Betsuin Centennial Observance andShinran Shonin 750th Memorial ServiceT‘wa’
harmony

Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii Betsuin
Bulletin

11

November 2016

Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii
At Higashi Hongwanji, we remaintrue 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
Rinban: Kenjun Kawawata
Minister: Koen Kikuchi
President: Faye Shigemura
Vice President: Jonathan Tani
Secretary: Debra Saiki
Treasurer: Edmund Nakano
Asst. Sec’y & Auditor: Ken Saiki
1685 Alaneo Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
Tel: (808) 531-9088
Fax: (808) 531-3265
Email: betsuin@hhbt-hi.org
Wa is published monthly byHigashi Hongwanji Missionof Hawaii for its members
and friends. Comments,
articles and other items for
publication consideration
are welcomed.
Editor: Ken Saiki

he year: 1916. The world was in the midst of a raging war in Europe.
Hawaii had been a territory of the U.S. for only 16 years. Kihei Nomura,a lay Higashi Hongwanji devotee, purchased and remodeled a cottage
into a chapel. In May, Rev. Shingyo Doi, from Gifu prefecture, establisheda temporary Higashi Hongwanji mission on Kukui street in downtown
Honolulu to serve the unmet needs of a large local Japanese community.
Although a Higashi Hongwnji presence had already been establishedin Waimea, Kauai, in 1899, there was no similar facility on Oahu at the time.
In September 1916, the mission moved into a new building between Smith
and Maunakea streets.
The foundation of the
Hawaii Betsuin wasmade official with adedication ceremonyof the Gohonzon, theAmida Buddha statue
which Rev. Doi had
brought from Japan.
To accommodate
the growing numbersof Nembutsu followers
Rev. Shingyo Doi (center) served as the temporary Betsuin’s first
and their families on
minister at the Kukui St. temple.
Photo from Betsuin archives
Oahu, the Betsuin
moved to larger facilities on N. King street in Palama in 1921, then to the
Banyan street location in 1939. Immediately following the attack of Pearl
Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 and subsequent outbreak of World War II, the temple
was shut down and remained closed for the duration of hostilities.
The Betsuin remained without a minister until 1948 but Jodo Shinshu
followers continued the Path of the Nembutsu and passed on the teaching.
Membership flourished once the temple was able to get back on its feetagain. Establishment of a YBA, Jr. YBA, fujinkai and other programs such as
Sunday school and a seniors club augmented regular temple activities.
In 1983, after more than 60 years in Palama, the Betsuin moved to its
current Liliha home on Alaneo St., with the Otani Center social hall added in
1990. The temple’s opening was celebrated as a new page in the history of
Shinshu Otani-ha Higashi Hongwanji, with the goal of becoming the “center ofhuman liberation through the Teaching of Nembutsu, with the fervent hopethat it will respond to the innermost needs of present-day people.”Today the Betsuin supplements its weekly Sunday services with Dharma
study classes conducted in English and Japanese, Sunday school, an ukulele
band, movie nights, craft classes, community service projects, among various
other activities. A new service book has been developed so that chants andgathas at services can be done in English, to take into account the islands’
diverse population makeup.
(cont’d on page 2)

BETSUIN CENTENNIAL & 750TH GOENKI SPECIAL EVENTSSATNOV Panel discussion: Awakening to Your Deepest Wish - Betsuin

5Commemorative banquet - Ala Moana Hotel Garden Lanai

S
U
N

NOV

Shinran Shonin 750th Goenki memorial service - Betsuin
Kikyoshiki confirmation ceremony - Betsuin

6

CENTENNIAL (cont’d from p. 1)
With renewed commitment, members
are determined to ensure Shinran
Shonin’s teaching continues throughthe next 100 years to future generations.
We are fortunate to have thischance to observe Shinran Shonin’s
750th Goenki memorial service and the
Hawaii Betsuin’s centennial at the sametime to express our gratitude to our
founder and his teaching.
We also convey our deepest
appreciation to our dharma teachers
who have handed down the Nembutsu
teaching to the present time.

?? ??

We’ve listed below some of the
What’s a Goenki,
various activities of this once-in-aenki?
anyway?
lifetime event and look forward to Go
your attendance on Nov. 5 and 6.
If Ho-on-ko is the memorial
Even if you haven’t registered yet,service we hold for Shinran
you might still be able to get in on
on his death anniversary,
some of the activities, so ask yourthen what is Goenki?
Hawaii District minister for additional
Goenki, or 御遠忌, means
information or call the Hawaii District“honorable memorial service” andoffice at (808) 531-1231, or emailrefers to the special commemorative
adminaloha@higashihonganji.org.
services held every 50 years for
Early next year we plan to publish
Shinran Shonin and Rennyo Shonin.
a booklet in commemoration of our
The occasion of this 750th Goenki
centennial celebration and Goenki
is an opportunity for us to express
observance, including highlights andour appreciation and reverence forphotos from the various events.
Shinran Shonin and his teaching.

Your handy guide to our 750th Goenki and Centennial activities
Saturday, November 5
9:00 am Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Betsuin Hondo
10:00 am English service . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Betsuin Hondo
English service bookWelcome: Bishop Kawawata
10:30 am Panel discussion: Awakening. . .Betsuin Otani Centerto your Deepest Wish
Dr. Michael Conway
Masago AsaiGlen Kila
Christophor Oliveira
Roberta Kehaulani Fontes
12:30 pm Lunch
Asst’d sandwich selection
1:00 pm Discussion summary
Dr. Michael Conway
Guest Lecturer
Dr. Michael Conway
1:30 pm Closing
2:30 pm Shuttle bus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Betsuin parking lot
to Ala Moana Hotel
3:00 pm Check in out-of-town guests . .Ala Moana Hotel
5:30 pm Reception/no-host cocktails . .Ala Moana HotelA Taste of Dana $5 Mktplace Garden Lanai
6:00 pm Commemorative banquet
Messages:
Bishop Kenjun Kawawata
Bishop Koi Sato’o
6:15 pm Itadakimasu
Kanpai toast & dinner
7:30 pm Entertainment
Hula:
Masago, Mika & Maya Asai
Ukulele performance:
Honoka & Azita
Giveaway game2

8:30 pm

Hula:
Masago, Mika & Maya Asai
Closing

Sunday, November 6
10:00 am Tolling of Bell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Betsuin Hondo
Procession of priests
Gagaku music
Hawaii Gagaku Society
10:15 am Gassho
Chanting
10:35 am Amidakyo & Sange
Shoshinge
Recession of priests
11:20 am Greeting:Overseas Abbot Choyu Otani
alo
あ Mah
Dharma message:
りDr. Michael Conway
がThank youWords of Appreciation: とObrigadoBishop Kenjun Kawawata う
12:00 pm Group photo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Betsuin front steps
12:20 pm Confirmation ceremony . . . .Betsuin Hondo
English service book
1:15 pm Break for otoki lunch. . . . . . . .Betsuin Otani Center
1:20 pm Gagaku performance
Hawaii Gagaku Society
1:30 pm Welcome address:
Faye Shigemura
Congratulatory message:
Bishop Noriaki Ito
2:30 pm 100th birthday cake
2:40 pm Ukulele sing-along
Dharma Hawaiians
3:00 pm Closing

The Life of
ShinranShoninT

he upcoming Goenki
is the 750th memorialservice for Shinran Shonin,
the founder of our Jodo
Shinshu denomination.
Shinran was an eminent
Buddhist figure of the
Kamakura period (11921333), a period regarded
as “The Golden Age ofJapanese Buddhism,“
when most of the schoolsof Japanese Buddhism
were founded.
Birth & Spiritual Transformation
Shinran was born in 1173 in
the village of Hino, near Uji,
Kyoto as the first son of Fujiwara(Hino) Arinori. It was the time
when the aristocratic Heian period(794-1185) was coming to an
end and the age of thewarrior was just beginning,as the Genji and Heike clans were fighting each other.
At the age of nine, Shinran received ordination at
Shōren-in (a temple of the Tendai denomination) at
Awataguchi (Higashiyama, Kyoto), with the name ofHannen and entered upon the Buddhist path. Later, hewent to Mt. Hiei, the center of the Tendai denominationand single-mindedly devoted himself to Buddhist
studies. In spite of 20 years of such endeavors however,Shinran could not find the way to overcome suffering andanxiety. In his turmoil, he secluded himself in Rokkakudō temple (Kyoto) and while there, had a profoundspiritual experience. As a result, he was able to meet
Hōnen (1133-1212) who was then living in Yoshimizu at
Higashiyama. There, Shinran encountered the teaching,“Just say the Nembutsu, and be saved by Amida,” andbegan to walk along the Nembutsu Path of the Primal
Vow. He was 29 years old at that time.
Persecution
Many people gathered around Hōnen, regardless ofdifferences in status and position. This, however, caused
friction with the long-standing Buddhist establishments,
and in 1207, Hōnen was exiled to Tosa province (presentday Kōchi prefecture), and his disciples were either
sentenced to death or exiled. Shinran (35 years old)
was exiled to Echigo province (present-day Niigata
prefecture) with the secular name of Fujii Yoshizane. He
never saw his teacher Hōnen again.

Sharing the Dharma
Taking his exile as an opportunity, Shinran resolved
anew to live in the Nenbutsu teaching, and regarded
himself as an “ignorant bald-headed disciple of the
Buddha.” He married Eshinni, and while living among
the local people, he shared the Nembutsu teaching withthem. Although he was pardoned five years later, Shinran,knowing of the death of Hōnen, did not return to Kyoto,
but instead headed toward the Kantō area (the region,
surrounding present-day Tokyo) with his family. Throughliving in such places as Shimotsuma, Kojima, and Inada(all in present-day Ibaraki prefecture), he shared the
Nembutsu teaching with many people.
Returning to Kyoto
After living in the Kantō area for about twenty
years, Shinran, in his early sixties, returned to Kyoto.
Just around that time, he finished compiling his majorwork, the Ken Jōdo Shinjitsu Kyōgyōshō Monrui (popularly
known as Kyōgyōshinshō), which he had been working
on for about ten years. Even without a permanent
residence in Kyoto, he enthusiastically continued his
writings, including the Songō Shinzō Meimon (The
Inscription on the Sacred Name and Images) and the
Sanjō Wasan (The Triple Hymns). He completed thesewritings toclarify andhand down thepath he had
encounteredthrough Hōnen,so that all
people could besaved equally
together.
Further,through writing
letters, Shinran
continued toconvey the
Nembutsu
teaching to
his fellow
practitioners(dōgyō) in the
Kantō area. At
Shinran’s “Portrait of Anjo”at Honganji in Kyoto
the same time,they visited him in Kyoto continuously, and he confirmed
this teaching with them.
The Final Days of Shinran
On November 28, 1262, Shinran’s 90 years of life
ended while his youngest daughter, Kakushinni, andhis followers were caring for him. In spite of hardships,
he lived life totally entrusting himself to Amida’s Primal
Vow and clarifying the true teaching of the Pure Land,through encountering his teacher, Hōnen.
From The Life of Shinran, www.higashihonganji.or.jp

3

News on the

Awakening to Your Deepest
Wish with Our Community
2017
Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii District

Hawaii District 2017 calendar
to focus on role of our community
Watch for an announcement ofavailability of Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii District’s 2017 calendar,
expected to be distributed in lateNovember or early December.
The new calendar theme awakens
us to deepen our wish especially to ourrole in the world around us. We exist in
a community, or many communities.
And, like it or not, we live in atechnology-driven global community.
In our modern lives, the events in
our home or across the planet may
bring surprising causes and conditions.
For many, most of our awake moments
are centered around our wishes; how
might we “protect our family or
worth,” or, how we might “gainsomething” from the economic,
social, political and humankind
communities.
It is hoped that the theme of our2017 calendar may give each of us

Betsuin Wirelessthe opportunity to pause and reflect
on being selfless and a seeker of thetruth each time we view this calendar.
Further, to awaken us to the conceptthat we exist as one community,
instead of fragmented communities.
Let’s seek and learn each day,each moment, all year ‘round as a
Sangha community, loving andenriching this one community.
As in the past, we appreciate any
donations to help defray the costs ofprinting and mailing the calendars.
Additional copies may be available atthe Betsuin office as well as other
Higashi Hongwanji temples.

Warm, light-hearted film, Hana, is
mixture of laughter and emotion
Hana: The Tale of a Reluctant
Samurai takes place in 1702. Aoki
Sozaemon (Junichi Okada), a young
country samurai, has come to the
Edo tenements to locate and takerevenge against his father’s killer andrestore honor to his clan’s name. He
discovers, however, that his intended
victim, another low-status samurai,
has a wife and young children. To
exact revenge or not?
Also living in the slum are a young
widow, Osae (Rie Miyazawa), withwhom he becomes romanticallyinvolved, and a group of samurai,
members of The 47 Ronin, hiding andplanning before their revenge attack.
You’ll enjoy this light-hearted drama!
Showtime: 6:30 pm, Tues., Nov. 22,

Some of the more than dozen volunteers who responded to the call for help with omigaki,
or polishing of altar decorations, in preparation for the centennial celebration and Goenki.

4

127 min. Directed by award-winning
Hirokazu Koreeda. Released in 2006.
Color. Japanese audio, English
subtitles. Free admission. Light
refreshments, or bring to share!

花よりもなほ（はなよりもなほ）
元禄15年、徳川5代将軍綱吉の治世。
巷では、赤穂浪士が切腹させられた主君、浅野内匠頭の仇を討つかどうかが大きな関心ごととなっていた。信州松本から江戸に出てきた若者、青木宗左衛門（岡田准一）が貧乏長屋に腰を据えて、2年が経とうとしていた。宗左は剣術師範だった父を斬り、江戸へ逃亡した金沢十兵衛を捜して町を回るが、一向に見つけられない。仇討ちが上手くいけば百両は報奨金がもらえるが、今では里からの仕送りも途絶えがちだ。しかも宗左は剣の腕はからっきしで、長屋の遊び人・そで吉にこてんぱんに負かされる。宗左の向かいには美しい未亡人・おさえ(宮沢りえ)とその息子・進之助が住んでおり、宗左はおさえにほのかな恋心を抱いていた。
監督：是枝裕和、 公開 : 2006年、カラー 、言語 : 日本語、 字幕 : 英語 、映時間 : 127分、11月22日(火)午後6:30
時 、入場無料。

5

Being part of The Big Picture
by Kevin Kawawata
On August 27 & 28, the12th World Dobo Gathering took
place at the Universal City Hilton Hotel and Higashi
Honganji Los Angeles Betsuin. Some 350 Dobo followers
from Japan, Brazil and North America, including Kevinand 12 others from Hawaii temples, joined the group tolearn together and reflect upon the meaning of unity.

Ministers and members from the Hawaii District gathered at theHigashi Honganji Los Angeles Betsuin hondo for a souvenir photo.

It has been two years since I moved to Hawaii from Los
Angeles. As a former member of the West Covina
Buddhist Temple in California, attending the 12th Dobo
Convention meant a lot to me. This was the first Dobo
Convention I attended. It was great to see familiar faces
after all this time--I felt like I had arrived home. I even saw
people from the South America District and Japan,
making this a diverse group.
The theme of the 12th Dobo Convention was“Seeking Unity in the Midst of Diversity.” The temples in
the North America District have a diverse variety ofmembers, while temples in Japan aren’t as diverse.
Although different, Buddhist temples have the sameproblem—the membership. We live in a diverse world-this diversity can change viewpoints and even a person’s
loyalty. Diversity is like the two sides of a coin; it makes
people open to new ideas, either attracting or repellingthem from the ideas of Buddhism.
During the time I was at West Covina, I was noticing
some changes in the membership throughout the years.
West Covina has programs for youth members up to thehigh school age. As I was growing up, these groups werequite large in size--usually 10 to 20 members attending
regularly. During my years in college, I saw thesenumbers drop due to the students moving on in theirlives. In its place, new members—even families—joining
our Sangha.
The temple’s ministers and members play a huge partin the membership size. The activities done by the temple

6members speak for themselves. At West Covina, I recall
having open discussions after services with othermembers, as well as study classes, making the concept of
Buddhism open for anyone in a causal manner.
The temple also sponsored dances and otheractivities to bring in new members. As part of the East
San Gabriel Japanese Community Center, the West Covina
Buddhist Temple assists the community center, and in
return, the community center sponsors the temple. Being
part of a community helps keep the temple running.
Whenever I go to Japan, I visit my family’s temple in
Mito City in Ibaraki Prefecture. It is different from overseas
temples due to the fact it is a family-run temple. The
activities are also vastly different. In Japan I see volunteers
every now and then tending the temple property as if it
was their own.
There is also a Fujinkai: a small group of ladies who
help bring hospitality to the temple visitors andmembers. I haven’t seen much change in the temple
membership, but it seems like the members treat it as apart of the community.
Going back to the Dobo Convention, our break-out
session was mainly focused on how to keep members
and attract new ones. That was when I noticed that themembership problem was not just ours.
The majority of my group was from Japan, so it was a
bit of a surprise to hear that they were struggling withmembership. In fact, one of them said that his temple was
too far away from the community so that the temple wasliterally inaccessible.
After we shared ideas on how to increase
membership, I think we came to the same conclusion—
make the temples part of our communities, andmembership will soon follow.
While my motive to attending the Dobo retreat was
to visit the mainland for a while—including a side trip to
Las Vegas!—there was more to it than just a visit. It was
great to hear ideas of others, though I must admit I had
fallen asleep during part of the lectures. I hope that ourshared ideas are taken into effect, to help us keep
Buddhism alive and well in Hawaii and beyond.

Break out sessions offered the opportunity to discuss membershipchallenges with delegates from the various other districts.

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

NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Honolulu, HI
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Address Service Requested

In this issue of WA...
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t8IBUTB(PFOLJ BOZXBZ p. 2
t The Life of Shinran Shonin p. 3t/FXTPOUIF#FUTVJO8JSFMFTTp. 4t)BXBJJ%JTUSJDUDBMFOEBSp. 4
t/PWFNCFSNPWJFHana p. 4
t'VKJNBEBODFQFSGPSNance p. 5t#FJOHQBSUPGUIF#JH1JDUVSF p. 6
t Acknowledgments p. 7
t November shotsuki service p. 7
tTemple activities calendar p. 8

Temple Activities Calendar
NOVEMBER
11/5 Sat 10 am 750th Goenki/Centennial panel
Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
11/5 Sat 5:30 pm 750th Goenki/Centennial banquet
Ala Moana Hotel Garden Lanai Room
11/6 Sun 10 am Shinran Shonin 750th memorial service
Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
11/8 Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
11/10 Thu 7 pm The Larger Sutra study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
11/13 Sun 10 am Shōtsuki memorial service/
Sunday school
11/13 Sun 12 pm The Larger Sutra study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
11/13 Sun 12 pm Art of Paper Folding class
11/15 Tue 7 pm O-kō: Dharma discussion at Kaneohe
11/19 Sat 1 pm Fujima-ryū - Harmony of Japan, Vol. II
Otani Center
11/20 Sun 10 am Sunday service/Sunday school
11/20 Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting
11/22 Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
11/22 Tue 6:30 pm Movie night: Hana (2006)
11/27 Sun
Ho-on-ko at Palolo and Hilo temples
No Sunday service at Betsuin
11/28 Mon 10 am Shinran Shōnin memorial service

6

DECEMBER
12/4 Sun 10 am HBC Bodhi Day service at Jodo Mission(No Sunday service at Betsuin)
12/8 Thu 7 pm The Larger Sutra study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
12/11 Sun 10 am Bodhi Day service/Sunday school
12/11 Sun 12 pm The Larger Sutra study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
12/13 Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
12/18 Sun 10 am Shōtsuki memorial service/
Sunday school
12/18 Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting
12/18 Sun 12 pm Art of Paper Folding class
12/20 Tue 7 pm O-kō: Dharma discussion at Betsuin
12/24 Sat 9 am Mochi pounding
12/25 SunNo Sunday service at Betsuin
12/27 Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
12/27 Tue 6:30 pm Movie night: Princess Mononoke (1997)
12/28 Wed 10 am Shinran Shōnin memorial service
12/30 Sat 9 am Oosōji year-end temple cleaning &Ehime Maru Memorial cleaning
12/31 Sun 5:30 pm Year-end service - Joya-e
Toshikoshi soba after service
1/1 Mon 10 am New Year’s Day service - Shūshō-eOzōni after service

Everyone is welcome to join in on sutra chanting held at 7 am daily (except on Sundays & the 28th day of the month) in the Betsuin main hall.