NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Honolulu, HI
Permit No. 693

Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
1685 Alaneo Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96817

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Address Service Requested

In this issue of WA...

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Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii Betsuin
Bulletin

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September 2013t "DLOPXMFEHNFOUTp. 5
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Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii

Temple Activities Calendar
SEPTEMBER 2013
9/1
9/1

Sun 10 am Shotsuki memorial service
Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study classਠ৻ୁदบઇ॑ୂऒअ

9/8 Sun9/10 Tue
9/12 Thu
9/15 Sun
9/17 Tue
9/22
9/22
9/24
9/24

Sun
Sun
Tue
Tue

9/28 Sat
9/29 Sunled by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
Fukuhara Conference Room
10 am Sunday service
3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
Fukuhara Conference Room
7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
10 am Sunday service & Sunday school
7 pm O-ko: Informal dharma discussion
Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji
10 am Ohigan service
12 pm Betsuin board meeting
3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
6:30 pm Movie night: Shall We Dance?
Japanese audio/English subtitles
Fukuhara Conference Room
1pm
Recitation circle
9 am Bazaar at Otani Center

OCTOBER 201310/6 Sun 10 am Shotsuki/Perpetual memorial service &Sunday school
10/6 Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study classਠ৻ୁदบઇ॑ୂऒअ

led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
10/8 Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
10/10 Thu 7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
10/10 Thu 7 pm What on Earth Is Namuamidabutsu?
led by Rev. Frank Childs
10/13 Sun 10 am Short Sunday service & Omigaki(Polishing of altar implements)
10/13 Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting
10/15 Tue 7 pm O-ko: Informal dharma discussion
Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji
10/19 Sat 10 am Ho-on-ko gathering
10/20 Sun 10 am Ho-on-ko service
10/22 Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
10/22 Tue 6:30 pm Movie night: Jiro Dreams of Sushi
10/27 Sun 10 am No Sunday service (Kaneohe Ho-on-ko)
10/28 Mon 1pm
Recitation circle

Everyone is welcome to join in on our sutra chanting at 7 am daily (except Sundays) in the Betsuin Main Hall.

At Higashi Hongwanji, we
remain true to our origins
as an open Sangha,
welcoming anyone who
wishes to learn more
about the Jodo Shinshu
tradition of Buddhism.
A registered 501(c)3 organization

President: Faye Shigemura
Rinban: Kenjun Kawawata
Minister: Makoto Honda
Associate Minister:Frank Childs
1685 Alaneo Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
Tel: (808) 531-9088
Fax: (808) 531-3265
Email: hhhb@me.com
Wa is published monthly byHigashi Hongwanji Mission of
Hawaii for its members andfriends. Comments, articles andother items for publicationconsideration are welcomed.
Editor: Ken Saiki

S

pring ohigan is the season to seed, and autumn ohigan is the season toharvest in Japan. My home has a small rice field, and we grew organic rice
every year with kindergarten children. Between March and April we seed the rice,and then we plant the rice in the field by hand around June and then between
September and October, we harvest the rice with children by hand. Soybeans arealso seeded in the spring ohigan season and harvested in the autumn ohigan
season, too. My mother grows soybeans, and she makes homemade miso.
Hawaii does not have a big change between the seasons, but Japan does. So
people desire a good crop when they seed in spring and appreciate the harvest in
autumn. People feel nature and life strongly during this season.
I sometimes forget that human beings are also a part of nature while I amliving in Honolulu, where most things are artificial. My hometown had many rice
fields in the back of my house, and a green mountain was behind the rice fields.
There were no streetlights. The moon was the only light lighting the rice field.
When wind blew through the greens, it created a beautiful but eerie sound,especially at night.
We are able see things very clearly, even at night, in Honolulu. We imagine
many things when we see things not so clearly. Strangely enough, when we see
things clearly we do not use our senses much. But in the dark we use senses morestrongly and may be able to see the world or hear the sounds better. At night,
frogs are singing in the stream, and bellcrickets are playing music in the field.
When I walk in the field at night,
trees take on scary human forms in the
moonlight. As I pass slowly, I realize thatthey are only trees. The wind howls
http://www.youtube.com/ http://www.youtube.com/
through the tree, and it sounds like awatch?v=9cxIgjG-tx0
watch?v=m8oAzO8EGx0
human cry or a ghost. I walk
The melodic nighttime sounds of frogs andtentatively and cautiously. I get acrickets in the Japanese countryside can be
feeling that there is something beyond heard in the YouTube videos accessible byscanning the QR codes above. Or go directly
myself in the dark. But in Honolulu, I
to the URLs shown.
sometimes forget these situations andfeelings. The cockroaches that visit my office are my biggest connection to nature.
So Higan is the Other Shore, and the Other Shore is the Pure Land. The Pure
Land is the world in which all beings live their natural lives. A friend, a boss,
cockroaches, plants and even rain all live as they are. When we live in an egocentered world, we think that we are the highest beings. If we live in that kind ofworld, we are unable to see the Pure Land. I believe that to find the world ofharmony is to find the Pure Land. And it is here. This is Higan.

70-6/5&&34
VOLUNTEERS

The largest martial arts group is the
Aikido Ohana. Alan Nagasawa Sensei
marched in with his army of early
The people behind our events
volunteers David and Jan Nakashima,
Faye Shigemura
Tyler Uetake, and Stu Minchen.
Following not far behind were Sensei
Roger, Earl Nagasawa, Ron Tagami,
pon their arrival in Hawaii, many
Jackie Oshiro, Rory Enomoto, Sandy
immigrants who came to find a
Nakamatsu, Danny Asami, Hiroshi Kato,
better life for themselves found little
Koko Tamai, Courtney Oh, Clarise Ikeno,
else to do in this foreign land besides
Charlene Watanabe, Marlene, Eiko,working in the fields. When Buddhist
Colene and Dayna.
temples were established in Hawaii,
We mentioned the names
besides a place to worship,of some of our helpers in last
they became the gathering
month’s Wa newsletter, butplace, the club house, thewe missed a few. There’s anatural place to be.
core of temple memberswho
Fast-forward 100 years…
cheerfully devote their
how things have changed.
time and energy to all our
Television, computers, cellular
events, Betty Nishida, Peggy
phones, Internet, DNA, even
Arita, Roy Nakamoto and his
cloning doesn’t raise as many
handsome grandsons John
eyebrows as it did just 50
and Ridge, Jimmy and Flo
years ago. Times and people
Hirakawa, the Nakano family,
have changed. While Hawaii
Ken and Kumiko Saiki, Dennis
residents have a healthy
and Debra Saiki, Jonathan
respect for the past andTani and Karen Kamihara,cultural values and most say
to name a few. This year,
religion is important in their
we welcomed quite a few
lives, nearly 40% “never go toadditional members who also
church or temple,” according
helped with preparations.
to a survey published recently
Herald and Hilda Takehiro
in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
came all the way from Pearl
While Buddhism was theCity to help with the cooking,dominant religion in Hawaii
their daughters, sons-in-law,
before World War II, today theand cases of water and bags
number in Hawaii identifyingof rice in tow.
themselves as Buddhists is
We can always count on
closer to 8%, and even less
Kei Tsuji and Tadao Iwasaki
among young people.
to show up bright and earlyWith fewer younger
to help with the day-after
members, we have had tocleanup. Other members who
tap other resources to help
were not able to physicallywith our temple activities.
help enabled us to purchase
Higashi Hongwanji Betsuin is
our meat and vegetables with
fortunate to have four martial
their generous donations.
arts groups who tirelessly
Thanks to all volunteers,
volunteer for our fundraisers
our 2013 bon dance wasand bon dances.
perhaps the most successful
The aikido, jujitsu,
one ever! We continue tokarate, and taichi students
seek volunteers every year forand teachers come throughWithout our stalwart volunteers to help with taking orders,various events at this temple.
for us every year. The foodpreparing and serving food or making shave ice and performing
If you can spare a day orcrew for our 2013 bon dance on other duties, our bon dances would not be possible.
two to assist with one of our
Saturday night was short on key
Ron Hughes and Steve. FayeG also
events, please call the Betsuin office.
people because of sudden illness andunexpected injury. In walk John Morris tapped into her ohana with her nieces It’s hard work, but fun and leaves
Ariana Garan and Erin Tanaka, who we a good feeling in your heart. Keepand Marjorie Au from the taichi classunderstand were excited to help. We
watching the Wa for announcements
who came in early in the day to lend
their valuable hands. Our panic turned hope they can join us again next year! of future activities.

U2

to huge grins when they appeared at
Otani Hall. There was a flash of golden
light with harps and organs echoing
throughout the kitchen (kinda cheesy,
but somewhat accurate). Frances
Nakamura also joined in the mayhem
and somehow helped us get throughthe first busy hours of orders. Thankyou John, Marge and Frances!
Faye Garan from the Hawaii Jujitsu
Koden Kai came with her students
in tow, Kyle Kennedy, Kista Gould,

MahaloGozaimasu

We gratefully acknowledge the following for their generous
contributions. If we’ve missed any donor’s name, please accept
our apologies and let us know by calling the Betsuin at 531-9088
so we can make corrections to our records.

.&.03*"- '6/&3"- */63/.&/5#63*"-4&37*$&
Carol Matsunaga
Kihara Family
Otome Miyashiro Family
Mildred ImaiJean Haruno(0+*,"*.&.#&34)*1
Carol Matsunaga

Frances Maekawa4)0546,*.&.03*"-4&37*$&
Doris Kodama
Tsutomu Oi
June & Michael Debusk

Jane Ogata Family Sakamoto Family
George Minoru & Fumiyo Segawa Family
George Tamayose
Amy Abe

Patrick Miyamura

Carol Matsunaga

Laura & Sandra
Tadao Iwasaki

Velma Nakahara
Wendi Nishikawa

Debra Saiki
Christie Wilson

Kumiko Saiki

Minako ItoMarion Kanemori
Marian Tsuji
Edwin Shirabe

Haruno Family
Moriso Teraoka

Betty Miyasaki
Eiko Shirayama

June Takasaki
Rev. Nobuyuki Ito

Lester Kaichi
Betty Nishida
Shirley Nishizawa
Marilyn Kuroda
Shizuno Miyazaki
Moriso Teraoka
B. K. Shirota

Mildred Tashiro
Mel & Ida Hori
Sadao & Kazue Uechi Stacey Yamaguchi
Peggy Arita
Helen Suzuki
Jean Tanouye
Dorothy Tanaka
Akitoshi Nakahara
Frances Makiyama
Kazuto Shimizu
Eleanor Yamashita,:0%"/%0/"5*0/(including columbarium, Otani Center)Barbara Okumura
Atsuko Nonaka
Minako Ito-Song
Kazuo Kono
Walter & Joyce Fukuhara
Bertha Tomokiyo
Gainor Tomokiyo
William Higuchi
Marilyn Kobata
Jane Watanabe
Robert Takayama
Amy AbeFaye Shigemura

Joann Kubota
Faye Shigemura"-5"3'-03"-"33"/(&.&/54

Lisa Kumamaru

0#0/4&37*$&

Mae Yamada
Paul Matsui
Lowell Arakaki$"-&/%"3

Peggy Arita&*5"*,:01&31&56"-.&.03*"-4&37*$&
Carol Matsunaga
Anonymous
Yoshihiro & Ryoko Osa
Grace Kogami
Sumiye Shojinaga



Mae Tsukamoto
Kerwin Shimoda
Paul Nishida

Jean Haruno
Jan Lee
Tsutomu Oi
Renee Koizumi
Katherine Kurakake
Marilyn Yonekura$)*$,&/464)*4"-&(including donors and volunteers)

Amy E. Abe
Gladys Abe
Vincent Akamine
Tomei Akegarasu
Peggy Arita
Vivian Chang
Frank Childs
Carol S. Cripps
Miyoko Duesing
Edith Endo
Lawrence Fujii
Dayla Fujioka
Janice Fukuda
Hosen Fukuhara
Hideo Fukunaga
Ellen Gono
Shigeru Gushikuma Michie Harano
Takao Harano
Doris Hanai
Richard Hanai
Wayne & Violet Harada Wallace Haruki
Thomas Hashimoto
Ryde & Jeanne Haruno Jean Hayashi
Franklin Hayashida Margaret HigaJames Hirakawa
Patricia Hirata
Clarence Hoshino
Carolyn Ikeda
Lawrence Imai
Peggy Ishida
Richard Ishida
Wayne Ishii
Tadao Iwasaki
Lester Kaichi
Bert Kaizuka
Marion Kanemori
Edward Kaneshige Kikue Kaneshiro
Dennis Kawada
Denis Kawamoto
Kenneth Kihara
Mikiko Kishida
Hanae Kobata
Miyuki Koga
Grace M. Kogami
Betty Y. Koizumi
Kevin Kazuo Kono
Stanley Kono
Tatsuo Kubota
Harold I. Kudo
Richard Kudo
Jon Kumashiro
Katherine K. Kurakake Jan Lee
Toshiaki Maeda
Frances N. Maekawa
Frances Makiyama Joyce MasakiGrace Matsumura
Carol Matsunaga
Evelyn-Gail Y. Miike Frank Minami
Yukie Minatoya
Shizuno Miyazaki
Kiyoko Moriyama
Paul Motoyama
Gladys Murakami Mitsuharu Murakami
Donald Murakami
Theda Murata
Wallace Naito
Akitoshi Nakahara
Roy Nakamoto
Beatrice Nakano
Edmund Nakano
Holly Nakasone
Nancy Nakatsu
Florence Nishida
Betty Nishida
Ralph & Bette Nishida
Cynthia Nishimura Shirley Nishizawa
Harold Nitta
Patricia Nitta
Atsuko Nonaka
Tadashi Ogata
Hiroharu Ohara
Tsutomu Oi
Jane M. Okazaki
Jasmine Okuda
Barbara Okumura Leatrice Omiya
Michiko Otsuka
Itsume Pang
Rebecca Pang
Kenneth Saiki
Dennis Saiki
Clarence Sakaguchi
Takuo Sakai
Dorothy Sakamoto Kenneth Sakamoto Michael Sawai
Collin Segawa
Faye Shigemura
Harvey ShimaWayne Shinbara
Esther Shioi
Elmer Shiraishi
Ken & Gale Shoda Richard Sonomura
Kimie Sugimoto
June Takasaki
Robert Takayama
Herald S. Takehiro
Ikuto Taketa
Dorothy Tanaka
Satsuye Tanaka
Jonathan Tani
Haruo Tanida
Geraldine TanoueJean Tanouye
Moriso Teraoka
Shigeko Tokunaga Shigeko Tsuchida
Larry Tsuchiyama
Bernice Tsutsumi
Misao Ujimori
May S. Uyeda
Viola Uyeno
Jane Wataru
Keith And Lynn Wong Walter Yamada
Kazue Yamamoto
Teiko Yamane
Eleanor S. Yamashita Walter Yonekura
Mitsuko Yukutake
Lowell Arakaki
We wish to extend our deepest
Yukie Nagata
Helen Suzuki
Jackie Uyeda
Beatrice Murakami
sympathy
to the family of the late
Steven & June Pang Grace Matsumura
Helen Suzuki
Ruth Hirahara
Melvin Kono
Shigeru Gushikuma Mildred Tashiro
John Ishikawa
Mr. Yoji Kawakami (68)
Frances Nakamura Marjorie Au
John Morris
Faye Garan
July 13, 2013
Kyle Kennedy
Alan Nagasawa & Aikido Ohana: Charlie & Glenn

In Memoriam

5

Coming Up Soon...A Real-l-ly Big Bazaar!

/FXTPOUIF#FUTVJO8JSFMFTT

(PMEFO%FFS'VO"DUJWJUJFTGPS,JET#FHJO4FQU Stand by for some fun and exciting times just up ahead

with the launching of the Higashi Golden Deer Sunday
School and Youth Activities program!
From September 15, and every 1st
and 3rd Sunday thereafter, we’re holdingclasses at the Betsuin starting at 10:00 am
for toddlers up to five years old andSunday School for children six to 12.
They’ll first attend Sunday service, andafter the message for children, they moveto our classroom for activities such ascrafts, stories and games until 11:30 am.
We have planned monthly activities
such as hiking and going to the beach.
Our experienced Education staff of Rev. Makoto Honda,
Jonathan Tani, Debra Saiki and Jeanne Kawawata havedesigned a Golden Deer program through which
we hope children will find more importance andpreciousness in their lives, as well as in others, andlearn the way of life through Buddha’s teachings.
With your cooperation, we feel the program
can contribute toward your children’s healthy
growth physically and spiritually, toward more2

ur September 1 service is our monthly shotsuki
remembrance of our temple family members
who passed away in September of a past year. At thesame service we will also be observing Eitaikyo, which
is our annual Perputual Memorial service held inFrank Motoshi Arita
Mitsuko Egaki
Nancy Shizue Goya
Toshimi Harauchi
Tsuyako Haruki
Dorothy Haruko Haruno
Yaichiro Hosaka
Shizuo Ichiyama
Vernon Hiroshi Imura
Lois Yoshie Inabata
Dorothy Mitsuko Ishikawa
Chiyoko Kakazu
Nancy M. Kawamoto

Yoshiko Kishimoto
Kiyoko Kono
Hatsuko Kotsubo
Eleanore Tsuruyo Kumamoto
Toshio Matsuura
Curtis Seiji Matsuzaki
Alice Mitsuko Matsuzaki
Masanobu Miyashiro
Leatrice Asae Morita
Harry Hajime Muramoto
Frank Takeo Muraoka
Umeko Nishida
Jenny Lynne Nishioka

While shotsuki services are observed every year,
special nenki hoyo memorial services are held duringcertain auspicious years. These years include the 1stanniversary, followed by memorial services for theImeaningful and fulfilling lives.
Please encourage your children, grandchildren andfriends to participate. Call Rev. Honda at 531-9088 formore information.

i4IBMM8F%BODF w*T4FQUFNCFS.PWJF
 Winner of 14 Japanese Academy Awards—in fact,

every award it was eligible to win—”Shall We Dance?” wasa box office hit in the U.S., Japan and 19 other countries.
The 119-minute comedy is about a middle-aged
workaholic’s incredibly dull life taking a funny turn when hesigns up for a ballroom dance class. Stars Koji Yakusho andTamiyo Kusakari. Japanese audio and English subtitles.
Showtime is 6:30 pm on Sep. 24. Admission is FREE.
Ample seating in the Fukuhara Conference Room.

t seems as though it was justsix months ago that the bazaar
volunteers were exhausted after
sorting through donated clothes thatno longer fit, children’s toys whichwere replaced five Christmases ago
by electronic ones, dog-eared books,
Golden Wheat dinnerware, and many
unused gifts from Omochaya.
Here we are almost one year later,
and the collectors will again start
to line up at least one hour prior to
opening time, looking for that deal of
the century on an antique selling for amere fraction of the value.

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We’ve already amassed a tonof gently used items, thanks to thegenerosity of members and others,
but like anything else, we can always
use more.
So, it’s again time to clean out
those closets, and sort throughOkaasan’s old toronko and tansu.
First, locate your treasures, thendonate what is not wanted to thetemple’s bazaar.
For myself, a confessed clencher of

my mother’s stuff, there
is no negotiating what
I do with Mommy’s
memories, whichtake up a few large
boxes somewhere in
my home. However, I
admit I do have eightlacquer trays, twolarge sashimi plates,
three rice cookers, fivecoffee makers andone-third of a closet fullof still-tagged clothes Last year’s bazaar drew a big crowd of treasure-seekers fromthe neighborhood and elsewhere, hoping to find a second life
in various stages offor someone else’s unused or unneeded items.
outdatedness, most ofavailable for purchase to celebrate thewhich I must release
great bargains you found.
to make more room for my next
purchases at Las Vegas outlet malls.
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Mark the last Sunday in
September, when doors will open
at 9:00 am at Higashi Hongwanji
Betsuin’s Otani Center at 1685
Alaneo St. in Liliha.
For those who like to shop andeat, we’ll have lunch items and drinks

memory of all of our departed temple members.
At this month’s service we remember the following
temple family members who passed away in themonth of September:
Tadaichi Oda
Dennis Hiroshi Oishi
Harry Yoshio Okamura
Kiyoto Okumura
Violet Midori Ono
Fumiyo Sagawa
Kazuhisa Sakamoto
Kohei Sakuma
Frank David Santiago
Koji Sekiya
Kameko Sunabe
Tsugio Takaki
Tomoyo Takamatsu

And don’t forget...we’re also
looking for a few good volunteers toprice items in the days preceding andhelp with sales with the day of thebazaar.
Please call Rev. Makoto Honda at
531-9088 if you have questions.
– Faye Shigemura(0(3&&/Yukiyo Tanaka
Fumino Teraoka
Masao Harry Terukina
Ralph H. Teruya
Fujiye Teshima
David Koichi Tomita
Miyoko Tsubaki
Chiyoko Tsumoto
Walter Ujimori
Mildred M. Urasaki
Namio Yukutake(list includes past
25 years)

3rd, 7th, 13th, 17th, 25th, 33rd and 50th years. These
services are usually held prior to the actual anniversarydate. Please consult a minister for more information on
arranging a special service by calling 531-9088.

Shiginkai members perform a vocal tribute at obon ceremonies sponsored by Hawaii
Meiji Kai in memory of 16 Meiji-era Imperial Japanese Navy sailors buried at the Makiki
Japanese Naval cemetery. Bishop Kenjun Kawawata co-officiated the August 15 service
with Bishop Ryokan Ara of Tendai Mission of Hawaii.

3

4

Getting your monthly Wa bulletinby email instead of on paper may be
a way for you to help us to conserve
resources.
To switch to an electronic versionof our Wa newsletter, send an email,with subject line “Email Wa,” including
your name and address, to the
Betsuin at IIIC!NFDPN Then, starting next month, yourWa will arrive in your email inbox
instead of being delivered to yourmailbox by your mail carrier.
You’ll be helping us save some
paper and receive a bonus while at it.
Your bonus? The emailed version of
Wa comes in color!

Coming Up Soon...A Real-l-ly Big Bazaar!

/FXTPOUIF#FUTVJO8JSFMFTT

(PMEFO%FFS'VO"DUJWJUJFTGPS,JET#FHJO4FQU Stand by for some fun and exciting times just up ahead

with the launching of the Higashi Golden Deer Sunday
School and Youth Activities program!
From September 15, and every 1st
and 3rd Sunday thereafter, we’re holdingclasses at the Betsuin starting at 10:00 am
for toddlers up to five years old andSunday School for children six to 12.
They’ll first attend Sunday service, andafter the message for children, they moveto our classroom for activities such ascrafts, stories and games until 11:30 am.
We have planned monthly activities
such as hiking and going to the beach.
Our experienced Education staff of Rev. Makoto Honda,
Jonathan Tani, Debra Saiki and Jeanne Kawawata havedesigned a Golden Deer program through which
we hope children will find more importance andpreciousness in their lives, as well as in others, andlearn the way of life through Buddha’s teachings.
With your cooperation, we feel the program
can contribute toward your children’s healthy
growth physically and spiritually, toward more2

ur September 1 service is our monthly shotsuki
remembrance of our temple family members
who passed away in September of a past year. At thesame service we will also be observing Eitaikyo, which
is our annual Perputual Memorial service held inFrank Motoshi Arita
Mitsuko Egaki
Nancy Shizue Goya
Toshimi Harauchi
Tsuyako Haruki
Dorothy Haruko Haruno
Yaichiro Hosaka
Shizuo Ichiyama
Vernon Hiroshi Imura
Lois Yoshie Inabata
Dorothy Mitsuko Ishikawa
Chiyoko Kakazu
Nancy M. Kawamoto

Yoshiko Kishimoto
Kiyoko Kono
Hatsuko Kotsubo
Eleanore Tsuruyo Kumamoto
Toshio Matsuura
Curtis Seiji Matsuzaki
Alice Mitsuko Matsuzaki
Masanobu Miyashiro
Leatrice Asae Morita
Harry Hajime Muramoto
Frank Takeo Muraoka
Umeko Nishida
Jenny Lynne Nishioka

While shotsuki services are observed every year,
special nenki hoyo memorial services are held duringcertain auspicious years. These years include the 1stanniversary, followed by memorial services for theImeaningful and fulfilling lives.
Please encourage your children, grandchildren andfriends to participate. Call Rev. Honda at 531-9088 formore information.

i4IBMM8F%BODF w*T4FQUFNCFS.PWJF
 Winner of 14 Japanese Academy Awards—in fact,

every award it was eligible to win—”Shall We Dance?” wasa box office hit in the U.S., Japan and 19 other countries.
The 119-minute comedy is about a middle-aged
workaholic’s incredibly dull life taking a funny turn when hesigns up for a ballroom dance class. Stars Koji Yakusho andTamiyo Kusakari. Japanese audio and English subtitles.
Showtime is 6:30 pm on Sep. 24. Admission is FREE.
Ample seating in the Fukuhara Conference Room.

t seems as though it was justsix months ago that the bazaar
volunteers were exhausted after
sorting through donated clothes thatno longer fit, children’s toys whichwere replaced five Christmases ago
by electronic ones, dog-eared books,
Golden Wheat dinnerware, and many
unused gifts from Omochaya.
Here we are almost one year later,
and the collectors will again start
to line up at least one hour prior to
opening time, looking for that deal of
the century on an antique selling for amere fraction of the value.

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We’ve already amassed a tonof gently used items, thanks to thegenerosity of members and others,
but like anything else, we can always
use more.
So, it’s again time to clean out
those closets, and sort throughOkaasan’s old toronko and tansu.
First, locate your treasures, thendonate what is not wanted to thetemple’s bazaar.
For myself, a confessed clencher of

my mother’s stuff, there
is no negotiating what
I do with Mommy’s
memories, whichtake up a few large
boxes somewhere in
my home. However, I
admit I do have eightlacquer trays, twolarge sashimi plates,
three rice cookers, fivecoffee makers andone-third of a closet fullof still-tagged clothes Last year’s bazaar drew a big crowd of treasure-seekers fromthe neighborhood and elsewhere, hoping to find a second life
in various stages offor someone else’s unused or unneeded items.
outdatedness, most ofavailable for purchase to celebrate thewhich I must release
great bargains you found.
to make more room for my next
purchases at Las Vegas outlet malls.
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Mark the last Sunday in
September, when doors will open
at 9:00 am at Higashi Hongwanji
Betsuin’s Otani Center at 1685
Alaneo St. in Liliha.
For those who like to shop andeat, we’ll have lunch items and drinks

memory of all of our departed temple members.
At this month’s service we remember the following
temple family members who passed away in themonth of September:
Tadaichi Oda
Dennis Hiroshi Oishi
Harry Yoshio Okamura
Kiyoto Okumura
Violet Midori Ono
Fumiyo Sagawa
Kazuhisa Sakamoto
Kohei Sakuma
Frank David Santiago
Koji Sekiya
Kameko Sunabe
Tsugio Takaki
Tomoyo Takamatsu

And don’t forget...we’re also
looking for a few good volunteers toprice items in the days preceding andhelp with sales with the day of thebazaar.
Please call Rev. Makoto Honda at
531-9088 if you have questions.
– Faye Shigemura(0(3&&/Yukiyo Tanaka
Fumino Teraoka
Masao Harry Terukina
Ralph H. Teruya
Fujiye Teshima
David Koichi Tomita
Miyoko Tsubaki
Chiyoko Tsumoto
Walter Ujimori
Mildred M. Urasaki
Namio Yukutake(list includes past
25 years)

3rd, 7th, 13th, 17th, 25th, 33rd and 50th years. These
services are usually held prior to the actual anniversarydate. Please consult a minister for more information on
arranging a special service by calling 531-9088.

Shiginkai members perform a vocal tribute at obon ceremonies sponsored by Hawaii
Meiji Kai in memory of 16 Meiji-era Imperial Japanese Navy sailors buried at the Makiki
Japanese Naval cemetery. Bishop Kenjun Kawawata co-officiated the August 15 service
with Bishop Ryokan Ara of Tendai Mission of Hawaii.

3

4

Getting your monthly Wa bulletinby email instead of on paper may be
a way for you to help us to conserve
resources.
To switch to an electronic versionof our Wa newsletter, send an email,with subject line “Email Wa,” including
your name and address, to the
Betsuin at IIIC!NFDPN Then, starting next month, yourWa will arrive in your email inbox
instead of being delivered to yourmailbox by your mail carrier.
You’ll be helping us save some
paper and receive a bonus while at it.
Your bonus? The emailed version of
Wa comes in color!

NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Honolulu, HI
Permit No. 693

Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
1685 Alaneo Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96817

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Address Service Requested

In this issue of WA...

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Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii Betsuin
Bulletin

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September 2013t "DLOPXMFEHNFOUTp. 5
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Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii

Temple Activities Calendar
SEPTEMBER 2013
9/1
9/1

Sun 10 am Shotsuki memorial service
Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study classਠ৻ୁदบઇ॑ୂऒअ

9/8 Sun9/10 Tue
9/12 Thu
9/15 Sun
9/17 Tue
9/22
9/22
9/24
9/24

Sun
Sun
Tue
Tue

9/28 Sat
9/29 Sunled by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
Fukuhara Conference Room
10 am Sunday service
3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
Fukuhara Conference Room
7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
10 am Sunday service & Sunday school
7 pm O-ko: Informal dharma discussion
Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji
10 am Ohigan service
12 pm Betsuin board meeting
3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
6:30 pm Movie night: Shall We Dance?
Japanese audio/English subtitles
Fukuhara Conference Room
1pm
Recitation circle
9 am Bazaar at Otani Center

OCTOBER 201310/6 Sun 10 am Shotsuki/Perpetual memorial service &Sunday school
10/6 Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study classਠ৻ୁदบઇ॑ୂऒअ

led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
10/8 Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
10/10 Thu 7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
10/10 Thu 7 pm What on Earth Is Namuamidabutsu?
led by Rev. Frank Childs
10/13 Sun 10 am Short Sunday service & Omigaki(Polishing of altar implements)
10/13 Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting
10/15 Tue 7 pm O-ko: Informal dharma discussion
Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji
10/19 Sat 10 am Ho-on-ko gathering
10/20 Sun 10 am Ho-on-ko service
10/22 Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
10/22 Tue 6:30 pm Movie night: Jiro Dreams of Sushi
10/27 Sun 10 am No Sunday service (Kaneohe Ho-on-ko)
10/28 Mon 1pm
Recitation circle

Everyone is welcome to join in on our sutra chanting at 7 am daily (except Sundays) in the Betsuin Main Hall.

At Higashi Hongwanji, we
remain true to our origins
as an open Sangha,
welcoming anyone who
wishes to learn more
about the Jodo Shinshu
tradition of Buddhism.
A registered 501(c)3 organization

President: Faye Shigemura
Rinban: Kenjun Kawawata
Minister: Makoto Honda
Associate Minister:Frank Childs
1685 Alaneo Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
Tel: (808) 531-9088
Fax: (808) 531-3265
Email: hhhb@me.com
Wa is published monthly byHigashi Hongwanji Mission of
Hawaii for its members andfriends. Comments, articles andother items for publicationconsideration are welcomed.
Editor: Ken Saiki

S

pring ohigan is the season to seed, and autumn ohigan is the season toharvest in Japan. My home has a small rice field, and we grew organic rice
every year with kindergarten children. Between March and April we seed the rice,and then we plant the rice in the field by hand around June and then between
September and October, we harvest the rice with children by hand. Soybeans arealso seeded in the spring ohigan season and harvested in the autumn ohigan
season, too. My mother grows soybeans, and she makes homemade miso.
Hawaii does not have a big change between the seasons, but Japan does. So
people desire a good crop when they seed in spring and appreciate the harvest in
autumn. People feel nature and life strongly during this season.
I sometimes forget that human beings are also a part of nature while I amliving in Honolulu, where most things are artificial. My hometown had many rice
fields in the back of my house, and a green mountain was behind the rice fields.
There were no streetlights. The moon was the only light lighting the rice field.
When wind blew through the greens, it created a beautiful but eerie sound,especially at night.
We are able see things very clearly, even at night, in Honolulu. We imagine
many things when we see things not so clearly. Strangely enough, when we see
things clearly we do not use our senses much. But in the dark we use senses morestrongly and may be able to see the world or hear the sounds better. At night,
frogs are singing in the stream, and bellcrickets are playing music in the field.
When I walk in the field at night,
trees take on scary human forms in the
moonlight. As I pass slowly, I realize thatthey are only trees. The wind howls
http://www.youtube.com/ http://www.youtube.com/
through the tree, and it sounds like awatch?v=9cxIgjG-tx0
watch?v=m8oAzO8EGx0
human cry or a ghost. I walk
The melodic nighttime sounds of frogs andtentatively and cautiously. I get acrickets in the Japanese countryside can be
feeling that there is something beyond heard in the YouTube videos accessible byscanning the QR codes above. Or go directly
myself in the dark. But in Honolulu, I
to the URLs shown.
sometimes forget these situations andfeelings. The cockroaches that visit my office are my biggest connection to nature.
So Higan is the Other Shore, and the Other Shore is the Pure Land. The Pure
Land is the world in which all beings live their natural lives. A friend, a boss,
cockroaches, plants and even rain all live as they are. When we live in an egocentered world, we think that we are the highest beings. If we live in that kind ofworld, we are unable to see the Pure Land. I believe that to find the world ofharmony is to find the Pure Land. And it is here. This is Higan.