The Koganji Temple Bon Dance is a massive two day event held annually on Koganji Temple's 1.7 acre…read moreManoa property. The dance itself is held in the center of the property with food tents setup around the perimeter and the bake sale indoors in one of the nearby buildings. This event and location are huge. Kind of amazing that such a big property can hide so well in Manoa, must be the hiding in those Manoa rains. Koganji has so many food options! Hamburgers, corn, kimono dogs (andagi corndogs), kimono puppies, andagi in multiple forms, fried yakisoba, beef katsu donburi, spam musubi, the list of food goes on and on and on in addition to a large bake sale selling everything from cookies to jam. Sales are script base and prices are somewhat higher than other bon dances. My sister and I shared the fried yakisoba noodle, a hamburger, andagi, and katsu beef donburi. The noodles weren't anything special, but the burger was perfectly cooked with a crispy piece of fresh lettuce, which is a nice change for a bon dance burger. The andagi was crispy and tasty, but one wasn't exactly andagi shaped, but that's okay. (You should see some of the shapes that come out of Punahou's carnival malasada booth, aka NSFW, so these are excused). The Katsu beef donburi was surprisingly good. I went for it because I've never seen it at bon dance and to be honest, I'm getting bored with bon dance food. The fried and battered beef was tender and tasty, with pickled cabbage, corn and a seemingly vegetarian Japanese version of a Gau Gee. We spent about $20 with bottled water. Unlike other bon dances, lots of chairs and benches are provided, both indoors in the bake sale area and surrounding the bon dance itself. Unfortunately, many of them are wet, because, well it's Manoa. Suck it up buttercup, if you wanted dry, you would have gone to the Waialua Hongwanji Bon Dance. The number of dancers seemed fewer than other dances, but that might be due to the limited dancing area. I do enjoy how the lanterns are all sorts of colors, giving the dance an almost carnival like feel. Parking is a mess as there's virtually no parking on site, forcing people to brave the cold and unforgiving mean streets of Manoa for parking. Oh wait, I'm talking about Manoa, so replace all of those adjectives with "wet." Lots of people end up parking at the public Manoa Park and making the short walk over. My sister and I were amazed there were so many people with such bad parking. Maybe it's just lots of Manoa residents walking from home? Bring cash and a jacket/umbrella as its Manoa and it rains.

WOW i've driven up…read moreand down oahu have many a time, and have never ever seen a japanese temple, so when is saw that there was an obon festival in manoa on oahu ave, i was a bit skeptical. then i saw the commercial on kiku - stunning... but was it just a picture of an obon elsewhere in japan? we met a sales person at pier one that day who was telling us that she really wanted to go to the obon festival in manoa tonight because they have the most beautiful lanterns there...really? now i'm really interested. so we drive down oahu avenue, and if not for the policemen standing on the street, and the pedestrians walking in, you would never now the temple was here because all you see from the street is a sign, and driveway. but as you walk down the driveway, you begin to see the most beautifully glowing lanterns down below you. what a surreal setting. a beautiful temple nestled in the slopey hill and the obon set up below. the gardens and ponds were beautiful. we totally want to go back to check it out in the daylight. so reminiscent of something you'd see in kyoto. if the beautiful lanterns aren't enough to persuade you to go, here's a few more: 1) teriyaki corn, freshly grilled on the hibachi 2) andagi 3) curry croquettes all, extremely delicous! it is extremely crowded, or at least it feels that way because the space is small, you do have to wait a while in lines to get your food, and the parking situation is bad, but it was totally worth it, and we're coming back next year. hey, you can always take uncle frank's limo (aka the bus) -the #5 bus stops right in front.

This beautiful Korean temple is a hidden gem of Honolulu, Hawaii. Tucked away into the mountainside…read moreof Palolo, a residential neighborhood, this temple is one of the largest Korean temples outside of Korea. There is a suggested donation and no photos inside the temple. My sister recommended this place and the views are absolutely spectacular and tranquil. Parking can be a bit steep when driving up, but there's plenty of parking spots. Highly recommend!

Cyndy's Bottom Line: Peace & tranquility…read more *Visitor Hours: 9-5pm daily *Admission by Donation: General $3.00, Seniors(60+) $2.00, Children $1.00, groups of 5 or more reservation in advance *Visitor parking lot on the premise has approximately 12 stalls or street parking within the neighborhood. *Be careful and drive slowly upon exiting the parking lot because of the steep driveway which may hit or damage the front end of your car. *There are activities held at the temple for the community- Korean service every Sunday 10:00-12noon. Insight or Vipassana meditation, Korean Dance and Drum, Korean Language (Reading and Writing), Painting, Yoga and Korean Tea Ceremony. *Website for more info - muryangsatemple.com e-mail: muryangsatemple@gmail.com Mu-Ryang-Sa Buddhist Temple is nestled deep in the lush, tranquil Palolo Valley for over 40 years and is the largest Korean Temple outside of Korea. The name of the temple means "Broken Ridge Temple.". What appears to be a flaw in the construction the roof was lowered because it exceeded the height limitation of the City & County. The temple is magnificent despite the roof's lower height. The grounds are beautiful and abundant with plants especially the variety of mango trees and coconut trees throughout the property. There are statues such as the Statue of Miruk Boddhisatava. There are lotus buds and lovely lotus flowers in bloom and pots of water lilies too. Water is saved in plastic containers and drums. The most interesting sight is the pots of aged miso and shoyu on the roof top below the temple. Highly recommmend a visit to capture the tranquility and beauty of the temple and Palolo Valley.

Wonderful place to visit, and wonderful people, so very happy and willing to help. There are no…read morefees to get in, however you must go as a guest with a friend or family member, or someone you know that is a practitioner. This organization is all about world peace and personal happiness, and people treat you like Ohana. If you don't know anyone, you can call them and let them know you are interested. Very friendly. Awesome experience!!!

First of all the Pali location is not a Temple; it is a community center. The SGI group was…read moreexcommunicated by the former High Priest in 1992. In the past the NST: Nichiren Shoshu Temple was comprised of 2 organizations: NSA or Nichiren Shoshu America and Hokkeko. The high priest mentioned both groups in his Speeches, saying that SGI was over aggressive but Hokkeko was too slow. It's been 30 years since the split and many people have passed away, moved or quit. I sincerely hope that all Buddhist fans think of the NST temples. www.nst.org

Must visit spot if you're visiting Kaneohe. It's about 15-20 min drive from the botanical garden…read more You have to enter the Memorial Park to get to this temple. It's a smaller replica of the actual temple from Japan. We ordered tickets online for $10/person and $6 for parking. They don't check your tickets when you enter which we thought was very strange lol. It's very beautiful and peaceful with the mountain and smoky cloud in the background. They have a couple benches for you to sit. You can enter the temple but it's actually pretty small. They have artists and vendors under the temple too. I loved seeing all the koi fish and mini pagoda up hill. There's also a large bell that you can ring for funsies.

As someone who avidly visits this temple, I was very disappointed during my most recent visit. I…read morehave not been able to come as often lately due to being busy, but the changes since my last visits are honestly upsetting. According to staff, many of these changes are due to new management, and it really shows. It feels like the temple now caters heavily to tourists, even prioritizing bus and tour group parking over regular visitors. They no longer accept cash and are completely card-only, which was frustrating. On top of that, all parking now requires payment. It used to just be an entry fee, which was understandable, but now you have to pay for both parking and entry. You can really tell the shift toward a more tourist-centered experience. While the informational papers are nice, there are so many of them now that it feels excessive. They also charge for photos at certain "immersive" spots, around $20 for a single digital image, which feels unreasonable. What makes me the most sad is how the atmosphere has changed. I always loved coming here for the peacefulness, the koi, the quiet environment, and the kind staff. Now it feels less relaxing. There are no longer proper shelves for shoes inside the temple, just the floor, and the cubby areas seem to be gone. The shoe policy is also not enforced. Within 30 minutes, I saw multiple tourists walk in with their shoes on without any issue. It is disappointing to see how much has changed. Not accepting cash, increased costs with paid parking, and the overall shift in environment have made the experience feel less genuine. I have visited at least five times before, including before, during, and after COVID, and it is sad to say I will probably be coming much less often now.

Daijingu Temple of Hawaii is a Shinto shrine, quietly located in Nu'uanu. During an actual Kona…read morestorm downpour, the temple was still open. We were the only patrons, but I enjoyed the serenity and the sound of heavy rainfall. Our group paid our respects, doing a silent offering, 2 bows, 4 claps, prayer, and a final bow. This is different from the typical nirei-nihakushu-ichirei "2 bows-2 claps-1 bow", therefore take care to note each shrines prayer customs! The shrine attendant was very helpful in explaining the different protection charms for sale and also explained the yakudoshi "years of calamity" concept to us. If you like to visit a Shinto shrine in Hawaii, Daijingu Temple of Hawaii was a beautiful place. Highly recommend!

12-30-23 Learning from a previous year, pre-order your omamori for the new year on line and pick…read moreup before New Year's Eve or day is much easier if you don't like waiting in long lines. Today we could pick up our order in the main upstairs blessing area instead of in the basement. We could also receive our blessing today too. The person manning the orders and doing the blessing has you double check your order. Ours had 42 items and cost $186.00. I got protection omamori for: Personal safety Children Pets Traffic Health Home: fire, robbery, harmony Fortune slips Safe return Water safety for grandson Academic success for granddaughter I'm glad this system worked perfectly, we could park right there instead of at the park and we could choose our day and time slot for pick up. Happy New Year for 2024.

My Hunny and I visited this temple on Mother's Day to give flowers to my Popo and Mom. It's a…read morebeautiful temple and although the parking is very small, somehow they make it work. There's a massive tree in the lot and a lotus blossoms in the nearby plant pots. We could hear the monks chanting during their ceremony and prayer/Meditation. We enjoyed taking photos of the nature surrounding the temple. It's a very peaceful, spiritual place where you can embrace nature. The breeze was cool and refreshing after we finished burning incense and cleared the smoke smell from out clothing. It was a lovely Mother's Day.

I met my dad's cousin for the first time and she told me about this temple. I didn't know what to…read moreexpect. I mean, once you drive up, it's a little hard to believe that it is located in a residential area. It is really something to look at! Respecting the temple is the first thing to remember because you don't know who is watching. It was interesting that I took off my shoes and put them on a shelve with a bunch of other shoes, but no one else was inside. I walked around and looked at the different statues. I read some of the stories. I did take some pictures which I wasn't sure was okay or not. The one Buddha that called to me was the one with the many arms. I felt like him the past few months, doing way too much and juggle more things than I probably could handle. I knelt, lit an incense and said a little prayer. Hopefully He heard me. I also gave a money offering, which you should always do. Definitely worth coming to. Next time I'll spend more time meditating. 谢谢!

Very peaceful and tranquil. If you don't feel Closer to your…read moreancestors when visiting here than something is wrong with you. Get your fortune read and make sure you donate. It's a great cause.

I went to the temple, partially because I read the reviews in this website, therefore, I think I…read moreshould also write my experience there in May 2025. As one review said, one should visit the Kuan Yin temple in your difficult time. I felt the merciful love there, and believe you or not, I got one cure of a hurting spot on my arm, which was likely the covid vaccine spot; my first hurting memory of that spot started when I contracted covid unexpectedly in summer 2024, and it was painful when I lifted up things or just at some movement. At that day in the temple, I did not think of praying relieving that pain especially, but that long lasting pain on my arm has been gone ever since I visited the temple, which was really magical. From one review in this website, I heard of drawing straw (without any charge). Thanks to that, and the help from the smiling and kind lady in the temple, I did straw drawing and then found the interpretation for the lot number I got. Altogether, this place is great and kind, curing pains physically and mentally, full of merciful love, and giving hope, without asking for any returns.

This summer was SO hot. The Bon Dances, even at night were also pretty hot. The Nichiren Mission…read moreBon Dance was tolerable in the summer heat because Nuuanu is cooler than other parts of the island. The lush green mountains that surround Nichiren make it very picturesque, too. This year was the first time I've been to this particular Bon Dance. It's the same turn as Oahu Country Club. Parking was pretty difficult, but they offered a shuttle to and from a parking lot somewhere else. We got there right as the dancing started, but we were hungry, so we decided to get food first. The food was pretty good. They had curry, edamame rice, shoyu pork, fried noodles and chili rice. They also had baked goods that sold out an hour and a half after the event started. The dancing was fun. They played mostly recordings and there were a lot of dances I've never done before. I'd come back to this bon dance in the future. It's smallish and the grounds are really pretty. There's a lotus pond in the back.

Who doesn't love Bon Dance Season? The food, games, dancing, culture, and near complete lack of…read moreneed to plan anything for a night out makes for an excellent time. The Nichiren Mission partakes in the July to September long series of bon dances statewide. The 2017 bon dance here are similar to the other dances with food, children's games (and prizes), dances, etc, but this location is much prettier, with more options than most bon dances. I say more options as they included lantern lighting in the koi pond, a large rummage sale, and extensive food and drink options. Most bon dances don't have a crepe station, or an entire tent dedicated to made to order fruity cold drinks. The Mission itself at the time is decorated with lights and hanging lanterns creating an enjoyable atmosphere with lots of options for photography. Parking is particularly bad on site as the lot is small and it's in residential area without much legal street parking. The Mission does host parking elsewhere in the valley and shuttle people to the site, but there is street parking in the residential areas across the Pali highway. Also, because it's in upper Nuuanu, the temperature is much cooler and enjoyable than the more urban bon dances. There are clean bathrooms on site. No idea if they're gender neutral, so call if that's important to you. The dance itself is standard with the regular same songs (I don't understand Japanese, but starting to memorize the beat and rhythms, I'm so going to get haunted by my Chinese grandmother for that I just know it) and mix of expert dances with novices. The food options for 2017 included braised Asian style pork, chicken curry, chicken yakiutori, the ubiquitous chili and rice, a sweet crepe, baked goods including cookies, fresh mochi, etc. Food options are script paid, where rummage sale accepts cash. I initially thought this was going to be one of the smaller ones with not much to do besides eat and dance, but I think it's been the most enjoyable bon dance out of the five I've been to this year as the location is temperate and beautiful, food is good and affordable, and decent parking is available in the area or via the shuttle service.

Diverse free programs (Buddhist and non-Buddhist, donation-base throughout the week for the…read morecommunity.

The Center is quiet, calming, and has nice views of the city. Vegetarian lunch available every…read moreSunday starting at around 11:45 until around 1:45. The Center has a Meetup group, "Bodhi Tree Meditation Sangha" where you can learn about weekly meditation events.

Let's celebrate and dance cause it's Bon Festival time!!!…read more Not that I can recall I've never been to Honpa Hongwanji Bon Festival and realized that I long long missed it last year *sob* I have a fellow bestie who loves going to Bon Dance and this one is her particular favorite so I made sure early to find the dates and make sure we don't miss out this year. She wasn't worried she says about parking and since I was working to take my time which I had doubts and I was so right, I'm sure not having it for a few years has brought back the excitement to have this festive gathering which brings more meaning than just what it seems. Typically a Japanese Buddhist festival to honor and remember our loved ones who passed and it was so lovingly done in the main temple to offer a prayer and write a note to hang was just comforting and healing, majority of the people were dressed either in a kimono or happi coat with was a stunning view. I do have a few family members here at Honpa Hongwanji and have gone to some events here as well and what massive masterpiece of a temple and as large as the property everything here was just scattered and wished there was a map of events so we know what was going on as getting around isn't as easy between grassy area and some uneven surfaces. As we made our way back to our chairs of course I had to shop at the tent and of course the bag collaboration with by Eden in Love was too hard to pass along with the cooler bag it was a great find going to a wonderful cause. Through with my urging we then head for the food before it gets insane and eventually it really did...with items like fried noodles, soy beans, bbq plate and even shaved ice I decided to start with the fried noodles and bbq plate for my bestie. It's definitely festival size and it was good just not enough...as we sat and enjoy the festivities we were contemplating our next move. The weather had done us in sadly as we saw nothing but grey skies and it constantly rained and we were so underwhelmed with the food situation and super insanely long line that we just got discouraged with everyone trying to find a place to sit and no set path for people to get around it was a slight hot mess. To start things was the taiko drums and I'm sure for the respect of the temple the drummers were facing the temple while everyone was behind them we it was nice hear them of course but I'm not walking all the way around for a pic so sorry there's none lol! It kept raining so we left as we had quite a cardio hike to get back to our car. Thank you!

Great bon dance with a nice mix of live and recorded music. Hawaii Eisa Shinyuu Kai, Honolulu…read moreFukushima and Iwakuni Odori Aiko Kai provided live music this year. Favorite (Past) Eats: * Pickled Mountain Apple * Deluxe Spam Musubi Cons: * No tsukemono (pickled vegetables) this year * No deluxe spam musubi this year * The chili didn't really have flavor