers from Japan, Brazil, LA, and Hawaii!

Saturday Lectures will all be in Japanese; Sunday lectures will be given completely in English.

M a r c h 1 5 ( S u n d a y ) March 14 (Saturday)

Japanese Session

9:00 a.m.

Opening Service

10:15 a.m.

The East Movement of Honen Buddhism

Lecture by Dr. Kiyohiko Fujimoto

(Director, Jodo Shu Research Institute)

2:45 p.m.

Jodoshu Ministry on the Mainland

Lecture by Dr. Joji Atone

(Bishop, Jodoshu North America Buddhist Mis-sion)

Commemorative Symposium Honen Buddhism, East to West

Celebrating the 120th Year Since the Arrival of

the First Jodo Shu Ministers to Hawaii

Jodo Shu, established in 1175 by Honen Shonin, is the first independent school of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan. It follows the development of original Buddhism as taught by Shakyamuni Buddha. Over 800 years since the beginning of Jodo Shu, Honen’s teachings still continue to develop and to constitute a part of daily life. The nenbutsu is the simple recitation of “Namu Amida Butsu” (“Homage to Amida Buddha”) and the center of Jodo Shu practice and devotion. It can be done at any time or any place. It is the ideal way for us to embody the great compassion of Amida Buddha in our daily lives.

at Jodo Mission of Hawaii 1429 Makiki Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96814

For more information, please contact: Jodo Mission of Hawaii Phone: (808) 949-3995 Email: narashiba@hotmail.com / kosenishikawa@hotmail.com