The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii (, Honpa Honganji Hawai Betsuin) is a district of the Nishi (West) Hongwanji branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, a school of Mahayana Pure Land Buddhism.
History Jodo Shinshu Buddhism was established in Hawaii as a result of the immigration of Japanese people to work the sugarcane plantations in Hawaii. The first Hongwanji temple in the Hawaiian Islands was dedicated on March 3, 1889. In 1897, the Nishi Hongwanji in Kyoto, Japan began sending official ministers to establish temples for Japanese immigrants in Hawaii and the mainland United States. The first was Kenjun Miyamoto, who laid the groundwork for the ministry. Honi Satomi was the first priest, serving from 1898 until 1900, when he returned to Japan. Yemyo Imamura took over for Satomi in 1900, and served until his death in 1932. Chikai Yosemori was the bishop of the Honpa Hongwanji Bestuin Temple and served as a minister until his retirement in 2007.
Since these early days, 36 temples have been established across the Hawaiian Islands, including the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin and the Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin. The mission operates the Hongwanji Mission School and Pacific Buddhist Academy, making it the largest Buddhist sect in Hawaii in 2007. It is administered separately from the Buddhist Churches of America, the umbrella organization of Jodo Shinshu temples in the continental United States.
In 1976, insurance executive Paul Yamanaka went to Yoshiaki Fujitani, Bishop of the Mission, with the idea to create a program called "Living Treasures of Hawaiʻi" modeled after the Living National Treasures program of Japan. The purpose of the award is to recognize and honor persons who have demonstrated excellence and high standards of achievement in their particular fields of endeavor and have made significant contributions to humanity toward a more fraternal society. Any person can nominate an individual for the award. This program has honored more than 100 community members to date.
Locations
Headquarters of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii are located in Honolulu. The following is a list of the organization's affiliated temples.
Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, Honolulu Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin, Hilo Pacific Buddhist Academy, Honolulu Hongwanji Mission School, Honolulu Buddhist Study Center, Honolulu
Oahu Aiea Hongwanji Mission, ʻAiea Ewa Hongwanji Mission, ʻEwa Jikoen Hongwanji Mission, Honolulu Windward Buddhist Temple (Kailua Hongwanji Mission), Kailua Mililani Hongwanji Mission, Mililani Moiliili Hongwanji Mission, Honolulu Pearl City Hongwanji Mission, Pearl City Wahiawa Hongwanji Mission, Wahiawā Waialua Hongwanji Mission, Waialua Waianae Hongwanji Mission, Waiʻanae Waipahu Hongwanji Mission, Waipahu
Hawaii (Big Island) Honohina Hongwanji Mission, Nīnole Honokaa Hongwanji Mission, Honokaʻa Honomu Hongwanji Mission, Honomū Kamuela Hongwanji Mission, Kamuela Kohala Hongwanji Mission, Kapaʻau Kona Hongwanji Mission, Kealakekua Naalehu Hongwanji Mission, Nāʻālehu Paauilo Hongwanji Mission, Paʻauilo Pahala Hongwanji Mission, Pahala Papaaloa Hongwanji Mission, Pāpaʻaloa Papaikou Hongwanji Mission, Pāpaʻikou Puna Hongwanji Mission, Keaʻau
Maui Kahului Hongwanji Mission, Kahului Lahaina Hongwanji Mission, Lāhainā (destroyed) Makawao Hongwanji Mission, Makawao Wailuku Hongwanji Mission, Wailuku Lanai Hongwanji Mission, Lānaʻi City
Kauai Hanapepe Hongwanji Mission, Hanapēpē Kapaa Hongwanji Mission, Kapaʻa Lihue Hongwanji Mission, Līhuʻe Waimea Hongwanji Mission, Waimea
See also Buddhist Churches of America Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada South America Hongwanji Mission Jodo Mission of Hawaii Byodo-In Temple (non-denominational), Kaneohe Broken Ridge Buddhist Temple (Korean Buddhism), Honolulu Daifukuji Soto Zen Mission (Zen Buddhism), Honalo Hawaii Shingon Mission (Shingon Buddhism), Hilo Hsu Yun Temple (Chinese Buddhism), Honolulu Koyasan Shingon Mission of Hawaii (Shingon Buddhism), Hilo
References
External links