Day 309: Honpa Hongwanji Hawai’i Betsuin, Honolulu, Hawai’i
📌APIA Every Day (309) - The Honpa Hongwanji Hawai'i Betsuin in Honolulu, dedicated in 1900, is part of a larger religious organization called the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai'i. As one of the earliest Buddhist temples on the Islands, the Betsuin was built a decade after the establishment of Hawai'i’s first Buddhist temple in Hilo. For nearly 125 years, the Honolulu Betsuin has served as the flagship temple for the Hongwanji Mission in Hawai’i and continues to be a significant proponent of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in the United States.
The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai’i was initially founded in the late 19th century by Reverend Soryu Kagahi who was concerned about the spiritual well-being of Japanese immigrants who had become disconnected from temples in Japan. During his visit to Hawai’i, Rev. Kagahi founded Buddhist communities on Hilo and Honolulu, establishing the Hilo Betsuin in 1889. Following Rev. Kagahi’s initiatives, Bishop Honi Satomi began growing Honolulu’s congregation in 1898. Together with his nephew, Reverend Yemyo Imamura, he constructed a temple building on Fort Lane in 1900. A year after its dedication in 1901, the Honpa Hongwanji Hawai’i Betsuin in Honolulu hosted Queen Lili’uokalani and Mary Robinson Foster for a memorial service. This visit had a profound effect on the local Buddhist community, encouraging more members to join the congregation.
With a growing community, construction on a new temple building began in 1916 and was completed in 1918. The design of the temple blended traditional Indian aesthetics with more contemporary Western architecture, honoring the historic roots of Buddhism while also acknowledging its universality. In order to garner greater acceptance among Americans, the interior was designed with a church-like layout, featuring wooden pews, a pulpit, and an organ. This style would influence nearly 75 percent of all Buddhist temples built in Hawai’i after the 1940s as they continued to follow this precedent. Around this time, the Honolulu Hongwanji temple received its honorary title of “Betsuin” from the main temple in Japan and was recognized as the headquarters of the Hawai’i Hongwanji Mission.
In the mid-20th century, the Honolulu temple began a series of expansions, including the addition of a mausoleum to the main hall. However, during World War II, construction plans were put on hold, and many Buddhist ministers were incarcerated while temples across Hawai'i were closed. After reopening in the post-war period, the Hongwanji Mission founded a Hongwanji Mission School near the Honolulu Betsuin complex in 1949. In 1964, a townhouse and annex temple, which included a large social hall, were added to house students and the Buddhist Women's Association.
Today, the Honpa Hongwanji Hawai'i Betsuin continues to serve an active congregation while overseeing 30 Hongwanji temples across Hawai'i. Services at the Betsuin are held every Sunday in both English and Japanese, and the temple organizes educational programs, cultural activities, and festivals throughout the year. However, like most other Buddhist temples across the state, the Honolulu Betsuin has faced issues of declining membership. Between 2007 to 2021 alone, the temple’s congregation diminished by 52 percent. To combat this decline, the Betsuin has committed to diversifying its available programs to attract new members. With money from the National Fund for Sacred Places, the temple is set to modernize its community spaces, ensuring accessibility for future generations.
Written by Avneet Dhaliwal
LEARN MORE:
History – Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
Temple History - Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin
#apiaeveryday #japanese #japaneseimmigrants #honpahwongwanjihawaiibetsuin #honolulu #hawaii #buddhisttemple #buddhism #reverandsoryukagachi #wwii #religiousinstitution
