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5th Annual Windward Mall Bon Dance Festival

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Mahalo to everyone who came out to the 5th Annual Windward Mall Bon Dance Festival in Kaneohe on Saturday, October 4, 2025. The annual festival is a collaboration and partnership between Windward Buddhist Temple, Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji, and Windward Mall. The event has also marked the end of the Bon Dance season in Hawaii.

WBT Liaison Minister, Rev. Shingo Furusawa, opened the Bon Dance with the chanting of the San Bu Jo. In addition to dancing around the WBT yagura in Center Court, attendees enjoyed freshly made andagi, takuan, bitter melon namasu, assorted pickled vegetables, manju, nantu (Okinawan mochi), peanut butter balls, and more.

Making Andagi

Behind the scenes with our hard-working andagi crew. Mahalo to the mixers, the packers, the runners, and those who worked tirelessly around the hot woks to prepare the golden brown andagi that's always a bon dance favorite.

Visit to Waimanalo Japanese Cemetery

Windward Buddhist Temple held its annual visit to the Bellows Japanese Cemetery in Waimanalo, where Rev. Sol Kalu performed an Obon service. Access to the cemetery by the public is restricted as it is located on an active military base.

There are a little over 40 grave markers at the cemetery, most erected in the early 1900s. Many are believed to have been connected to the Waimanalo Sugar Plantation, the nearby dairy farm, or Waimanalo Hongwanji.

Mahalo to the Marine Corps for escorting our group to the cemetery.

Earth Day Kuulei Road Clean Up

On Saturday, May 10, 2025, we held our belated Earth Day rubbish pick-up on Kuulei Road, which is the road our temple is located on in Kailua. Two teams went up and down both sides of the road picking up a variety of discarded bottles, cans, food wrappers, cigarette butts, plastic pieces, and even floor mats for a car.

Kailua Service Care Event 2025

On the last Tuesday of the month, the Kailua Houseless Service Care Event takes place at the Daybreak Church and Kailua YMCA. WBT prepared and served the hot lunch and snack bags for the April event.

The monthly event also offers haircuts, a warm shower with a mobile shower van, hygiene items, signing up for food assistance programs, and assistance with legal affairs. Mahalo to all who make this event possible every month!

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4th Annual Windward Mall Bon Dance

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We had a great time at the 4th Annual Windward Mall Bon Dance last Saturday, October 5th. Mahalo to Windward Mall and our co-partner, Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji Mission, for another great Bon Dance in Kaneohe. This batch of photos is from our booth, where we sold takuan, manju, tsukemono, nantu, and more -- all made by our members at WBT. Mahalo to our volunteers and thank you to everyone who patiently waited in line for andagi!

Cooking Andagi

A big mahalo to our hard-working andagi crew. This team worked straight through for hours to mix, cook, and pack hundreds of freshly made andagi for the Bon Dance.

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Ma'i Movement Hawaii Social Concerns Activity

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We assembled 100 period care kits for the Ma’i Movement

After our Remembrance Day Service, Prudence led us in a Social Concerns project to assemble 100 period care kits for Ma'i Movement Hawai'i, a grassroots organization working to end period poverty in Hawaii. We learned about the organization a few years ago when we participated in a period product drive. To learn more, visit their website at https://maimovement.org/

Maui Wildfires

Over the past several days we have watched in disbelief the devastation caused by the wildfires on Maui. Our hearts go out to the Sangha of Lahaina Hongwanji and to everyone who has been affected by this disaster.

In Our Pledge, Gomonshu Kojun Ohtani encourages us as fellow travelers along the Nembutsu Path to “…share a life of joy and sorrow with others. Just like the Buddha, whose caring heart always embraces us.” This is a time for us to embody Amida Buddha’s compassion by caring for our Sangha and all who are in distress. This is the living Nembutsu that is grounded in our everyday lives.

The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii Committee on Social Concerns has created the MAUI WILDFIRE DISASTER RELIEF FUND to aid the members of Lahaina Hongwanji and relief efforts on Maui.

How to Contribute

  1. Online at www.hongwanjihawaii.com by clicking on the “Maui Wildfire Disaster Relief” button under the “Donate” tab.

  2. Through GoFundMe at the following link: https://gofund.me/ff77a520

  3. Check and cash donations can be sent directly to Hawaii Kyodan Headquarters. Please make check payable to HHMH and in the memo line designate “Maui Wildfire Disaster Relief” to ensure proper credit. Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, 1727 Pali Highway, Honolulu, HI 96813

August 13, 2023 Update

 Statement regarding the Disaster on Maui from Bishop Toshiyuki Umitani: