bon dance

Bon Dance in Kailua 2025

A big mahalo (thank you) to everyone who helped make our 2025 Bon Dance in Kailua a success! 

From the dancers, to the musicians, to those who came to shop or eat or just to watch, we are grateful for all of you joining us in Kailua on Saturday. Celebrating the Obon season every summer with the Windward community is a tradition we are excited and honored to continue. 

To our WBT members, friends, and families who have volunteered countless hours preparing for Saturday -- as well as working throughout the Bon Dance in the Country Market, food concessions, and the Bon Dance itself -- thank you!

We hope you enjoy the remainder of the 2025 Bon Dance season. And mark your calendars for the annual Windward Mall Bon Dance on Saturday, October 4, 2025. Windward Buddhist Temple will again be partnering with Windward Mall and Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji to close out the Bon Dance season.

Country Market & Rummage Sale

Country Market & Rummage Sale Volunteers

Food Concession

Choba & Shave Ice

Bon Dance

Building the Yagura for Bon Dance

Mahalo to the members, friends, and family who helped to assemble the yagura (musician's stand) and string the lights in preparation for our Bon Dance in Kailua at Windward Buddhist Temple coming up this Saturday, July 12!

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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.

Bon Dance | Kailua 2024

Country Market

Food Concession

Bon Dance 2024: Building the Yagura

“Some Assembly Required”

Mahalo to the team that assembled the yagura this morning for next week's Bon Dance. Our yagura is a bit unique in that it can be completely disassembled for storage. Each year the team puts all the pieces together, along with the lights and chochin (lanterns). We hope to see everyone on Saturday, July 13 at WBT!

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Bon Dance | Kailua 2023

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A big mahalo out to everyone who joined us in Kailua for Windward Buddhist Temple's first Bon Dance at our temple in 4 years. We hope everyone enjoyed themselves, whether it was finding treasure at the Rummage Sale, getting a tub of takuan at the Country Market, enjoying ono andagi and BBQ stick dinner plates at the food booth, cooling down with shave ice by the Junior YBAs, learning about our temple from Rev. Brennan and Rev. Sumikawa, or simply dancing the night away around the yagura.

We were amazed at not only how many came from the Windward side, but from just about all over the island to attend our Bon Dance. The Obon season truly is a time to come together as a community and celebrate those who came before us. Thank you to all!

Around the Yagura

Food Booth

Country Market & Rummage Sale

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2nd Annual Windward Mall Bon Dance

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Bishop Eric and Tamayo Matsumoto enjoying the Bon dance and WBT’s takuan

Watch highlights of the Bon Dance by PhotoLukeHawaii Travels and Bon Dance

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Bon Dance Festival at Windward Mall

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In collaboration with Windward Buddhist Temple, Windward Mall in Kaneohe hosted their first ever indoor Bon Dance Festival on Saturday, October 5, 2019. Attendees danced in air conditioned comfort around our yagura, repainted for the Bon Dance and relocated to the mall’s air conditioned Center Court.

WBT’s Keiji Kukino served as the emcee for the Bon Dance, which took place from 2 pm to 4 pm and featured members of the Ko’olau Sakura Odori Kai and Aiea Taiheiji Yagura Gumi.

At the Windward Buddhist Temple booth, our famous andagi, as well as homemade takuan, boiled peanuts, and Bon Dance towels were available for purchase. The food items sold out before the end of the Bon Dance! White paper fans were the perfect canvas for creative keiki (and adults), who stopped by to customize them with their own personalized artwork.

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Bon Dance 2019

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The 2019 Windward Buddhist Temple Bon Dance was held on Saturday, July 13, 2019. We were fortunate to have great weather!

The food concession was a success with andagi selling out by 8:30. Mahalo to the United Jr. YBA of Honolulu for running their shave ice booth and to Mats and Betty Okamoto for donating and manning the plant sale desk.

This year we had a Country Store inside the hall that sold the in demand WBT’s takuan and several varieties of manju, chutney, bittermelon namasu, etc. Minature plants called Kokedama sold well. Gently used books and creative photo cards were also available.

Once again, beautiful, creative ikebana (flower arrangement) were on display by the Ohara School of Ikebana. Members John & Joy Nishida (JT Nish) provided the sound system and set up huge outside speakers. Live music from the Okinawan group, Aiea Taiheiji and Iwakuni groups highlighted the evening’s festivities.

Bon Dance is a large undertaking – Mahalo everyone who helped with this year's Bon Dance and also mahalo to our guests that came to patronize our concession and enjoy the music and danced the night away. See you again next year!