The priest here is very kind and knowledgeable. He is from Japan but speaks English very well and…read moremost importantly, can explain the principles of Buddhism to newcomers.

For the most people who are visiting from the other states, there are two Lao temple but same monks…read moreand name on both locations. All events and activities are done at the new temple.

Went to the temple on a Sunday morning. Wanted to get the fish cake but it was sold out. Got to…read moremake my own papaya salad. It was an experience.

Absolutely loved the Byodo-In Temple. Despite having so many people there, there was a tranquility…read moreyou could feel in the air. Highly recommended to visit even if just once. Tip: purchase your tickets online so you don't have to wait in the box office line.

Since moving to Oahu I had been wanting to check out Byodo-In Temple and felt that my birthday…read morewould be the most appropriate day! We were having dinner at Haleiwa Joe's which is about 10 minutes away and wanted to explore before the 4pm opening time at the restaurant. The temple itself is such a beautiful tranquil location. There's parking that cost $6 and the entrance for my family and myself having Hawaii DL totaled to $35. I also purchased food to feed the birds and fish. That was my kids favorite part. Near the temple there are different vendors and there is also a gift shop. The whole experience for us was about 45 minutes of walking around and taking in the sights. Highly recommend at least visiting here once while on Oahu.

Gathering and rejoice our ancestors, family and friends. Let's all dance and Kokua the temple…read more Hurry on over or all the home made goodies will be gone!

Waipahu Hongwanji is probably the oldest building still in the original location and still being…read moreused by many families in Waipahu. Besides their yearly Bon dance in July, they have a yearly bazaar which helps the church. I try to visit once or twice a year. The priest is young and really funny at times.

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.

Went to Haleiwa Shingon Mission to pick up some omamori. When we enter we were direct to burn…read moreincense. Akiyama sensei blessed us with his prayer beads. We pick up Our omamori and head out they followed us out said goodbye stood there and waved to us. That was great!!!

This a review for the bon dance on Friday, July 15, 2011…read more EDIT: Okay, these past couple of days I have been snacking on the pickled onions and the taste only gets better. So I thought I needed to come back and add an extra star. This alone I would drive all the way back here for. Parking wise. (4/5) Get choke parking in the lot next door to the temple. Just come early like any other bon dance before it starts to make sure your able to find a spot. Just know that they do double park cars so plan to stay a while atleast. Food wise. (5/5) Okay the first thing I noticed was the pickled onions and the pickled cucumbers being sold for $1.50 to $2.00. Okay to say it was good was an understatement and I could go on and on. But I will talk about the pickled onions. It cost $1.50!! $1.50!! It was pickled just right, not to vinegary, not to sweet, but just right. There was just the right amount of chili peppers to give it a nice kick. They only had 2 for sale when I got to the booth so it does go fast. Other then that had the usual fair of hotdogs, hamburgers, saimin, etc. Music wise. (2/5) A lot of recorded music, especially very very old recorded music. Personally I prefer live music and the only live music I hearded was by provided by Aiea Taiheiji Yagura Gumi. Overall it is a nice quaint country bon dance. The food was awesome especially the pickled onions and cucumbers.

Was here for the inauguration ceremony on 29 May. The building has yet to be finished, but is a…read morework in progress! Set in the lush land of Hauula, the temple is a bit inland from the main road. And most of the residential areas are in small trailer guys behind groves of papaya trees. This particular day we came for the inauguration and watched traditional Cambodian dances. It may seem insignificant to say this - but this day was a deep soul filling commemorative of a people who were almost wiped of their culture by their own governments hands. All the dancers were survived the wrath of Pol Pot's regime. It was a most emotional day as I witnessed several of my Cambodian friends drying the tears from their faces and their family members holding back their own tears. The effects the Khmer Rouge are ever present to this day. It has taken me months to properly reflect on what transpired and the immense growth of the Cambodian people despite the setbacks they have had. I am proud and honored to know survivors, and am blessed to have witnessed their performance this day. They danced a traditional song taught about the days of the week - and the colors of each day represented a temperament and personality trait to coincide with the months. Yup - quite complex! I was stunned and awed! During the feast - a couple of the monks gestured to me, and gifted to my girls their sweets - green tea ice cream and mango ice cream. I did not want to have the monks pass up such a treat but they insisted and showed me with great delight what a blessing they had in seeing my girls grin ear to ear and bless us with a short prayer. And all this done sans words to boot! I bought a t-shirt as part of the fundraising going on for this location. I know I will return to pay my respects because of the survivors I have met, and befriended. All the major framing has been completed, - has been the interior of the temple needing to be finished. Most places we were walking on plywood (am not complaining about that - just this day it was the reality). I look forward to how much the temple develops and thrives in the upcoming years.

From the owner: Center for develop body and mindread more

While this review mainly focuses on the bon dance event, I feel that how a temple runs their event…read moreis a direct reflection on the temple itself, the minister and the congregation. To me when a temple takes the time to consider people that are either disabled or handicap it shows their compassion which is very important to Buddhist especially during Obon. [DA PEOPLE] This is a country bon dance. The volunteers here are so nice and friendly. Actually had several conversations with different volunteers while waiting for the food booth to open. I got to meet the daughter of the lady that used to make really good oden. [FOOD] Love the tsukemono and other pickled vegetables here. I actually bring a cooler with ice so that I can purchase extra to bring home. [HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITY] I'm going to be honest and say this is not really a handicap accessible bon dance. There are stairs that you have to go up (I'm not sure if there is a side area for wheelchairs to get up), and there are stairs to go down to get to the men's restrooms (I'm not sure about the women's side).

Five stars. A lovely Hongwanji with deep roots in the sugar plantation community and a rich history…read morebehind it. Just being there is like taking a step back in time and seeing how life was like back at the turn of the 19th Century and throughout the 20th Century. Really nice and relaxing to be out there, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. A must to go to every Obon season.