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.

While the shuttle from Sacred Hearts was a nice idea I hope you actually read this review and work…read moreon it. [HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITY] While the idea of having off site parking and shuttling people is a nice idea but at the same time taking away the handicap parking that use to be at the temple is not. The parking formerly set aside for handicap parking was even empty. If you are handicap and plan to take the shuttle bring a chair. The drop off area for the shuttle is at the steps of the temple is great, don't change this. [SHUTTLE SERVICE] Learn from this year and get a 2nd shuttle. Actually saw a group of people who were in line get into an Uber and they were ahead of me. [TO THE TEMPLE, SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE SHUTTLE SERVICE] + Set up chairs for handicap / disabled people at the shuttle pick up area. + Get a 2nd shuttle. + If cost is a factor set up a donation box in the shuttle for it. [YELP] While this review may mainly focus on the bon dance event to me how a temple runs their event is a direct reflection of themselves.

We went to the bon dance at Palolo Hongwanji last night and it was great. A few weeks ago we tried…read moreto go to the big Moilili bon dance but we couldn't find any parking. There was parking at UH but we would have to catch a shuttle and that wasn't gonna work. We just wanted to check it out and then leave when done. Anyways my daughter was pretty upset that we didn't get to bon dance so I looked up more dates that they were having bon dance. And I found one at Palolo Hongwanji. Works out perfect because my parents live in Palolo so we didn't have to worry about parking at all. They just dropped us off and picked us up. This bon dance was a welcome surprise. We went to the Moilili one a few years ago and it's too commercialized. There's food trucks and different vendors selling things. This bon dance helped me remember what it was like when I was a kid. We used to go to the bon dance in Pearl City. There weren't any food trucks and instead it was just Japanese culture all around. That's how it felt at the Palolo bon dance. From the moment you walk in, they're selling Japanese food, Japanese crafts, etc. It is a small bon dance but I enjoyed it because it didn't have all the fluff some other ones have. The food there was very cheap and quite affordable. We got three andagis for $1. And because it was so cheap we got to try a variety of items. My favorite was the garlic fried rice. My husband liked the yakisoba. We also had chili, Curry rice, yakitori sticks, and inari sushi. We didn't know any of the dances but I went out with my daughter to just have her try. All of us had a fun evening and we are glad that we came to this bon dance. We are already making plans to come again next year.

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.

COVID-19 UPDATE It…read moreis important for people to have access to places of worship in times of crisis. When things are bleak, people need religion to have hope. It is only natural for them to ask God or the Buddha for strength and protection. The COVID-19 pandemic is a once is a century crisis. This is not the time for a temple to temporarily close. My aunty passed away and her journey to the Pure Land began with her passing. In Pure Land Buddhism, there are services on the 3rd, 7th, 49th and 100th day after death. Each service is a transition from death, the physical world and the spiritual world of the Pure Land. My aunt's 100th day service was scheduled for April 20th but was cancelled by the temple because of the COVID-19 pandemic. My cousin was devastated. There is no greater love than the love my cousin had for her mother. The minister at Jodo Mission proposed a service with no one in attendance. My cousin would drop off her mother's urn and ihai at the temple entrance; and she would wait in her car until the service was over. For Buddhist, the 100th day service is important because it is the last chance for love ones to say goodbye by reciting the Nembutsu while a priest chants sutras of farewell. After this ceremony, a spirit leaves the physical world and eternally lives in the spiritual. My cousin called, saying that she could not let me sit in my car for the service and therefore asked me not to come. I thought the temples decision lacked consideration of how important the 100th day service is for those that believed in the teaching of Saint Honen's, Pure Land Buddhism. It lacked compassion; a pillar in Buddhism and I didn't understand. April 18, 2020 I called and spoke with the minister that was to officiate of my aunt's service and proposed a service limited to 5 people. Attendees would follow all government COVID-19 guidelines, He said no. I told him that I understood his fear but believed Saint Honen would allow this ceremony because of the significance of the 100th day service. He still said no. I asked if he would be willing to perform the service at my cousin's house and he said no. I asked if I could talk to another minister to see if that minister would be willing to perform the service at my cousin's home. He said he would have another minister call me. Two hours later, another minister calls and said he was NOT willing to perform a service at my cousin's house. In a final attempt, I asked if he would be willing to perform a graveside service with only my cousin in attendance but apologized and said no. I was frustrated. I went to the Jodo Mission website and read the directive regarding services at Jodo Shu during this COVID-19 age. I read a letter by Bishop Kosen Ishikawa, the head of all Jodo Mission's in Hawaii. In my reading, there was no ban on off-site services and in my interpretation, services at the temple may be allowed as long as they followed government COVID-19 guidelines. I called Bishop Ishikawa at his Koloa, Kauai Jodo Mission for clarification and discussed my cousin's predicament, regarding her mother's 100th day service. I summarized my discussion with the ministers at Jodo Mission Makiki. I stated how Buddhism was important to a person in times of crisis. I pointed out how Buddhism was a religion of love and compassion. I said in Pure Land Buddhism the 100th day service was second in importance only to the 49th day service. I said I believed a 100th day service could safely be held if no more than 8 people, wearing mask and gloves and performing social distancing were allowed attendance. I explain how a home 100th day service was safe for a minister if only my cousin and I were in attendance and if that wasn't possible, a graveside service at my aunt's parents grave with only my cousin in attendance was surely very safe. Bishop Ishikawa was very understanding. He agreed that the 100th day service was extremely important. He agreed that there was a way to have a safe service that conformed to CDC guidelines "IN" the temple. He would talk to the ministers so that my aunty's 100th day service could be held in the temple. 30 minutes later, my cousin called saying that Jodo Mission would allow her mother's 100th day service "IN" the temple with she, a minister, me and another cousin in attendance. We would be required to wear mask, execute social distancing and wear gloves. She was extremely happy. The 100th day ceremony was beautiful and my aunty safely completed her journey to the Pure Land. My cousin is eternally grateful to Bishop Ishikawa for coming to the aid of her family in this time of crisis. It was extremely important for her to physically be there to express her love and say goodbye to her mother through the chants and music of the 100th day service. She was both sad and happy with it's completion. Bishop Kosen Ishikawa, you are truly compassionate, wise and great. You restored my faith in Buddhism. Domo arigato gozaimashita!

Guess who's back? Back again, kc's back, tell a friend :p…read more They are open every Saturday for the summer starting 10am until sellout at shingon hawaii! Their setup is located on the keamoku side of the building, but you can enter either way and find parking. It is probably easiest through keamoku compared to Sheridan street. They are selling kc waffle dogs for $5 and hamburgers for $7. Cash or card accepted! They plan on doing some kind of night market at the temple too, so look out for them. Ps they are the original family that started kc drive inn that's out there at the temple :)

A pillar of the community, they have their Bon dance for 2023 in full swing, August 11 & 12,…read morestarting at 5:30pm each evening. The highlight for us is always the food and this year's offerings included a wide array bento & plate offerings as well as sweet selections. We settled in on the traditional andagi which was nice and crispy on the outside and not really greasy. Just the right amount of moistness. Just $3 for a bag of 3. The other food highlight was a Mochi/hot dog on a bamboo skewer, grilled and splashed with a sweet ketchup sauce. Was ono, and it's just $2 a stick. Come by to dance the night away and grind on some delicious foods. An enjoyable night during the summer.

My sister used to attend when she lived near here, this is a cousin to the Midwest Buddhist Temple…read morein Chicago. They were friendly, welcoming, and the temple has a simple Japanese-Hawai'ian charm. During COVID they have had combination in person and virtual services. Easy to get here from the hotels by The Bus.

I have been attending Moiliili Hongwanji since I was a baby (over 30 years)…read more The temple has been through many renovations since I've first attended. They added an elevator and a lift for those who are handicapped, the temple naijin has been refurbished, the old pews have been replaced with nice blue chairs, and the temple and the annex hall is air-conditioned. There is temple services every Sunday. During the week, they have Zumba, Ikebana, and other classes that they offer. The temple members are very welcoming. Since I've been attending Moiliili Hongwanji, every resident minister that was there, have been wonderful too! I have attended other temples around the state and I feel like Moiliili Hongwanji makes me feel more at home. If you're ever in the area, please come check them out and attend a Sunday Service at 9 a.m. They welcome everyone. You don't have to Buddhist or Japanese to attend!

I remember going to the Buddhist Study Center as an undergraduate at UH Manoa in the 1980's. I…read moredidn't realize that the Buddhist Study Center was built in 1972 which makes this the 50th Anniversary. This is a notable achievement since there are very few Buddhist Study Centers across the USA. I feel that as a biracial male (Irish/Japanese) knowing my cultural background is very important, especially in the context of living in the multicultural setting that is the State of Hawaii. I remember the staff of the Buddhist Study Center as being very welcoming and supportive. The spirit of welcoming was then and still remains very important as we seek to navigate through the effects of Covid-19 and as we seek to attain greater knowledge of ourselves through attending various educational opportunities. The proximity of the Buddhist Study Center to the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the Manoa Community is a blessing. The contributions of scholars such as Dr. Alfred Bloom is a true enhancement in the overall quality of learning. The Buddhist Study Center sits unobtrusively amongst the residences along University Avenue. Yet, in its quietness lies wisdom. To those whose foresight and vision inspired the Buddhist Study Center 50 years ago, thank you so very much. May Peace Prevail. Mahalo, Mark Kazuo Bradley

Just got off the phone with the receptionist. Very nice lady. I'm doing research for a friend and…read morewill definitely recommend he study here.