Hawaii Kotohira Jinsha - Hawaii Dazaifu Tenmangu
APRIL 2023

The Spring Thanksgiving Festival was performed on Sunday, April 16

MAHALO for your generous Donations

CALENDARJohn ClarkCraig & Diane Nishida

MAY

Dazaifu Tenmangu, Fukuoka

Akiko Sanai

7

Bill & Keiko Doughty

Gary & Linda Shinsato

2 pm
Tsukinamisai Monthly Service

Bryson & Reiko Goda

Robert Stallings

Anthony Fujii

Kevin Sugimoto Ohana

28

Nicholas Fujii

Takenoko Sushi

Sakaye Fujii

Lena Young

8 am (Rev. Tak izaw a on ly)
Memorial Day Service(Punchbowl, Makiki Cemetery,Moiliili Cemetery)

Miyoko Hanahara
Mitsuru & Pam Igarashi

JUNEArt Isa
Rodney & Sharon Isa
James & Melba Kurashige

M AHALO f orFest ival Of f er in gs

Yae Miko

Dazaifu Tenmangu, Fukuoka

Steve Miwa

Mitsuru & Pam Igarashi

Irina Monk

Shinken & Marilyn Naitoh

1 pm
Chinowa preparations

49:30 am - 1 pm
Chinowa for People & Pets

Gary & Linda Shinsato

Ben Moriyama
Scott Murashige

3

Takenoko Sushi, Hilo

JULY

Masa & Irene Takizawa

1 - 7 8:30 am - 4 pm
Tanabata tanzaku wish tags

Visit our website at www.jinja.us

SPRING THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL
The Spring Thanksgiving Festival isa time to remember the bounties
that we receive from nature andthe friendships, kindnesses,generosity and guidance received
from everyone who has touched
and shaped our lives.

The Spring Festival of 2020 and
2021 was performed solo by Rev.
Takizawa.
With easing restrictions and a
decline in cases - - the 2022 festival
was performed in the presence ofour Officers and Board members.

Hawaii Dazaifu Tenmangu was

We were finally able to resume
normalcy and welcomed twopriests from Japan - Rev. Tomoya
Maki and Rev. Koshi Mita from
Dazaifu Tenmangu, Fukuoka.
established in 1952. 2023 marks
the 71st year since the Gobunrei(essence of the kami ) wasauthorized for worship by Dazaifu
Tenmangu, Fukuoka and brought
to Hawaii.
The pandemic erupted in February
2020, just ahead of the 2020 SpringThanksgiving Festival.

Much mahalo to Board members:president Bryson Goda forpresenting the awards, Marilyn
Naitoh for manning reception,
Diane Nishida and Linda Shinsato
for MC-ing and Shinken Naitoh,
Gary Shinsato, Craig Nishida andArt Isa with logistics and cleanup.2023 SCHOLARSHIPSNat h an Yosh ida - currently a senior at KalaniHigh School where he's a part of the band
program playing french horn, mellophone andtrumpet
Ellie Ik em u r a - a star athlete at Mililani Highschool will be attending Washington State
University to major in Pre-Med
Br en dan Ch oy - currently a senior at Mid-Pacific
Institute and on his way to Washington State
University to become a Veterinarian
Ken ji Su gim ot o - graduating with honors fromMoanalua High School and attending UH Manoato major in Computer ScienceKadin Wat an abe - currently president of
Maryknoll's Japanese club is an avid gamer andgolfer
Hawaii Kotohira Jinsha - Hawaii Dazaifu Tenmangu believes that education is crucial to the development of futureleaders.
The Hawaii Dazaifu Tenmangu Scholarship was created in 2012 to award scholarships to qualified applicantsattending an accredited high school, university or vocational school regardless or race, religion, sex or nationalorigin. This year marks our 12th year and we are delighted to award five outstanding students.

Volunteer Awards

2023 Scholarships
Past Scholarship Recipients
2012

2016

Zeph Kaneshiro

Bryson Teruo Goda

Kazuumi Fujioka

Jordan Kimura

Kai Aaron Igarashi

Kyle Ling

Konner Uratsuka

Lucas Mattice

Stuart Pang

Tatiana Omokawa

Bethany Schwartz
James Yonemura

Geraldine Gambalan
Lukela Los Banos
Jill Mari Nishida
Daniel Song2017
Cassandra Carlyle
Cherie Ishihara
Skye Sakashita

Our deepest gratitude goes out to Br yson Goda, ourpresident and Bill & Keik o Dou gh t y for theiroutstanding dedication.
This recognition is a symbol for all shrine supporters, that
we are an organization of volunteers, working together inservice to the community, in a unified goal of thepreservation and perpetuation of our cultural andspiritual heritage.

Stacie Akemi Hata

Melvin Monces
Scott Okamura

Skye Miyauchi
Kody Watanabe
Dorthea Yoakum

2021
Kody Watanabe

2014

Calvin Mai

Kaylee Rafol

Staci Shimamoto
Jensn Yasui

This year, we would like to acknowledge 3 outstanding
individuals that have been a vital part of the shrine formany years.

Keng-Hsien Chao
Rayce Manriki

2013
Jeffrey Ga Min Fujioka

2020

2018
Gavin Desamito
Victoria Hallett
Taylor Suzuki

Landon Kimura
Becky Isa
Skye MiyauchiDorthea Yoakum

Kylie Tamashiro
2015
Alexandria Carlyle

Micah Tong
Katherine Yoakum

Milena Sayaka Naitoh
John Sunahara
Dane Yamada

2022
Stirling Sakashita
Danielle Sato2019
Joseph Agag
Dakota Rei Chun
Kilala Hall
Brenna Imada

Madisen Yasui
Tiffani Muramoto
Sara TashGokito Private Blessing

The street light in front of theshrine on Olomea was vandalized
in late December 2022.

Kotohira-gu is renown as the patronkami of seafarers and water related
activities.

A longtime supporter of the shrinefrom Massachusetts finally madeher way to Hawaii to receive ablessing in person.

She will be attending a university
This centuries-old ritual is meant forin Kyoto for a year to further her
the captain, crew and friends to haveknowledge of Japanese language
safe and bountiful boating excursions.
and culture..

Olomea Street is a highway accessroad so the State was called forrepairs. The stolen controller andbattery was replaced and repairedon April 10.
The State claims they're struggling
to keep up with repairs andreplacements caused by vandals
and thieves.

MaintenanceA feral cat was stuck in the backof the storage unit behind theshrine.
Rev. Takizawa determined thesource of the cries andattempted to remove the cat.
Unable to move the storage unit
as is, all its contents wereremoved to lighten its load.
Metal rods and digging sticks
were used to move the storage
unit a mere 7 inches to no avail.
Finally the feeder of the feral cat
was called to assist.
After several attempts, anemaciated cat appeared.
Feral cats are one of the mostdevastating predators of Hawaii'swildlife. They also spread a lethal
parasite (Toxoplasma gondii) that
contaminates freshwater andmarine environments.

A non-skid paint was applied
to the steps to increase
traction and slip resistance.
All cracked and flaking no-slip
sand paper was removed. Thesurface was sanded to createda rough surface and themarine-grade non-skid paintwas applied.

Maintanance

MAINTENANCE
The purple and red and white maku
curtains used for the Spring Thanksgiving
Festival is a gift from Chief Priest
Nobuyoshi Nishitakatsuji of Dazaifu
Tenmangu, Fukuoka in 2012.
The maku curtains commemorate theinception of Hawaii Dazaifu Tenmangu inHawaii in 1952.
Cleaning an prepping was done on
April 13, in preparation for the 71stSpring Thanksgiving Festival

Purple maku curtains are hung forcelebrations. Red and white maku
curtains symbolize an auspicious
occasion.