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

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

The Origin of Obon

Address Service Requested

In this issue of WA...

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Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii Betsuin
Bulletin

7

July 2013

Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii

Temple Activities Calendar
JULY 2013
7/6

Sat

7/7 Sun7/11 Thu
7/13 Sat
7/14 Sun
7/14 Sun
7/21
7/21
7/23
7/23
7/26
7/27
7/28
7/30

6:30 pm Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji bon dance(Obon service at 6:00 pm)
10 am Shotsuki service
7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata
10 am What on Earth is Namuamidabutsu?
Study class led by Rev. Frank Childs
10 am Obon/Hatsubon service
12 pm Basic Buddhism study classਠ৻ୁदบઇ॑ୂऒअ

AUGUST 2013
8/2
8/3
8/4
8/4

7:30 pm Palolo Hongwanji bon dance(7 pm service)
Sat 7:30 pm Palolo Hongwanji bon dance(7 pm service)
Sun 10 am Shotsuki service
Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study classFri

8/10 Satਠ৻ୁदบઇ॑ୂऒअ

led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
10 am What on Earth is Namuamidabutsu?
Study class led by Rev. Frank Childs
10 am Sunday service
3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
Fukuhara Conference Room
10 am Sunday service
12 pm Betsuin board meeting
Fukuhara Conference Room
7 pm O-ko: Informal dharma discussion
Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji
9-2 pm Chicken & sushi sale (no Sunday service)
3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
6:30 pm Movie night: Tora-san, His Tender Love
Japanese audio/English subtitles

8/11 Sunled by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
8/13 TueSun 10 am Sunday service
Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting/yagura setup
8/18 Sun
Fukuhara Conference Room
8/18 Sun
Tue 6 pm Bon dance practice at Betsuin
Tue 7 pm O-ko: Informal dharma discussion
8/20 Tue
Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji
Fri 7 pm Bon dance (Manto-e service at 6:30 pm)
8/25 Sun
Sat 7 pm Bon dance (Manto-e service at 6:30 pm)
8/27 TueSun 10 am Bon dance cleanup (No service)
8/27 TueTue 6:30 pm Movie night: The Funeral (उབྷૄ‫ك‬Japanese audio/English subtitles
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 SaikiT

he word Obon comes to us from India, where the Sanskrit Ullambana means
the suffering of hanging upside down. The tradition of Obon can be traced
back to Sakyamuni Buddha’s time.
Following many years of studying and training, Mogallana, a disciple of
Sakyamuni, had the power to see into other worlds of existence. One day heremembers his mother, who had died many years before, and wants to find out
her whereabouts. He assumed his mother would be in the world of happiness. He
found her, however, in the world of hungry ghosts, which is the world of sufferingby hanging upside-down. Mogallana couldn’t believe his mother was in a suchplace, because to him, she was the perfect, compassionate mother.
But she had fallen to the world of hungry ghosts because she would always
take care Mogallana first and foremost. Her first priority was her son. Everyone andeverything else was secondary. She was self-centered in raising her son andconsequently fell into that world of greediness.
Mogallana tried to save his mother from that world. He tried relentlessly but
found he could not save her. Finally he asked Sakyamuni Buddha what to do andhe replied, “You cannot save her alone, but if you hold a gathering in her memory
and make offerings to others with a compassionate heart, then she can be saved.”
Mogallana observed his mother’s memorial gathering along with othermonks after the rainy season retreat. True to Sakyamuni’s words, she was saved
from the world of hungry ghosts. He was so glad to see his mother released
from the suffering and he started to dance with joy. It is said his dance is theorigin of the bon dance.
So when we think about the center of our lives as only around our own selves,
this world turns to the world of suffering. At that time we are so greedy andself-centered. We have sufferings of hanging upside down.
But we see this world through the dharma. We see we are living in the worldof oneness and we realize we share and live our lives together. Then this world
turns to the Pure Land, which is the world of harmony and peace. And we can livein this world of harmony and peace even though we have a lot of difficulties andconflicts with others.
All of us wish to have a peaceful and harmonious life with others. Our ancestors
had the same wish for themselves. They also wished for us, their descendants, tohave such a life and world. During Obon, we remember and express our gratitude
to all of our ancestors for making it possible for our being here now.
Obon is the biggest celebration of life during the year. Our beloved ones are
giving us a chance to think about our lives again.
So please come to the Obon service to listen to the dharma for a meaningful
life for yourself. Please also come to our bon dance to express your joy of living
here and now.
Thank you in Gassho,
Rinban Kenjun Kawawata

Beccho. Does anyone remember what that was? If you’reas old as I am, you would remember the younger
dancers at our bon dance, prancing in somewhat of anorganized frenzy to the music coming from atop the yagura.
This circle ofteen dancers
claimed the circle
closest to theyagura, and like aherd of buffalo, ‘danced’ in unison to the music of Fukushima
Ondo with their tenugui in hand. They were obviously
releasing energy saved up since the last bon dance. This wasby no means an orderly circle, as a person could get
seriously hurt if just once person tripped, or if a careless‘normal’ dancer wandered into the path of this stampede.
The beccho was stopped because of the danger it posedto everyone. Recently, I observed young dancers creating
their own energetic style of the same dance movements,
and they were having fun at their level of enjoyment. “WhatMemoriesof days past...

Ja refreshing sight,” Ithought to myself. I
wish I were younger
and could jump likethese young people
without everything
jiggling behind and in
front of me.
I guess in current
jargon, you would saythese young revelers
are making the dances‘their own’, putting
younger visitors to our bon
their own signature to Somedance today display the level of energy
old traditions. I hope reminiscent of teen dancers in days past.
this trend continues
with everyone’s safety in mind, of course.
Bon dance on, young ‘uns!
– Faye Kamihara

Little Differences: Japan and Hawaii

apan: On a typical sunny morning, patchworks
work. Hanging laundry is hard work, you know,of laundry hanging out to dry on east- andrequiring bending, lifting and stretching, thensouth-facing verandas create colorful mosaics that
repeat the cycle again and again. For most of us,
dominate the cityscape.
tossing clothes in a dryer and turning a switch is
Hawaii: Laundry visible from the street will get
the way to go. If you want to do bending, lifting
you a stink eye from neighbors or maybe even aand stretching, get yourself a gym membership.
warning from your homeowners’ association. It’s
Another thought: perhaps it’s because weather“unsightly!” It “hurts property values!”
reports in Japan are uncannily accurate andWhy this great disparity in laundry hanging
morning forecasts targeted to housewives help
philosophy and acceptance between people indetermine whether it’s a good day to do laundry or
Japan and those in Hawaii?
not. Some forecasts even feature helpful shirt icons
One might guess part of the answer lies in theto predict how the combination of the day’s sun,high cost of electricity in resourcewind, temperature, humidity andpoor Japan and families can’t afford
probability of rain might affect yourto run a dryer. But wait, you do knowlaundry decision. A rating of “fivewe in Hawaii also pay high rates,
shirts” assures you that your pair of
the highest in the nation...about thejeans will dry in no time.
same per kilowatt-hour as consumers
Finally, Japanese people, whether
in Japan?
by nature or due to their upbringing,
Or is it the fact that the Japanese
seem to be more in harmony withare incorrigible yen-pinchers. If
Mother Nature and in showing
frugality were an Olympic event,gratitude for her precious bounty.
Japan would take home all the
Perhaps folks in our sun-blessed
medals. They hate to waste anything.
Hawaii Nei may want to take a cue
Mottainai, you’ll always hear. Fact is,from our more eco-conscious kin
the average Japanese household
across the Pacific. Shouldn’t we all
consumes 40% less electricity thantake a more active role in ensuring
American housholds.
that limited natural resources are
Well, it could be that the
Natural sunshine is the preferred here for future generations to enjoy?
clothes-drying method in Japan.
industrious Japanese relish hard-- Ken Saiki

2

Kenneth SaikiFor the past few months we’vebeen introducing you to our newly
elected—as of February 2013—officers
and directors. The final introduction is
new board member Ken Saiki.
Ken is a product of Hawaii’s publicschool system, graduating from
Roosevelt high school before attending
Purdue University in Indiana.
A self-proclaimed “professional
retiree,” Ken has retired three times,
first from the U.S. Navy as a Captain,
with a combined 26 years of service
on active duty in Vietnam andJapan, and as a reservist assigned
to fleet headquarters commands at
Pearl Harbor. In 1996 he also retired
from his day job as marketing vicepresident at Bank of America.
With more spare time on his
hands, he took leadership roles atvarious non-profit organizations,mostly geared to furthering JapaneseAmerican causes and activities.
His volunteer efforts, especiallyin helping enhance better U.S.-Japan
relations in the aftermath of the tragic
sinking of the Ehime Maru, led to animperial decoration, The Order of the
Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, by
the government of Japan in 2007.
Meanwhile, his ”hobby” of working
part-time on marketing projects led him
back, albeit reluctantly, into a regularfull-time position at Central Pacific Bank,
managing its direct marketing andpromotional activities, until his third andfinal retirement last year.
Affiliation with Higashi Hongwanjicame about almost by accident, andas a result of his mother’s death in2005. Inheriting a termite-eaten family
altar, he wasn’t sure what to do with it,
having been raised in, and considering

himself of a different faith all his life. He
consulted Rev. Narumichi Watanabe,then resident minister at the Betsuin,
who not only helped with the butsudan
but impressed Ken with his views on lifeand death that actually made sense.
Eager to learn more about
Buddhism, Ken would occasionallyattend Sunday services. Not being
what you could call scholarly, Kenprefers things very simple and easy tounderstand. As the messages slowly
sank in, they became compellingenough to turn “when can” attendance
into a weekly habit and finally, to Kenjoining the temple as a member.
So now you’ll find him serving on
various Betsuin ad hoc committees,
sometimes doing emcee duties at
Sunday services or sharing his Japanese
DVD collection at temple movie nights.
He’s trying to change his current
couch-potato lifestyle, but for now

Ken (right) with Abbot Choken Otani andMrs. Otani at USS Utah memorial at Pearl
Harbor during their 2008 Hawaii visit.
enjoys watching Onihei Hankacho andother period dramas on NGN.
Ken’s wife, Kumiko, helps with
temple flower arrangements, as
needed. Between the two of them,
they have four children, all of themliving either on the mainland or inJapan, and five grandchildren.
By the way, have you noticed
Ken’s long earlobes, too?

O

ur July 7 shotsuki service is our monthly remembrance of our temple
family members who passed away in July of a past year. At thismonth’s shotsuki service we honor and pay respects to:Laureen Chun
Elaine Flynn
Mitsugu Fujimoto
Sumiko HamadaFred Yoshio Haruno
Evelyne Fusako Higa
Genkichi Hirashima
Thelma Miyoshi Hirata
Masae Iizaki
David Masato Imura
Florence F. Imura
Ted Tetsuo Ishii
Daniel Carl Ishimoto
Dorothy Emiko Kaito
Yasushige Kaneshiro
Kiyoko Kanzaki
Ivy Lynn Harumi Kawasaki
Audrey Miyoko Kimura
Kazuo KinoshitaKazuo Kiyonaga
Ralph Fumio Koga
Katsu Kudo Maekawa

Doris Midori Maruoka
Michiko Masunaga
Ushi Matayoshi
Harriet Haruko Matsuda
Harriet Shimono Matsuda
Michael Toshio Matsuda
Hinayo Miyazaki
Violet Fujie Matsumoto
Jean H. Matsumoto
Walter Noboru Matsuzaki
Kazunori Miyamoto
Janice Naomi Miyashiro
Mitsuko Miyazaki
Jack Nobuo Murakami
Violet Tomie Murakami
George Satoru Nagahisa
Nobuko Nakamoto
Torao Nakano
George Moriso Oasa
Jane Ruriko Ogata
Shigeo Okazaki
Tomiye Okazaki

Myra Hachiko Reyes
Ohilo Sakamoto
Richard Kazuo Shimazu
Kenneth Shiro Shioi
Yoshio Shishido
Kiyoko Shojinaga
Donald Itsuo Sugai
Daniel Hajime Tagami
Jerry Noboru Takeuchi
Masao Takeuchi
Chiyeko Tanaka
Kama Tengan
Miyoko Tsuji
Thomas Tadao Tsukamoto
Robert Senkyo Unten
Thomas Seitsu Uyehara
Minoru Uyemura
James H. Yamaguchi
Lawrence M. Yamamoto
Stella Toyoko Yonehiro
Michael Mitsuo Yoshida
Megumi Yoshimoto

While shotsuki services are observed every year, special nenki hoyo
memorial services are held during certain auspicious years. These years
include the 1st anniversary, followed by memorial services for the 3rd, 7th,
13th, 17th, 25th, 33rd and 50th years, held during the year prior to theactual anniversary date. Please consult a minister for more information.

7

/FXTPOUIF

2013 Gojikai Dues Are Due

It’s again Friendly Reminder timefor Gojikai dues for 2013. Families
who have not already sent in their
Gojikai dues for this year, please do sosoon, but no later than October 31. If
you would like to know when your lastdues were paid, and for which year,
please call Rev. Makoto Honda at the
Betsuin office at 531-9088.
Who should be paying Gojikai
dues? All families who are members
pay annual dues to the temple.
Families who have niches in thecolumbarium also pay annual dues tothe temple, since the columbarium isfor use by temple members.
The annual assessment is used formaintenance of the nokotsudo andtemple. Your Board of Directors
meets monthly and is committed toinsure that these funds are spent
wisely for the welfare of the general
membership and that temple
policies and operations meet or
exceed all legal requirements.
Members are welcome to attend
Board of Directors meetings by calling
the temple for meeting schedules, asmeeting dates or times may change.

#FUTVJO8JSFMFTT

उབྷૄ‫ق‬उजअखऌ‫ك‬ফਁ৫भ঩ম಩઺‫؛‬టືેਕभ
ੂ૰୚੿ષ‫؛‬঩ম॔ढ़ॹ঑‫ش‬ೖ॑઩ीधघॊ૚಩઺ೖ॑੕ऩीपखञ‫ؚ‬టືपधढथ੶୛घसऌ੿ષदँ
ॊ‫؛‬প঄ॵॺ॑੶ஈखञ‫؛‬ল౰঻੩঱ᕫஃ‫؟‬৛૊౑ං૝૸
ๅ৕‫؟‬૝মਦ৕ං૝ऌऎ௖‫؟‬ඔ੩ऌ॒঱಩ৎ৑ী‫ؙ‬োৃ૮મা঩‫كౌق‬ଏ৏‫ڬگڲ‬ৎObon Service Honors
Forgotten Immigrants

Bishops of Higashi and Honpa
Hongwanji will co-officiate a special
Imin Yosebaka bon service at Makiki
cemetery at 9 am Saturday, July 20.
The service is held to pay tributeto Japanese pioneers with no known
descendants who are buried in a
yosebaka, or common grave, at thecemetery. Unlike our ancestors who
have us to remember them at obon,

July’s Movie Night Features
Award-Winning “The Funeral”

The complex rituals of thethree-day Japanese Buddhist
funeral after the unexpected deathof their father is too much to handle
for the younger generation.
Debut drama/comedy byacclaimed director Juzo Itami, which
won the 1985 Japanese Academy
Awards for Best Film, Best Actor, Best
Director, Best Screenplay and Best
Supporting Actress. Stars Tsutomu
Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto & Kin
Sugai. 124 minutes. Japanese audiowith English subtitles.
Showtime is 6:30 pm on July 30.
Admission is FREE. Ample seating in
the Fukuhara Conference Room.

4

A memorial tower marks the gravesite of
289 muenbotoke, or people who diedwithout anyone to tend to their graves.
these forgotten immigrants had noone to tend to their graves.
The United Japanese Society of
Hawaii, with the support of the
Hawaii Buddhist Council, holds thisservice annually during the bon
season. Ministers from dozens ofother Buddhist sects are also
expected to participate.
Masago Asai of Palolo Hongwanji
and her daughter, Mika, will perform
a hula to commemorate the event.
The Honpa Hongwanji choir will also
sing gathas before and after thesutra chanting.
The public is invited to participate
in honoring the immigrants. The
cemetery is located at the corner ofPensacola St. and Wilder Ave.

Got Ukulele? Let’s Make
Music Together!
We’re looking for folks to join ourukulele group to learn, practice andcreate music together.
Most of us are rank amateurs, so
don’t worry if you’ve never toucheda uke before. We do have someaccomplished musicians, however,to teach and lead us, so please join
us to learn and practice a new skill.
Our goal is to eventually build arepertoire of Hawaiian, Japanese andother familar melodies we can play at
various informal events, or just to havea good time. Some of us were braveenough to get up on stage at theWorld Dobo Convention in Kyoto in
May and perform before the several
hundred attendees. It’s all for fun!
We’re kind of like the “oyaji band”
on the “Making It Through” show on
KIKU-TV. Who knows...one day we
may be invited to play at services, oreven at a temple wedding!
We’ll meet for practice beginningin August on the 2nd and 4th
Tuesdays at 3 pm at the Betsuin’s
Fukuhara Conference Room in themain temple building. So start
looking for that uke that’s gathering
dust on a closet shelf at home andbring it along with you.
Players of other instruments arealso welcome to join us for practice,though you’ll have to learn to playthe instrument on your own.

Higashi Hongwanji Hawaii District NewsIn May we participated in the 11th World Dobo Convention in Kyoto. In this and subsequent issues,
we share some of the experiences of participants from the Higashi Hongwanji Hawaii District.

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/FXTPOUIF

2013 Gojikai Dues Are Due

It’s again Friendly Reminder timefor Gojikai dues for 2013. Families
who have not already sent in their
Gojikai dues for this year, please do sosoon, but no later than October 31. If
you would like to know when your lastdues were paid, and for which year,
please call Rev. Makoto Honda at the
Betsuin office at 531-9088.
Who should be paying Gojikai
dues? All families who are members
pay annual dues to the temple.
Families who have niches in thecolumbarium also pay annual dues tothe temple, since the columbarium isfor use by temple members.
The annual assessment is used formaintenance of the nokotsudo andtemple. Your Board of Directors
meets monthly and is committed toinsure that these funds are spent
wisely for the welfare of the general
membership and that temple
policies and operations meet or
exceed all legal requirements.
Members are welcome to attend
Board of Directors meetings by calling
the temple for meeting schedules, asmeeting dates or times may change.

#FUTVJO8JSFMFTT

उབྷૄ‫ق‬उजअखऌ‫ك‬ফਁ৫भ঩ম಩઺‫؛‬టືેਕभ
ੂ૰୚੿ષ‫؛‬঩ম॔ढ़ॹ঑‫ش‬ೖ॑઩ीधघॊ૚಩઺ೖ॑੕ऩीपखञ‫ؚ‬టືपधढथ੶୛घसऌ੿ષदँ
ॊ‫؛‬প঄ॵॺ॑੶ஈखञ‫؛‬ল౰঻੩঱ᕫஃ‫؟‬৛૊౑ං૝૸
ๅ৕‫؟‬૝মਦ৕ං૝ऌऎ௖‫؟‬ඔ੩ऌ॒঱಩ৎ৑ী‫ؙ‬োৃ૮મা঩‫كౌق‬ଏ৏‫ڬگڲ‬ৎObon Service Honors
Forgotten Immigrants

Bishops of Higashi and Honpa
Hongwanji will co-officiate a special
Imin Yosebaka bon service at Makiki
cemetery at 9 am Saturday, July 20.
The service is held to pay tributeto Japanese pioneers with no known
descendants who are buried in a
yosebaka, or common grave, at thecemetery. Unlike our ancestors who
have us to remember them at obon,

July’s Movie Night Features
Award-Winning “The Funeral”

The complex rituals of thethree-day Japanese Buddhist
funeral after the unexpected deathof their father is too much to handle
for the younger generation.
Debut drama/comedy byacclaimed director Juzo Itami, which
won the 1985 Japanese Academy
Awards for Best Film, Best Actor, Best
Director, Best Screenplay and Best
Supporting Actress. Stars Tsutomu
Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto & Kin
Sugai. 124 minutes. Japanese audiowith English subtitles.
Showtime is 6:30 pm on July 30.
Admission is FREE. Ample seating in
the Fukuhara Conference Room.

4

A memorial tower marks the gravesite of
289 muenbotoke, or people who diedwithout anyone to tend to their graves.
these forgotten immigrants had noone to tend to their graves.
The United Japanese Society of
Hawaii, with the support of the
Hawaii Buddhist Council, holds thisservice annually during the bon
season. Ministers from dozens ofother Buddhist sects are also
expected to participate.
Masago Asai of Palolo Hongwanji
and her daughter, Mika, will perform
a hula to commemorate the event.
The Honpa Hongwanji choir will also
sing gathas before and after thesutra chanting.
The public is invited to participate
in honoring the immigrants. The
cemetery is located at the corner ofPensacola St. and Wilder Ave.

Got Ukulele? Let’s Make
Music Together!
We’re looking for folks to join ourukulele group to learn, practice andcreate music together.
Most of us are rank amateurs, so
don’t worry if you’ve never toucheda uke before. We do have someaccomplished musicians, however,to teach and lead us, so please join
us to learn and practice a new skill.
Our goal is to eventually build arepertoire of Hawaiian, Japanese andother familar melodies we can play at
various informal events, or just to havea good time. Some of us were braveenough to get up on stage at theWorld Dobo Convention in Kyoto in
May and perform before the several
hundred attendees. It’s all for fun!
We’re kind of like the “oyaji band”
on the “Making It Through” show on
KIKU-TV. Who knows...one day we
may be invited to play at services, oreven at a temple wedding!
We’ll meet for practice beginningin August on the 2nd and 4th
Tuesdays at 3 pm at the Betsuin’s
Fukuhara Conference Room in themain temple building. So start
looking for that uke that’s gathering
dust on a closet shelf at home andbring it along with you.
Players of other instruments arealso welcome to join us for practice,though you’ll have to learn to playthe instrument on your own.

Higashi Hongwanji Hawaii District NewsIn May we participated in the 11th World Dobo Convention in Kyoto. In this and subsequent issues,
we share some of the experiences of participants from the Higashi Hongwanji Hawaii District.

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to be a novel and fun way of getting to know each other better.

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5Higashi Hongwanji Hawaii District Dobo Joint Retreat
Speaker: Dr. Michihiro Ama

Commentary by Jonathan TaniAs an attendee of the Dobo Joint
Retreat, I offer my impressionsof the Friday and Saturday lectures,
June 7 & 8. Be forewarned: as alistener of Akegarasu-sensei, I do nottake notes at lectures, and remember
only those ideas which resonate atthat time.
5BOB%BJTIPT*OUFSONFOU$BNQ%JBSZ
The first lecture on Friday night was
the translated manuscript of a ministerand his wife during internment ofJapanese and Japanese-Americans
during World War II. This was a scholarlypresentation: a valuable day-to-day
record of experiences and thoughts ofa couple who were actually there,
rather than as a recollection andcompilation of interviews later. The
difference here is what the experiencemeant to a Buddhist minister in his
committed view and its effect on his
beliefs.
)PX"SF8F"òFDUFECZ4IPTIJOHF
The second lecture, held the nextday, was enjoyable and open to free
discussion for large part of the day.
The major topic was: How does
Shoshinge affect you in daily life?
Well, everyone felt it had very little, orno, effect at all. This brought aquietness mixed with giggles.

However, later during the lecture wewent from sentence to sentence inearly passages to imagine what eachidea meant at different levels.
An anomaly of Buddhist
discussion is its abstractness. As adebate or discussion, Buddhism fits
nicely into philosophy with a bent
toward science and skepticism. Yet,
its practical application in superficial
day-to-day living is largely withheld
until a seeker has a grasp on its
deeper principles of formless-form,
emptiness, and reliance on nothing;as examples.
Meanwhile, here are some of the
topics covered that I recall:
1. Parable of the burning house
2. Shinjin glimpses. Knowanyone who has experienced shinjin?
3. After the death of thehistorical Sakyamuni Buddha,
Mahayana’s new direction plus
addition of sutra
4. Mahayana two schools,
Madhyamaka and Yogachara: thedifference
5. Theravadin Arhat compared to
Mahayana bodhisattva: thedifference
6. When to say Nembutsu
7. What is Oneness?
8. Is a total experienced mindbody response to an idea Truth?

5PQJDTOPUVTVBMMZDPWFSFEJOMFDUVSFTFor instance, psychologists saythat the leading causes of suicide inyoung people are a lack of coping
skills and the feeling that they are in
the way of other people’s lives. In
other words, coping skills are real.
Here are some non-abstract ideas
to think about, from a Buddhist
perspective:
How should I look upon myillness?
How should I look upon myfinancial problems?
I know I’m going to die. Howcome I’m not even slightly concerned?
My girlfriend is the most beautiful
woman in the world. Is this true?
My spouse left me for another.
How do I look upon this?
My spouse died. What shall I do?
I lost my reputation. How can I
live?
I am following all the rules and ama good citizen. Is this all there is to life?
What and how should I think
when people insult me?
My children don’t obey me. What’s
wrong?
Why do I get angry so quickly?
I’m happy all the time. Am I
deluded?
Why do I have regrets?
Why do I worry?
Why do people see me differently
from how I see myself?
"EEJUJPOBM$PNNFOUBSZCZ
3FW'SBOL$IJMETI

Listening to Dr. Ama’s excellent presentation was like beng back to school again. Dr. Ama
is an assistant professor of Japanese at the University of Alaska.
Photo by Jim Dote

6

found our retreat with Amasensei most important. Why?
Because he articulated theimportance of Shinran Shonin andShin Buddhism in Mahayana
tradition. He brought to ourattention the concept of Sunyata,or emptiness.
Just what is emptiness? I do not
know...but because of Ama-sensei, I
can open myself to at least trying tounderstand. For this I am thankful!

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*$&

Family of Fujie Fujieda
Family of Bob Kazuo Okazaki(0+*,"*.&.#&34)*1
Helen Suzuki

Walter Yamada

Family of Helen Hatsumi Narimatsu
Family of Florence Ikari

8"/&84&55&3."*-*/(

Betty Nishida

Stacy Nishida4)0546,*.&.03*"-4&37*$&

Family of Katsumi Nishida
Chieko Nishimura
Family of Harry Tsukamoto
Jan LeeKazuo Kono
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Ishida

Tadao Iwasaki
George Lau,:0%"/%0/"5*0/(including columbarium, Otani Center)
Miyoko Duesing
Moriso Teraoka
Yutaka Minagawa
Anonymous#0/."*-*/(
Tadao Iwasaki
Peggy Arita

Eleanor Tokunaga
Rev. Alfred Tsuyuki
Soncha Harauchi

Jonathan Tani
Atsuko Nonaka

Family of Helen Hirata
Family of George Yoshino

Katsumi & Elaine Ouchi
Family & Friend of Jyosho Kameyama
Tsutomu Oi
George Higa

Kenneth Saiki

Jim Hirakawa

In Memoriam
We wish to extend
our deepest sympathies
to the families of the lateMrs. Helen Hatsumi Narimasu (94)
April 19, 2013
Ms. Katherine Miyoko Shirabe (82)
May 16, 2013
Mrs. Helen Ayame Hirata (93)
May 24, 2013'-03"-"33"/(&.&/54
Minako Ito

Let’s

I

t’s funny about the bon dance
season in Hawaii. Unless you’reright in the middle of planning yourtemple’s bon activities, before you
have a chance to say, “Holy Shinran
Shonin!,” the bon dance nips youin the you-know-where, and withbulging eyes, you scurry to lookfor your happi coat or yukata. Now
where did I put last year’s uchiwa
and bon dance towel? Hmm, I hopesomeone in our bon dance gang has
the bon dance schedule!
It’s already July, and we’re right in
the heart of the bon dance frenzy.
Higashi Hongwanji Betsuin, with its
bon dance set for July 26 & 27, is no
stranger to the hustle and bustle ofrecruiting people and making sure
we have enough mustard and relishfor every hot dog sold.

Bon
Dance!
CHAPTER 2
Some years, we never haveenough nihon-ryori cooks and rely on
cookbooks for some traditional foods.
Other years, we run out of water but
are left with an overabundance of
soda, which is not a bad thing. In theend, it was hard work, we’re glad it’sover, but it’s all good, and we actually
had fun.
We hope you’ll join us and watch
the dharma in action. Bring yourfriends. Get at least one dance in forexercise, maybe the last Fukushima
Ondo. No shame. It’s good for thesoul. You may even see a Harajuku
girl or Superman dancing.
To volunteer to help with ourbon dance either with your time orfood donations, please call Rev.

Makoto Honda at the Betsuin office
at 531-9088.
The major work days will be
Wednesday and Thursday, July 24 & 25,
when we’ll be cutting vegetables andstringing BBQ sticks, pre-measuring
andagi ingredients and doing otherprep work starting from about 10 amin the Betsuin kitchen.
Then on Friday around 10 am we’ll
need help from folks who enjoy climbing
stepladders and hanging chochin. This
year we will also hang manto-e lanterns
on which people can place names of
their departed loved ones.
It’s a fulfilling time when we canmeet other temple members andshare stories and laughter. Please sign
up for any donation or volunteer list if
you can. We welcome your help.
-- Faye Shigemura3B

eccho. Does anyone remember what that was? If you’reas old as I am, you would remember the younger
dancers at our bon dance, prancing in somewhat of anorganized frenzy to the music coming from atop the yagura.
This circle ofteen dancers
claimed the circle
closest to theyagura, and like aherd of buffalo, ‘danced’ in unison to the music of Fukushima
Ondo with their tenugui in hand. They were obviously
releasing energy saved up since the last bon dance. This wasby no means an orderly circle, as a person could get
seriously hurt if just once person tripped, or if a careless‘normal’ dancer wandered into the path of this stampede.
The beccho was stopped because of the danger it posedto everyone. Recently, I observed young dancers creating
their own energetic style of the same dance movements,
and they were having fun at their level of enjoyment. “WhatMemoriesof days past...

Ja refreshing sight,” Ithought to myself. I
wish I were younger
and could jump likethese young people
without everything
jiggling behind and in
front of me.
I guess in current
jargon, you would saythese young revelers
are making the dances‘their own’, putting
younger visitors to our bon
their own signature to Somedance today display the level of energy
old traditions. I hope reminiscent of teen dancers in days past.
this trend continues
with everyone’s safety in mind, of course.
Bon dance on, young ‘uns!
– Faye Kamihara

Little Differences: Japan and Hawaii

apan: On a typical sunny morning, patchworks
work. Hanging laundry is hard work, you know,of laundry hanging out to dry on east- andrequiring bending, lifting and stretching, thensouth-facing verandas create colorful mosaics that
repeat the cycle again and again. For most of us,
dominate the cityscape.
tossing clothes in a dryer and turning a switch is
Hawaii: Laundry visible from the street will get
the way to go. If you want to do bending, lifting
you a stink eye from neighbors or maybe even aand stretching, get yourself a gym membership.
warning from your homeowners’ association. It’s
Another thought: perhaps it’s because weather“unsightly!” It “hurts property values!”
reports in Japan are uncannily accurate andWhy this great disparity in laundry hanging
morning forecasts targeted to housewives help
philosophy and acceptance between people indetermine whether it’s a good day to do laundry or
Japan and those in Hawaii?
not. Some forecasts even feature helpful shirt icons
One might guess part of the answer lies in theto predict how the combination of the day’s sun,high cost of electricity in resourcewind, temperature, humidity andpoor Japan and families can’t afford
probability of rain might affect yourto run a dryer. But wait, you do knowlaundry decision. A rating of “fivewe in Hawaii also pay high rates,
shirts” assures you that your pair of
the highest in the nation...about thejeans will dry in no time.
same per kilowatt-hour as consumers
Finally, Japanese people, whether
in Japan?
by nature or due to their upbringing,
Or is it the fact that the Japanese
seem to be more in harmony withare incorrigible yen-pinchers. If
Mother Nature and in showing
frugality were an Olympic event,gratitude for her precious bounty.
Japan would take home all the
Perhaps folks in our sun-blessed
medals. They hate to waste anything.
Hawaii Nei may want to take a cue
Mottainai, you’ll always hear. Fact is,from our more eco-conscious kin
the average Japanese household
across the Pacific. Shouldn’t we all
consumes 40% less electricity thantake a more active role in ensuring
American housholds.
that limited natural resources are
Well, it could be that the
Natural sunshine is the preferred here for future generations to enjoy?
clothes-drying method in Japan.
industrious Japanese relish hard-- Ken Saiki

2

Kenneth SaikiFor the past few months we’vebeen introducing you to our newly
elected—as of February 2013—officers
and directors. The final introduction is
new board member Ken Saiki.
Ken is a product of Hawaii’s publicschool system, graduating from
Roosevelt high school before attending
Purdue University in Indiana.
A self-proclaimed “professional
retiree,” Ken has retired three times,
first from the U.S. Navy as a Captain,
with a combined 26 years of service
on active duty in Vietnam andJapan, and as a reservist assigned
to fleet headquarters commands at
Pearl Harbor. In 1996 he also retired
from his day job as marketing vicepresident at Bank of America.
With more spare time on his
hands, he took leadership roles atvarious non-profit organizations,mostly geared to furthering JapaneseAmerican causes and activities.
His volunteer efforts, especiallyin helping enhance better U.S.-Japan
relations in the aftermath of the tragic
sinking of the Ehime Maru, led to animperial decoration, The Order of the
Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, by
the government of Japan in 2007.
Meanwhile, his ”hobby” of working
part-time on marketing projects led him
back, albeit reluctantly, into a regularfull-time position at Central Pacific Bank,
managing its direct marketing andpromotional activities, until his third andfinal retirement last year.
Affiliation with Higashi Hongwanjicame about almost by accident, andas a result of his mother’s death in2005. Inheriting a termite-eaten family
altar, he wasn’t sure what to do with it,
having been raised in, and considering

himself of a different faith all his life. He
consulted Rev. Narumichi Watanabe,then resident minister at the Betsuin,
who not only helped with the butsudan
but impressed Ken with his views on lifeand death that actually made sense.
Eager to learn more about
Buddhism, Ken would occasionallyattend Sunday services. Not being
what you could call scholarly, Kenprefers things very simple and easy tounderstand. As the messages slowly
sank in, they became compellingenough to turn “when can” attendance
into a weekly habit and finally, to Kenjoining the temple as a member.
So now you’ll find him serving on
various Betsuin ad hoc committees,
sometimes doing emcee duties at
Sunday services or sharing his Japanese
DVD collection at temple movie nights.
He’s trying to change his current
couch-potato lifestyle, but for now

Ken (right) with Abbot Choken Otani andMrs. Otani at USS Utah memorial at Pearl
Harbor during their 2008 Hawaii visit.
enjoys watching Onihei Hankacho andother period dramas on NGN.
Ken’s wife, Kumiko, helps with
temple flower arrangements, as
needed. Between the two of them,
they have four children, all of themliving either on the mainland or inJapan, and five grandchildren.
By the way, have you noticed
Ken’s long earlobes, too?

O

ur July 7 shotsuki service is our monthly remembrance of our temple
family members who passed away in July of a past year. At thismonth’s shotsuki service we honor and pay respects to:Laureen Chun
Elaine Flynn
Mitsugu Fujimoto
Sumiko HamadaFred Yoshio Haruno
Evelyne Fusako Higa
Genkichi Hirashima
Thelma Miyoshi Hirata
Masae Iizaki
David Masato Imura
Florence F. Imura
Ted Tetsuo Ishii
Daniel Carl Ishimoto
Dorothy Emiko Kaito
Yasushige Kaneshiro
Kiyoko Kanzaki
Ivy Lynn Harumi Kawasaki
Audrey Miyoko Kimura
Kazuo KinoshitaKazuo Kiyonaga
Ralph Fumio Koga
Katsu Kudo Maekawa

Doris Midori Maruoka
Michiko Masunaga
Ushi Matayoshi
Harriet Haruko Matsuda
Harriet Shimono Matsuda
Michael Toshio Matsuda
Hinayo Miyazaki
Violet Fujie Matsumoto
Jean H. Matsumoto
Walter Noboru Matsuzaki
Kazunori Miyamoto
Janice Naomi Miyashiro
Mitsuko Miyazaki
Jack Nobuo Murakami
Violet Tomie Murakami
George Satoru Nagahisa
Nobuko Nakamoto
Torao Nakano
George Moriso Oasa
Jane Ruriko Ogata
Shigeo Okazaki
Tomiye Okazaki

Myra Hachiko Reyes
Ohilo Sakamoto
Richard Kazuo Shimazu
Kenneth Shiro Shioi
Yoshio Shishido
Kiyoko Shojinaga
Donald Itsuo Sugai
Daniel Hajime Tagami
Jerry Noboru Takeuchi
Masao Takeuchi
Chiyeko Tanaka
Kama Tengan
Miyoko Tsuji
Thomas Tadao Tsukamoto
Robert Senkyo Unten
Thomas Seitsu Uyehara
Minoru Uyemura
James H. Yamaguchi
Lawrence M. Yamamoto
Stella Toyoko Yonehiro
Michael Mitsuo Yoshida
Megumi Yoshimoto

While shotsuki services are observed every year, special nenki hoyo
memorial services are held during certain auspicious years. These years
include the 1st anniversary, followed by memorial services for the 3rd, 7th,
13th, 17th, 25th, 33rd and 50th years, held during the year prior to theactual anniversary date. Please consult a minister for more information.

7

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

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

The Origin of Obon

Address Service Requested

In this issue of WA...

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Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii Betsuin
Bulletin

7

July 2013

Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii

Temple Activities Calendar
JULY 2013
7/6

Sat

7/7 Sun7/11 Thu
7/13 Sat
7/14 Sun
7/14 Sun
7/21
7/21
7/23
7/23
7/26
7/27
7/28
7/30

6:30 pm Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji bon dance(Obon service at 6:00 pm)
10 am Shotsuki service
7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata
10 am What on Earth is Namuamidabutsu?
Study class led by Rev. Frank Childs
10 am Obon/Hatsubon service
12 pm Basic Buddhism study classਠ৻ୁदบઇ॑ୂऒअ

AUGUST 2013
8/2
8/3
8/4
8/4

7:30 pm Palolo Hongwanji bon dance(7 pm service)
Sat 7:30 pm Palolo Hongwanji bon dance(7 pm service)
Sun 10 am Shotsuki service
Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study classFri

8/10 Satਠ৻ୁदบઇ॑ୂऒअ

led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
10 am What on Earth is Namuamidabutsu?
Study class led by Rev. Frank Childs
10 am Sunday service
3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
Fukuhara Conference Room
10 am Sunday service
12 pm Betsuin board meeting
Fukuhara Conference Room
7 pm O-ko: Informal dharma discussion
Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji
9-2 pm Chicken & sushi sale (no Sunday service)
3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
6:30 pm Movie night: Tora-san, His Tender Love
Japanese audio/English subtitles

8/11 Sunled by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
8/13 TueSun 10 am Sunday service
Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting/yagura setup
8/18 Sun
Fukuhara Conference Room
8/18 Sun
Tue 6 pm Bon dance practice at Betsuin
Tue 7 pm O-ko: Informal dharma discussion
8/20 Tue
Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji
Fri 7 pm Bon dance (Manto-e service at 6:30 pm)
8/25 Sun
Sat 7 pm Bon dance (Manto-e service at 6:30 pm)
8/27 TueSun 10 am Bon dance cleanup (No service)
8/27 TueTue 6:30 pm Movie night: The Funeral (उབྷૄ‫ك‬Japanese audio/English subtitles
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 SaikiT

he word Obon comes to us from India, where the Sanskrit Ullambana means
the suffering of hanging upside down. The tradition of Obon can be traced
back to Sakyamuni Buddha’s time.
Following many years of studying and training, Mogallana, a disciple of
Sakyamuni, had the power to see into other worlds of existence. One day heremembers his mother, who had died many years before, and wants to find out
her whereabouts. He assumed his mother would be in the world of happiness. He
found her, however, in the world of hungry ghosts, which is the world of sufferingby hanging upside-down. Mogallana couldn’t believe his mother was in a suchplace, because to him, she was the perfect, compassionate mother.
But she had fallen to the world of hungry ghosts because she would always
take care Mogallana first and foremost. Her first priority was her son. Everyone andeverything else was secondary. She was self-centered in raising her son andconsequently fell into that world of greediness.
Mogallana tried to save his mother from that world. He tried relentlessly but
found he could not save her. Finally he asked Sakyamuni Buddha what to do andhe replied, “You cannot save her alone, but if you hold a gathering in her memory
and make offerings to others with a compassionate heart, then she can be saved.”
Mogallana observed his mother’s memorial gathering along with othermonks after the rainy season retreat. True to Sakyamuni’s words, she was saved
from the world of hungry ghosts. He was so glad to see his mother released
from the suffering and he started to dance with joy. It is said his dance is theorigin of the bon dance.
So when we think about the center of our lives as only around our own selves,
this world turns to the world of suffering. At that time we are so greedy andself-centered. We have sufferings of hanging upside down.
But we see this world through the dharma. We see we are living in the worldof oneness and we realize we share and live our lives together. Then this world
turns to the Pure Land, which is the world of harmony and peace. And we can livein this world of harmony and peace even though we have a lot of difficulties andconflicts with others.
All of us wish to have a peaceful and harmonious life with others. Our ancestors
had the same wish for themselves. They also wished for us, their descendants, tohave such a life and world. During Obon, we remember and express our gratitude
to all of our ancestors for making it possible for our being here now.
Obon is the biggest celebration of life during the year. Our beloved ones are
giving us a chance to think about our lives again.
So please come to the Obon service to listen to the dharma for a meaningful
life for yourself. Please also come to our bon dance to express your joy of living
here and now.
Thank you in Gassho,
Rinban Kenjun Kawawata