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

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

What Obon Means To Me'BZF4IJHFNVSB

Address Service Requested

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Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii Betsuin
Bulletin

7
July 2014

Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii

Temple Activities Calendar
JULY 2014
7/6
7/6
7/8
7/10
7/12
7/13
7/13
7/15
7/20
7/20
7/22
7/22
7/25
7/26
7/27
7/28
7/28
7/28

Sun 10 am Shotsuki memorial service &Sunday school
Sun 12 pm Family portrait sittingTue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practiceThu 7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
Sat 10 am What on Earth Is Namuamidabutsu?
led by Rev. Frank Childs
Sun 10 am Obon/Hatsubon service
Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
Tue 7 pm O-ko: Dharma discussion at Betsuin
Sun 10 am Sunday service & Sunday school
Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting/Yagura setup
Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practiceTue 6 pm Bon dance practice at Otani CenterFri 7 pm Bon dance (Manto-e service at 6:30 pm)
Sat 7 pm Bon dance (Manto-e service at 6:30 pm)
Sun 10 am Bon dance cleanup (No Sunday service)
Mon 10 am Shinran Shonin memorial service
Mon 11 am Recitation circle
Mon 1 pm Makoto’s Computer Clinic

AUGUST 2014
8/3
8/3
8/9
8/10
8/10
8/12
8/14
8/17
8/17
8/19
8/24
8/26
8/26
8/28
8/28
8/28
8/31

Sun 10 am Shotsuki memorial service &Sunday school
Sun 12 pm Jimmy’s Auto Basics
Sat 10 am What on Earth Is Namuamidabutsu?
led by Rev. Frank Childs
Sun 10 am Sunday service
Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study class (Japanese)
Poetry in Motion outing (English)
Moanalua Gardens
Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practiceThu 7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
Sun 10 am Sunday service & Sunday school
Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meetingTue 7 pm O-ko: Dharma discussion at Kaneohe
Sun 9 am Chicken/sushi sale (No Sunday service)
Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practiceTue 6:30 pm Movie night: When the Last Sword Is Drawn
Thu 10 am Shinran Shonin memorial service
Thu 11 am Recitation circle
Thu 1 pm Makoto’s Computer Clinic
Sun 10 am Sunday service

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

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
President: Faye Shigemura
Vice President: Jonathan Tani
Secretary: Debra Saiki
Treasurer: Edmund Nakano
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: betsuin@hhbt-hi.org
Wa is published monthly byHigashi Hongwanji Mission of
Hawaii for its members andfriends. Comments, articles andother items for publicationconsideration are welcomed.

Editor: Ken Saikiy grandparents and great-grandparents were active members of thetemple, so my first obon season must have been from the age offour months. If I danced, it must have been to the hypnotizing beat of thedrums, with a lot of squealing, kicking and arm flailing.
I must have been, umm… eight or nine years old when obon season
really started to mean something to me. It meant getting to put on my
yukata. It meant watching the cool high school kids dancing the beccho
around the yagura. It meant shave ice with strawberry syrup, two BBQ
sticks and saimin. And, I got to hold on to my own money, which I kept
safely tucked in my kimono sleeve, squeezing my sleeve every ten minutes
to make sure the money was still there. It made me feel grown up.
Fast forward 60 years to 2014. My, my, how things have changed. I’ve
exchanged my yukata for an apron, and my feet are firmly repositioned
from the dance floor to the kitchen floor. I was never a whiz in the
kitchen, so it was a small miracle that people trusted me to take the roleof the “new kitchen mama’”a few years ago, when all the obaachansdecided to retire and “leave it to the young folks.” I must admit, though,that I enjoy the camaraderie with other temple members and volunteers.
We have some monku outbursts, but it’s usually low key, and laughable
after a few years.
There’s also a pensive or reflective side to the obon season for many of
us. It’s probably an age thing, but as I grew older, I would recall friends andrelatives, deceased and living, who taught me to do this, or cautioned me
not to do that, where previously, I would just go through the motions of
doing it. Jean Tanaka taught me a fast way to cut lettuce for somen salad.
My friend Haruko taught me what kind of knife to use for cutting different
foods. Mom taught me how to pick the violets in our front yard and tie
them up with string to bring to my first grade teacher, Mary Silva, wholoved violets. Babasan taught me how to run around and chase thechicken for our dinner. I was never good at that since I wanted to help thechicken to escape.
(cont’d on p. 2)

Higashi Hongwanji Hawaii District
Bon Dance Schedule
8BJNFB)JHBTIJ)POHXBOKJ
Waimea temple already held its bon dance on June 27 & June 28,BOFPIF)JHBTIJ)POHXBOKJSaturday, July 5 (service at 6 pm; bon dance starts 6:30 pm))JHBTIJ)POHXBOKJ)BXBJJ#FUTVJO
Friday, July 26 (service at 6:30 pm; bon dance starts 7 pm)
Saturday, July 27 (service at 6:30 pm; bon dance starts 7 pm)
1BMPMP)POHXBOKJ
Friday, August 2 (service at 7 pm; bon dance starts 7:30 pm )Saturday, August 3 (service at 7 pm; bon dance starts 7:30 pm ))JMP)JHBTIJ)POHXBOKJSaturday, August 10 (service at 7 pm; bon dance starts 8 pm)

8IBU0CPO.FBOTUP.F (cont’d)In our busy lives, obon offers us
a chance to remember those whohave left their legacy with us. Of
course I also remember when mom
would chase me around the tablewith whatever was close, usually awooden hanger to whoop my okole,
but I guess that’s a precious legacy,
too. I also remember how sore that
hanger was. Thanks, mom, niceswing. You would have made a goodbaseball player.

Speaking of obon activities,
please bring your family and friends
and come to the temple to enjoy ourbon dance this July 25 and 26. As
the years go by, we get better atorganizing our booths at the bondance, so this year will be better
than last. We are starting to accept
donations for our food booths, andsign-ups for our preparation days.
I’ve listed some items that we will
need, and will gladly accept any
donation you can make.

40.&0'5)&*5&.4
8&/&&%5)&.045
veggies:carrots
onionscelerypotatoesshiitaketakenoko
Spam
flour

rice
sugar
kamabokocooking oil
coffeeshoyu
bottled water
can soda/juice
cash $$$

70-6/5&&3$"-&/%"313&1"3"5*0/'03#0/%"/$&
Please plan on coming to help with food booth preparation if you can spare some time.
Call 531-9088 for more information.
.PO

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Shopping forfood & othersupplies

QN
Bon dance
practice

BNQN
Food prep
String BBQ
sticksBNQN
Food prep
Chop veggies
Cook and bag
florets'SJ
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BN
Final shopping
CookBNPrep for eve
Chop veggies
Cookpan, Jeanne Kawawata
A Fabulous Feast tamagoyakirolled her omelets perfectly, evenfor Famishedthough it was a first-time attempt.
Folding the eggs is quite tricky.
Foodie Fathers
Kumiko Saiki brought anIbelieve it might have been the best
Father’s Day lunch this side of the
Koolaus. On this fine June 15 Father’sDay, our fathers were treated by themothers to a fancy make-your-own
temaki sushi lunch at the Betsuin’s
Father’s Day refreshment hour.
After an educational Father’s Day
message by John Ishikawa during the
Sunday service, our men marchedover to Otani Center and were
greeted by a wonderful potluck
buffet with a fabulous sushi corner.
Kathleen Kiyuna started off thebuffet offerings with her mabodofu
dish, followed by Joyce Masaki’s garlicedamame and namasu, plus miso
soup using Rev. Honda’s mother’s
home-made aka miso.
Kazue Uechi brought a fancy
green salad with home-made dressing
and fried chicken wings. Using a real

2

interesting sanzoku nabe, which she
described as soup sourced from themountains, ocean and earth, so it had
a multitude of ingredients, including
yummy mushrooms. Kumiko justreturned from Japan, so she also
graced us with senbei from Kyushu.
Debra Saiki and Peggy Arita
provided desserts of Ted’s pies andred velvet cake. Jimmy Hirakawa
brought the most delicious red
cherries I’ve had this year.
The sushi bar gave everyone a
multitude of choices of temaki tocreate. Some people put all the
ingredients in one temaki, whereothers made five separate temaki
sushi and ate all of them! Included in
the spread were maguro, hamachi,
shrimp, egg, gobo, ume, pink ginger,
takuwan, mozuku, kaiware, and fresh
cucumbers and green onions from4VO
BN
Clean upRev. Bansaka’s garden.
The women entertained thefathers with a short song to the tuneof “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.”
We made a valiant attempt topersuade the men to do the dishes,
but again, we were ignored.
A good time was had by all, as thesaying goes, and that was the best
part. Roy Nakamoto claimed the prize
for the most Father’s Days celebrated.
We helped him celebrate his 91stbirthday last month.
— Faye Shigemura(3&&/7&34*0/0'8""7"*-"#-&#:&."*Here’s a reminder that themonthly Betsuin newsletter Wa isavailable by Earth-friendly email
instead of on paper by regular mail.
To get on this list, simply sendan email, subject line “Email Wa,”
with your name and address to
CFUTVJO!IICUIJPSH

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*$&
Shigeko Tokunaga
Sachiko Yoshino
Patricia Hirata

Yatagai family
James Takayama family Chieko Nishimura
Miyoko Ohara family Doreen Uyemura
Arlene Yoneyama

413*/('6/%3"*4&3

Amy E. Abe
Gladys Abe
Carol S. Cripps
June Y. Debusk
Janice Fukuda
Hosen Fukuhara
Wayne & Violet Harada Takao Harano
James Hirakawa
Carolyn Ikeda
Tadao Iwasaki
Lester Kaichi
Denis Kawamoto
Kenneth Kihara
Betty Y. Koizumi
Kazuo Kono
Katherine K. Kurakake Jan Lee
Evelyn-Gail Y. Miike Frank Minami
Mitsuharu Murakami Donald Murakami
Roy Nakamoto
Edmund Nakano
Ralph & Bette Nishida Cynthia Nishimura
Tadashi Ogata
Patric Ohara
Leatrice Omiya
Michiko Otsuka
Clarence Sakaguchi Takuo Sakai
Harvey Shima
Esther Shioi
June Takasaki
Robert Takayama
Jonathan Tani
Haruo Tanida
Shigeko Tsuchida
Larry Tsuchiyama
Hanako Uyeno
Viola Uyeno
Eleanor S. Yamashita Walter Yonekura,:0%"/%0/"5*0/
Keijiro Hori
Moriso Teraoka
Nancy Yokoyama

Hiroshi Kometani
Tadao Iwasaki
Eiichi Sudo

Vincent Akamine
Peggy Arita
Vivian Chang
Harlen Duesing
Edith Endo
Lawrence Fujii
Ellen Gono
Shigeru Gushikuma
Doris Hanai
Wallace Haruki
Ryde & Jeanne Haruno Thomas Hashimoto
Lawrence Imai
Peggy Ishida
Richard Ishida
Bert Kaizuka
Marion Kanemori
Kikue Kaneshiro
Faye Kimura
Mikiko Kishida
Leslie Kobata
Stanley Kono
Tatsuo Kubota
Richard Kudo
Frances N. Maekawa Joyce MasakiGrace Matsumura
Yukie Minatoya
Shizuno Miyazaki
Kiyoko Moriyama
Theda Murata
Joseph Muratsuchi
Wallace Naito
Holly Nakasone
Nancy Nakatsu
Florence Nishida
Shirley Nishizawa
Harold Nitta
Patricia Nitta
Tsutomu Oi
Jane M. Okazaki
Jasmine Okuda
Itsume Pang
Rebecca Pang
Kenneth Saiki
Kenneth Sakamoto Michael Sawai
Collin Segawa
Elmer Shiraishi
Dean & Russell Shoji Richard Sonomura
Herald S. Takehiro
Ikuto Taketa
Dorothy Tanaka
Geraldine TanoueJean Tanouye
Moriso Teraoka
Bernice Tsutsumi
Misao Ujimori
Eleanor Urakawa
Keith and Lynn Wong Walter Yamada
Kazue Yamamoto
Mitsuko Yukutake
Yukie Nagata
Helen SuzukiHelene Kamita
Emiko Watanabe(0+*,"*.&.#&34)*1
Marian E Tsuji

Elizabeth Nishimura Frances Maekawa"-5"3'-03"-"33"/(&.&/54

Shinzo Koshida
Betty Nishida

John Shojinaga

Patsy Nikaido family
Patricia Nitta

Frank Childs
Dayla Fujioka
Richard Hanai
Jean Hayashi
Wayne Ishii
Dennis Kawada
Miyuki Koga
Jon Kumashiro
Carol Matsunaga
Paul Motoyama
Akitoshi Nakahara
Betty Nishida
Atsuko Nonaka
Barbara Okumura
Dennis Saiki
Faye Shigemura
Kimie Sugimoto
Satsuye Tanaka
Shigeko Tokunaga
May S. Uyeda
Teiko Yamane

In Memoriam
We wish to extend our deepest
sympathy to the families of the late$"-&/%"3

Kiyoko Dorothy Moriyama (93)
May 19, 2014
Harriet Natsuko Yatagai (99)
June 4, 2014

Minako Ito

Joyce Masaki

Tomei Akegarasu

0)*("/

$0-6.#"3*6.

8&%%*/(

Frances Maekawa

Kazuo Kono
Gladys Sakata

Elizabeth Nishimura Rev. Hokan & Yuko Nirei

Message from Faye Shigemura, Betsuin Kyodan President
I want to be the one to make the selection, and I
pick, hands down, the members and friends of Higashi
Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii to be on my side of the rope.
We did it again, folks. We completed another successful
Spring fundraising event.
A grateful THANKS goes to all for your kind support andgenerosity. Your participation enables this temple tocontinue to provide our community with spiritualsupport and interesting, educational activities which your
Board of Directors is constantly trying to build and refine.
We hope that you will find the time to come by tovisit, especially on your important days of remembrances.
You are welcome to join us in any of our many activities
announced through the Wa newsletter.
Domo arigato, salamat, obrigada, xie xie, mahalo,kamsa hamnida, danke and a woo-woo to all!

7

Big & Little Differences: Obon Season

The Tradition of Manto-e Service
Long ago in India, wherever the Buddha delivered a sermon, the Sangha, those who came to listen,would each light a candle. The Sangha became so numerous that on these occasions, the lights came to becalled Manto, ten thousand lights.
In Japan, about 1,200 years ago during the reign of Emperor Shomu, a ceremony centered around the
Todaiji Temple in Nara was started in which once a year, Manto were lit in honor of the Buddha, thus beginning the tradition of Manto-e. Higashi Hongwanji of Mission of Hawaii follows in the tradition of the
Manto-e during the Obon Dance. We will have our Manto-e Service on July 25 and 26, 2014 at 6:30pm before the dance. With your help, we would like to decorate the summer sky with “ten thousand lanterns.”
 3OHDVHÀOOLQWKHDSSOLFDWLRQZLWK\RXUGRQDWLRQRIIRUHDFKODQWHUQ\RXZLVKWRRIIHULQPHPRU\of departed relatives and friends. Then names will be written on a small tablet, which will be hung fromeach lantern. These custom-made-in-Japan lanterns are yours to keep. You may come to pick up your lantern after the Obon Dance at the temple.

万灯会法要

黒暗に灯ありて、我等が方向定まる。もし灯なくば、出口なき不安よりいかでか出ずる事を得んや。灯な
くて我等は迷い、灯ありて迷いより出ず。かく言う灯とは、あなたの師である仏の教えであり、善知識であり、亡き先祖の方々のことであります。灯に出合って我々が道定まる事、実に有難き事なり。
万灯会法要を来る７月２5 日­２6 日午後６時半より東本願寺ハワイ別院お盆踊り会場にてお勤めします
ので一人でも沢山の方をお誘い下さって献灯お願い申し上げます。
申込 １灯（日本特製提灯）２０弗を寄付して頂きビラに名前又は法名と寄付者名を記して献灯します。申込用紙に記入して送り下さい。

MANTO-E LANTERN APPLICATION FORM 万灯会提灯申込書
Please make check payable to: Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii

東本願寺ハワイ別院宛$̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲ for ̲̲̲̲̲̲ lanterns in memory of:個分

1685 Alaneo Street, Honolulu, HI 96817

NAME(S) 名前

Donor's Name 寄付者名
Address

6

住所

万灯会提灯

Dharma Name (Buddhist Name) if known

Phone

法

弗同封
名

+"1"/one of the big differences
between obon celebrations in
Hawaii and Japan is who actuallysponsors the bon dance.
In Hawaii Buddhist temple
sponsor the bon dances, with only
a few put on by local community
groups. Japan is completely the otherway around. Most of the bon dances
are held by the community rather
than Buddhist temples.
Because of that, no service isheld before the bon dance starts.
Also, I suspect not many people
really feel that a bon dance is related
to Buddhist events.
Another big difference isthat bon dances in Japan are
getting smaller and smaller.
Meanwhile in Hawaii, they’regetting bigger and bigger.
There are many reasons
they are becoming smaller inJapan. First, people’s life styles
have changed a lot within
the last two or three decades.
Lives were more communitybased than individuallybased. People had strong
communities within the
town or village. Since bondances are sponsored bycommunities, a smaller
community means smaller
bon dances.
Also, not many people livewith Grandma and Grandpa
anymore, so carrying out old
traditions has weakened.
Maybe because of that, children do
not dance anymore. They go there
to watch elderly people dance, buy
food, and play little games, but they
do not dance.
Bon dances in Hawaii, however,are flourishing. I was wondering
why. Maybe it’s simply that people
here like to dance!
“Dancing fool, watching fool: Allfools, so let’s all dance!”— Rev. Makoto Honda

-04"/(&-&4you know obon season is justaround the corner when you
receive your raffle tickets in May.
West Covina Buddhist Temple obon isheld for one day, the last Saturday inJune, from noon to 9:00 pm.
Bon-odori practice starts in the
beginning of June, twice a week on
Tuesdays and Fridays, to make sureeveryone is familiar with each dance step.
The yagura is built in the parking
lot one week prior to the actual
event. On Friday, the gymnasium,booths, lanterns and lights are set
up. Preparation for the food is done a
couple of days in advance. Membersa Hawaiian-themed beer garden.
We have game booths for thechildren and a raffle every half-hourfor bigger toys donated by themembers.
In the gym we have exhibits fromdifferent organizations. On stage there
are demonstrations by the martial arts
groups, such as judo, karate, kendo
and aikido. Japanese odori groups
also perform, ending with the Kishin
Taiko Group.
In the Social Hall, tables andchairs are set up to enjoy thedelicious food and to play bingo,
which is played throughout the day,are asked to take home two dozen
aburage and a recipe for inari sushi,
to be prepared and brought in on
Saturday morning. The Howakai lady
members make rolls of makizushi, andplates of assorted sushi are assembled.
Food items that are sold at thebon dance include teriyaki chicken
plate, sushi, somen, Okinawa dango,
somen salad, tamale with chili, chowmein, okonomiyaki, home-madebaked items and drinks. There is alsowith a blackout game with a big
jackpot to end the day.
The Manto-e service begins at 6:00
pm, for those who have lost someone
during the past year since last obon,
followed by bon dancing. At 8:30 theraffle drawing begins, ending with thegrand prize of either a trip or cash.
Everything is dismantled thefollowing morning, with no Sunday
service being held.
— Jeanne Kawawata

3

/FXTPOUIF

Temple members cleaned the Ehime Maru Memorial at Kakaako
Waterfront Park and enjoyed a picnic lunch at the ocean’s edge.

#FUTVJONFNCFSTQSPWJEFDPNNVOJUZTFSWJDF

An even dozen volunteers met at Kakaako Waterfront
Park after the service on June 22 to help maintain thememorial to the nine who died in the accident between
the Japanese fisheries school vessel Ehime Maru and a
U.S. Navy submarine in 2001.
While the cleaning, wiping down and polishing under#FUTVJO8JSFMFTT
the hot sun was all pau within a half hour, the volunteers
gathered in the shade and cool ocean breeze at theshoreline pavilion and had a relaxing picnic lunch of avariety of onigiri, okazu, tsukemono and desserts broughtby members. Best of all was the fellowship shared as we
all got to know each other better and catch up on news
around town, plus the latest on K-dramas, World Cup
matches and planned summer trips off island.
After lunch we reconvened at the memorial, with
Bishop Kawawata donning his robe for a short service atthe site, chanting the Tanbutsu-ge sutra, followed byoffering of incense by all.
The Ehime Maru Memorial, erected in 2002, is cleaned
every weekend by local community groups, including
temples, civic clubs, kenjinkai and school Japanese clubs.
Our Betsuin is on the maintenance schedule twice a year.

/P.PWJF/JHIUJO+VMZ

Because of bon dance practice the same evening,
we will not have a Movie Night this month on July 22.
Lined up for August 26 showing is the 2003 film, “Whenthe Last Sword Is Drawn,” (Mibu Kishi Den), another Japan
Academy Picture of the Year samurai classic.

NEW BETSUIN ACTIVITIES
Makoto’s Computer Clinic
Monday, July 28, 1 pm, andevery 28th day of the month
Fukuhara Conference RoomWhy doesn’t my printer print after I
upgraded to the latest operating
system? How do I get started withemail? How do I synch my calendar
or contacts list to my smartphone?

Do I need to use premium
gasoline in my car? What’s proper
air pressure in my tires, and how
often should I rotate them? What’sthat funny noise that’s comingfrom under my hood, and whatshould I expect to pay to fix it?

Betsuin minister Rev. Makoto Honda
is also our resident computer geekwith a computer science degree,
and may have the solutions toyour lingering hardware orsoftware-related problems.

Learn more about computersand soon you, too, will be likesensei and be able to do neatthings like show movies on awide-screen TV from a tablet!

4

Jimmy’s Auto Basics

Saturday, August 12, 12 noon,and every 2nd Sunday monthly
Fukuhara Conference Room

These and other questions about
the care and feeding of your car
will be fielded by Jimmy Hirakawa,2nd generation proprietor of
Palolo Auto Service.
Knowing about your car will makeyou more confident on the roadand maybe become a better driver!

Frank’s Poetry in Motion

Sunday, August 19, 12 noon, andevery 3rd Sunday monthly
Nature setting"CPNCT&YIJCJUGPS1FBDF'BDFUIF1BTUUP)FBMUIF1SFTFOU

My name is Masago Asai, and I’m a member of Palolo
Hongwanji. Today, I’d like to inform you of our upcoming
event, “A-bombs Exhibit for Peace: Face the Past to Heal the
Present” to be held October 18-26 at Palolo Hongwanji.
Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii is among the 31 cosponsors and supporters of the exhibition.
The exhibit organizer is the Hawai‘i Conference ofReligions for Peace (HCRP), a Honolulu non-profit, interfaithdialogue to which I have belonged for the past nine years
as a volunteer. Among HCRP’s commitments
is to hold annual “Peace Prayer” gatherings.
Over the past 21 years, we’ve invited many
religious representatives from 16 different
faith traditions to provide opportunities tomeet and offer prayers for peace.
I was motivated to initiate this peace
project under HCRP because I was born
Masago Asaiin Nagasaki and am a second-generationof A-bomb survivors. Our program is slightly different
from other exhibits of this kind. We focus on education,
especially for the younger generations, not only bybringing war-related materials but also by introducing
practical approaches to inner peace creation and daily
maintenance. The reason is because after a long search
for the true meaning of peace, I’ve realized that if we don’t
have peace within, we will still be able to make and use any
powerful weapons in the future. The human inner maturity,
therefore, is a must for global peace, I believe.
Please attend this FREE educational event with yourfamily and friends, and help spread the word among yourassociates also. The program is open to the public, and is
totally educational and non-political. Schools and colleges
excursions are welcome; reservation times are still open.
Thank you very much for your support for peace.
Warmest Aloha in gassho,

Always wanted to try your hand at
poetry but didn’t know where to
start? It’s mostly about observing
the world around you and, likeanything else, improves withpractice. So let’s try!
Rev. Frank Childs, an avid fan of
haiku as well as other forms of
poetry, will facilitate the sessions.
Our first will be held at Moanalua
Gardens. Gain inspiration from thenatural setting and enjoy the fun ofsharing your creations with others.
Let’s learn together how to express
our thoughts from within, poetically
onto a piece of paper.

Masago Asai
Secretary & Coordinator
A-bombs Exhibit for Peace
Hawai’i Conference of Religions for Peace'BNJMZQIPUPTTPVHIUGPSDFOUFOOJBMCPPL

M

ahalo to those who havealready brought us family
photos and albums for our planned
anniversary book for our centennialcelebration in 2016.
We’re still looking for a lot more
photos of temple member families
for the book. Besides current
pictures, we’d like to have more

You’re Invited!

A-bombs Exhibit for Peace:
Face the Past to Heal the Present
Saturday, October 18 – Sunday, October 26, 2014
10 am to 4 pm (Mon - Sat)
11 am to 4 pm (Sun)
Palolo Hongwanji – Inner Temple
1641 Palolo Avenue, Honolulu
Telephone: 732-1491
Ample Parking
Y Opening Ceremony Z
Saturday, October 18
10 amPalolo Hongwanji Social Hall (Downstairs)
Keynote Speech by Hiroshima A-bomb Survivor
Y Closing “Peace Prayer” Ceremony Z
Sunday, October 26
4 pm to 6 pm
Palolo Hongwanji Inner Temple
Refreshments follow in Social Hall
For details, please visit our websites or Facebook, or email us.
Email: hcrpinfo@gmail.com
HCRP URL: http://www.hcrphawaii.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.comhawaiiconferenceofreligionsforpeace
A-bombs URL: http://www.atomicbombexhibitionhawaii.org/

photos from back in earlier days ofthe temple, such as this one of the
Sasabuchi family back in the 1960s.
We’d prefer digital files that don’t
need to be returned, but we’ll
gratefully accept prints, too. When
we return your photos, we’ll include
digital files of the photos we scanned.
Along with your photos, we’d liketo include family histories and otherinteresting bits of information you may
wish to share. Please help us with thisimportant temple project.

5

/FXTPOUIF

Temple members cleaned the Ehime Maru Memorial at Kakaako
Waterfront Park and enjoyed a picnic lunch at the ocean’s edge.

#FUTVJONFNCFSTQSPWJEFDPNNVOJUZTFSWJDF

An even dozen volunteers met at Kakaako Waterfront
Park after the service on June 22 to help maintain thememorial to the nine who died in the accident between
the Japanese fisheries school vessel Ehime Maru and a
U.S. Navy submarine in 2001.
While the cleaning, wiping down and polishing under#FUTVJO8JSFMFTT
the hot sun was all pau within a half hour, the volunteers
gathered in the shade and cool ocean breeze at theshoreline pavilion and had a relaxing picnic lunch of avariety of onigiri, okazu, tsukemono and desserts broughtby members. Best of all was the fellowship shared as we
all got to know each other better and catch up on news
around town, plus the latest on K-dramas, World Cup
matches and planned summer trips off island.
After lunch we reconvened at the memorial, with
Bishop Kawawata donning his robe for a short service atthe site, chanting the Tanbutsu-ge sutra, followed byoffering of incense by all.
The Ehime Maru Memorial, erected in 2002, is cleaned
every weekend by local community groups, including
temples, civic clubs, kenjinkai and school Japanese clubs.
Our Betsuin is on the maintenance schedule twice a year.

/P.PWJF/JHIUJO+VMZ

Because of bon dance practice the same evening,
we will not have a Movie Night this month on July 22.
Lined up for August 26 showing is the 2003 film, “Whenthe Last Sword Is Drawn,” (Mibu Kishi Den), another Japan
Academy Picture of the Year samurai classic.

NEW BETSUIN ACTIVITIES
Makoto’s Computer Clinic
Monday, July 28, 1 pm, andevery 28th day of the month
Fukuhara Conference RoomWhy doesn’t my printer print after I
upgraded to the latest operating
system? How do I get started withemail? How do I synch my calendar
or contacts list to my smartphone?

Do I need to use premium
gasoline in my car? What’s proper
air pressure in my tires, and how
often should I rotate them? What’sthat funny noise that’s comingfrom under my hood, and whatshould I expect to pay to fix it?

Betsuin minister Rev. Makoto Honda
is also our resident computer geekwith a computer science degree,
and may have the solutions toyour lingering hardware orsoftware-related problems.

Learn more about computersand soon you, too, will be likesensei and be able to do neatthings like show movies on awide-screen TV from a tablet!

4

Jimmy’s Auto Basics

Saturday, August 12, 12 noon,and every 2nd Sunday monthly
Fukuhara Conference Room

These and other questions about
the care and feeding of your car
will be fielded by Jimmy Hirakawa,2nd generation proprietor of
Palolo Auto Service.
Knowing about your car will makeyou more confident on the roadand maybe become a better driver!

Frank’s Poetry in Motion

Sunday, August 19, 12 noon, andevery 3rd Sunday monthly
Nature setting"CPNCT&YIJCJUGPS1FBDF'BDFUIF1BTUUP)FBMUIF1SFTFOU

My name is Masago Asai, and I’m a member of Palolo
Hongwanji. Today, I’d like to inform you of our upcoming
event, “A-bombs Exhibit for Peace: Face the Past to Heal the
Present” to be held October 18-26 at Palolo Hongwanji.
Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii is among the 31 cosponsors and supporters of the exhibition.
The exhibit organizer is the Hawai‘i Conference ofReligions for Peace (HCRP), a Honolulu non-profit, interfaithdialogue to which I have belonged for the past nine years
as a volunteer. Among HCRP’s commitments
is to hold annual “Peace Prayer” gatherings.
Over the past 21 years, we’ve invited many
religious representatives from 16 different
faith traditions to provide opportunities tomeet and offer prayers for peace.
I was motivated to initiate this peace
project under HCRP because I was born
Masago Asaiin Nagasaki and am a second-generationof A-bomb survivors. Our program is slightly different
from other exhibits of this kind. We focus on education,
especially for the younger generations, not only bybringing war-related materials but also by introducing
practical approaches to inner peace creation and daily
maintenance. The reason is because after a long search
for the true meaning of peace, I’ve realized that if we don’t
have peace within, we will still be able to make and use any
powerful weapons in the future. The human inner maturity,
therefore, is a must for global peace, I believe.
Please attend this FREE educational event with yourfamily and friends, and help spread the word among yourassociates also. The program is open to the public, and is
totally educational and non-political. Schools and colleges
excursions are welcome; reservation times are still open.
Thank you very much for your support for peace.
Warmest Aloha in gassho,

Always wanted to try your hand at
poetry but didn’t know where to
start? It’s mostly about observing
the world around you and, likeanything else, improves withpractice. So let’s try!
Rev. Frank Childs, an avid fan of
haiku as well as other forms of
poetry, will facilitate the sessions.
Our first will be held at Moanalua
Gardens. Gain inspiration from thenatural setting and enjoy the fun ofsharing your creations with others.
Let’s learn together how to express
our thoughts from within, poetically
onto a piece of paper.

Masago Asai
Secretary & Coordinator
A-bombs Exhibit for Peace
Hawai’i Conference of Religions for Peace'BNJMZQIPUPTTPVHIUGPSDFOUFOOJBMCPPL

M

ahalo to those who havealready brought us family
photos and albums for our planned
anniversary book for our centennialcelebration in 2016.
We’re still looking for a lot more
photos of temple member families
for the book. Besides current
pictures, we’d like to have more

You’re Invited!

A-bombs Exhibit for Peace:
Face the Past to Heal the Present
Saturday, October 18 – Sunday, October 26, 2014
10 am to 4 pm (Mon - Sat)
11 am to 4 pm (Sun)
Palolo Hongwanji – Inner Temple
1641 Palolo Avenue, Honolulu
Telephone: 732-1491
Ample Parking
Y Opening Ceremony Z
Saturday, October 18
10 amPalolo Hongwanji Social Hall (Downstairs)
Keynote Speech by Hiroshima A-bomb Survivor
Y Closing “Peace Prayer” Ceremony Z
Sunday, October 26
4 pm to 6 pm
Palolo Hongwanji Inner Temple
Refreshments follow in Social Hall
For details, please visit our websites or Facebook, or email us.
Email: hcrpinfo@gmail.com
HCRP URL: http://www.hcrphawaii.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.comhawaiiconferenceofreligionsforpeace
A-bombs URL: http://www.atomicbombexhibitionhawaii.org/

photos from back in earlier days ofthe temple, such as this one of the
Sasabuchi family back in the 1960s.
We’d prefer digital files that don’t
need to be returned, but we’ll
gratefully accept prints, too. When
we return your photos, we’ll include
digital files of the photos we scanned.
Along with your photos, we’d liketo include family histories and otherinteresting bits of information you may
wish to share. Please help us with thisimportant temple project.

5Big & Little Differences: Obon Season

The Tradition of Manto-e Service
Long ago in India, wherever the Buddha delivered a sermon, the Sangha, those who came to listen,would each light a candle. The Sangha became so numerous that on these occasions, the lights came to becalled Manto, ten thousand lights.
In Japan, about 1,200 years ago during the reign of Emperor Shomu, a ceremony centered around the
Todaiji Temple in Nara was started in which once a year, Manto were lit in honor of the Buddha, thus beginning the tradition of Manto-e. Higashi Hongwanji of Mission of Hawaii follows in the tradition of the
Manto-e during the Obon Dance. We will have our Manto-e Service on July 25 and 26, 2014 at 6:30pm before the dance. With your help, we would like to decorate the summer sky with “ten thousand lanterns.”
 3OHDVHÀOOLQWKHDSSOLFDWLRQZLWK\RXUGRQDWLRQRIIRUHDFKODQWHUQ\RXZLVKWRRIIHULQPHPRU\of departed relatives and friends. Then names will be written on a small tablet, which will be hung fromeach lantern. These custom-made-in-Japan lanterns are yours to keep. You may come to pick up your lantern after the Obon Dance at the temple.

万灯会法要

黒暗に灯ありて、我等が方向定まる。もし灯なくば、出口なき不安よりいかでか出ずる事を得んや。灯な
くて我等は迷い、灯ありて迷いより出ず。かく言う灯とは、あなたの師である仏の教えであり、善知識であり、亡き先祖の方々のことであります。灯に出合って我々が道定まる事、実に有難き事なり。
万灯会法要を来る７月２5 日­２6 日午後６時半より東本願寺ハワイ別院お盆踊り会場にてお勤めします
ので一人でも沢山の方をお誘い下さって献灯お願い申し上げます。
申込 １灯（日本特製提灯）２０弗を寄付して頂きビラに名前又は法名と寄付者名を記して献灯します。申込用紙に記入して送り下さい。

MANTO-E LANTERN APPLICATION FORM 万灯会提灯申込書
Please make check payable to: Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii

東本願寺ハワイ別院宛$̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲ for ̲̲̲̲̲̲ lanterns in memory of:個分

1685 Alaneo Street, Honolulu, HI 96817

NAME(S) 名前

Donor's Name 寄付者名
Address

6

住所

万灯会提灯

Dharma Name (Buddhist Name) if known

Phone

法

弗同封
名

+"1"/one of the big differences
between obon celebrations in
Hawaii and Japan is who actuallysponsors the bon dance.
In Hawaii Buddhist temple
sponsor the bon dances, with only
a few put on by local community
groups. Japan is completely the otherway around. Most of the bon dances
are held by the community rather
than Buddhist temples.
Because of that, no service isheld before the bon dance starts.
Also, I suspect not many people
really feel that a bon dance is related
to Buddhist events.
Another big difference isthat bon dances in Japan are
getting smaller and smaller.
Meanwhile in Hawaii, they’regetting bigger and bigger.
There are many reasons
they are becoming smaller inJapan. First, people’s life styles
have changed a lot within
the last two or three decades.
Lives were more communitybased than individuallybased. People had strong
communities within the
town or village. Since bondances are sponsored bycommunities, a smaller
community means smaller
bon dances.
Also, not many people livewith Grandma and Grandpa
anymore, so carrying out old
traditions has weakened.
Maybe because of that, children do
not dance anymore. They go there
to watch elderly people dance, buy
food, and play little games, but they
do not dance.
Bon dances in Hawaii, however,are flourishing. I was wondering
why. Maybe it’s simply that people
here like to dance!
“Dancing fool, watching fool: Allfools, so let’s all dance!”— Rev. Makoto Honda

-04"/(&-&4you know obon season is justaround the corner when you
receive your raffle tickets in May.
West Covina Buddhist Temple obon isheld for one day, the last Saturday inJune, from noon to 9:00 pm.
Bon-odori practice starts in the
beginning of June, twice a week on
Tuesdays and Fridays, to make sureeveryone is familiar with each dance step.
The yagura is built in the parking
lot one week prior to the actual
event. On Friday, the gymnasium,booths, lanterns and lights are set
up. Preparation for the food is done a
couple of days in advance. Membersa Hawaiian-themed beer garden.
We have game booths for thechildren and a raffle every half-hourfor bigger toys donated by themembers.
In the gym we have exhibits fromdifferent organizations. On stage there
are demonstrations by the martial arts
groups, such as judo, karate, kendo
and aikido. Japanese odori groups
also perform, ending with the Kishin
Taiko Group.
In the Social Hall, tables andchairs are set up to enjoy thedelicious food and to play bingo,
which is played throughout the day,are asked to take home two dozen
aburage and a recipe for inari sushi,
to be prepared and brought in on
Saturday morning. The Howakai lady
members make rolls of makizushi, andplates of assorted sushi are assembled.
Food items that are sold at thebon dance include teriyaki chicken
plate, sushi, somen, Okinawa dango,
somen salad, tamale with chili, chowmein, okonomiyaki, home-madebaked items and drinks. There is alsowith a blackout game with a big
jackpot to end the day.
The Manto-e service begins at 6:00
pm, for those who have lost someone
during the past year since last obon,
followed by bon dancing. At 8:30 theraffle drawing begins, ending with thegrand prize of either a trip or cash.
Everything is dismantled thefollowing morning, with no Sunday
service being held.
— Jeanne Kawawata

3

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

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

What Obon Means To Me'BZF4IJHFNVSB

Address Service Requested

M

In this issue of WA...

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Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii Betsuin
Bulletin

7
July 2014

Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii

Temple Activities Calendar
JULY 2014
7/6
7/6
7/8
7/10
7/12
7/13
7/13
7/15
7/20
7/20
7/22
7/22
7/25
7/26
7/27
7/28
7/28
7/28

Sun 10 am Shotsuki memorial service &Sunday school
Sun 12 pm Family portrait sittingTue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practiceThu 7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
Sat 10 am What on Earth Is Namuamidabutsu?
led by Rev. Frank Childs
Sun 10 am Obon/Hatsubon service
Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
Tue 7 pm O-ko: Dharma discussion at Betsuin
Sun 10 am Sunday service & Sunday school
Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting/Yagura setup
Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practiceTue 6 pm Bon dance practice at Otani CenterFri 7 pm Bon dance (Manto-e service at 6:30 pm)
Sat 7 pm Bon dance (Manto-e service at 6:30 pm)
Sun 10 am Bon dance cleanup (No Sunday service)
Mon 10 am Shinran Shonin memorial service
Mon 11 am Recitation circle
Mon 1 pm Makoto’s Computer Clinic

AUGUST 2014
8/3
8/3
8/9
8/10
8/10
8/12
8/14
8/17
8/17
8/19
8/24
8/26
8/26
8/28
8/28
8/28
8/31

Sun 10 am Shotsuki memorial service &Sunday school
Sun 12 pm Jimmy’s Auto Basics
Sat 10 am What on Earth Is Namuamidabutsu?
led by Rev. Frank Childs
Sun 10 am Sunday service
Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study class (Japanese)
Poetry in Motion outing (English)
Moanalua Gardens
Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practiceThu 7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
Sun 10 am Sunday service & Sunday school
Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meetingTue 7 pm O-ko: Dharma discussion at Kaneohe
Sun 9 am Chicken/sushi sale (No Sunday service)
Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practiceTue 6:30 pm Movie night: When the Last Sword Is Drawn
Thu 10 am Shinran Shonin memorial service
Thu 11 am Recitation circle
Thu 1 pm Makoto’s Computer Clinic
Sun 10 am Sunday service

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

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
President: Faye Shigemura
Vice President: Jonathan Tani
Secretary: Debra Saiki
Treasurer: Edmund Nakano
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: betsuin@hhbt-hi.org
Wa is published monthly byHigashi Hongwanji Mission of
Hawaii for its members andfriends. Comments, articles andother items for publicationconsideration are welcomed.

Editor: Ken Saikiy grandparents and great-grandparents were active members of thetemple, so my first obon season must have been from the age offour months. If I danced, it must have been to the hypnotizing beat of thedrums, with a lot of squealing, kicking and arm flailing.
I must have been, umm… eight or nine years old when obon season
really started to mean something to me. It meant getting to put on my
yukata. It meant watching the cool high school kids dancing the beccho
around the yagura. It meant shave ice with strawberry syrup, two BBQ
sticks and saimin. And, I got to hold on to my own money, which I kept
safely tucked in my kimono sleeve, squeezing my sleeve every ten minutes
to make sure the money was still there. It made me feel grown up.
Fast forward 60 years to 2014. My, my, how things have changed. I’ve
exchanged my yukata for an apron, and my feet are firmly repositioned
from the dance floor to the kitchen floor. I was never a whiz in the
kitchen, so it was a small miracle that people trusted me to take the roleof the “new kitchen mama’”a few years ago, when all the obaachansdecided to retire and “leave it to the young folks.” I must admit, though,that I enjoy the camaraderie with other temple members and volunteers.
We have some monku outbursts, but it’s usually low key, and laughable
after a few years.
There’s also a pensive or reflective side to the obon season for many of
us. It’s probably an age thing, but as I grew older, I would recall friends andrelatives, deceased and living, who taught me to do this, or cautioned me
not to do that, where previously, I would just go through the motions of
doing it. Jean Tanaka taught me a fast way to cut lettuce for somen salad.
My friend Haruko taught me what kind of knife to use for cutting different
foods. Mom taught me how to pick the violets in our front yard and tie
them up with string to bring to my first grade teacher, Mary Silva, wholoved violets. Babasan taught me how to run around and chase thechicken for our dinner. I was never good at that since I wanted to help thechicken to escape.
(cont’d on p. 2)

Higashi Hongwanji Hawaii District
Bon Dance Schedule
8BJNFB)JHBTIJ)POHXBOKJ
Waimea temple already held its bon dance on June 27 & June 28,BOFPIF)JHBTIJ)POHXBOKJSaturday, July 5 (service at 6 pm; bon dance starts 6:30 pm))JHBTIJ)POHXBOKJ)BXBJJ#FUTVJO
Friday, July 26 (service at 6:30 pm; bon dance starts 7 pm)
Saturday, July 27 (service at 6:30 pm; bon dance starts 7 pm)
1BMPMP)POHXBOKJ
Friday, August 2 (service at 7 pm; bon dance starts 7:30 pm )Saturday, August 3 (service at 7 pm; bon dance starts 7:30 pm ))JMP)JHBTIJ)POHXBOKJSaturday, August 10 (service at 7 pm; bon dance starts 8 pm)