A guide
Bon dances in Hawaii
Summer obon festivals at Hawaii's Buddhist temples — taiko drumming, a dance circle, food booths, and lanterns honoring ancestors. Everyone is welcome.
About bon dances
Bon dance (bon odori) is the centerpiece of obon, the Japanese Buddhist season honoring ancestors. In Hawaii the tradition arrived with plantation-era immigrants and became its own local institution — most temples across the islands hold a dance on a summer weekend between June and September, and the whole community turns out.
The setup is consistent: a yagura (a raised tower) anchors the temple yard, taiko drummers and singers keep the beat, and dancers move in concentric circles around the tower. You don't need to know the steps or be Buddhist to join — follow the circle, copy the person ahead of you, and you'll pick it up by the second song. Around the edges you'll find food booths selling andagi, plate lunches, shave ice, and saimin, plus craft and game tables.
If it's your first time
- No experience needed — step into the circle and follow along.
- Come hungry; the food booths are half the reason people go.
- Bring small cash for food, games, and craft tables.
- Dances run rain or shine and are free to attend.
All bon dances, by date
Bon danceHawaiʻi’s Plantation Village Bon Dance
Hawaiʻi’s Plantation Village · Waipahu
Bon dancePuʻunene Nichiren Mission Bon Dance
Puʻunene Nichiren Mission · Kahului
Bon danceWāhiawā Hongwanji Bon Dance
Wāhiawā Hongwanji Mission · Wahiawā
Bon danceWaimea Higashi Hongwanji Bon Dance
Waimea Higashi Hongwanji · Waimea
Bon danceHonomū Henjoji Bon Dance
Honomū Henjoji · Honomū
Bon danceLīhuʻe Hongwanji Bon Dance
Līhuʻe Hongwanji Mission · Līhuʻe
Bon danceWailuku Jodo Mission Bon Dance
Wailuku Jodo Mission · Wailuku
Bon danceʻEwa Hongwanji Bon Dance
ʻEwa Hongwanji Mission · ʻEwa Beach
Bon dancePāpaʻikou Hongwanji Bon Dance
Papaikou Hongwanji Mission · Papaikou
Bon danceHonpa Hongwanji Hawaiʻi Betsuin Bon Dance
Honpa Hongwanji Hawaiʻi Betsuin · Honolulu
Waimea Shingon Mission Bon Dance
Waimea Shingon Mission · Waimea
Bon dancePuna Hongwanji Bon Dance
Puna Hongwanji Mission · Keaʻau
Bon danceKahului Jodo Mission Bon Dance
Kahului Jodo Mission · Kahului
Bon danceWaipahu Hongwanji Bon Dance
Waipahu Hongwanji Mission · Waipahu
Bon danceKohala Hongwanji Bon Dance
Kohala Hongwanji Mission · Kapaʻau
Bon danceHaleʻiwa Shingon Mission Bon Dance
Haleʻiwa Shingon Mission · Haleʻiwa
Bon danceRissho Kosei-kai Hawaiʻi Kyokai Obon
Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist Church of Hawaiʻi · Pearl City
Bon danceKoboji Shingon Mission Obon
Koboji Shingon Mission · Honolulu
Bon danceHigashi Hongwanji Hawaiʻi Betsuin Bon Dance
Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaiʻi · Honolulu
Bon danceKauai Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji Bon Dance
Kauai Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji · Hanapēpē
Bon danceWindward Buddhist Temple Bon Dance
Windward Buddhist Temple · Kailua
Bon danceKona Daifukuji Soto Mission Bon Dance
Kona Daifukuji Soto Mission · Kealakekua
Bon danceHonpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin Bon Dance
Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin · Hilo
Bon dancePāʻia Mantokuji Soto Mission Bon Dance
Pāʻia Mantokuji Soto Mission · Pāʻia
Bon danceWāhiawā Ryusenji Soto Mission Bon Dance
Wāhiawā Ryusenji Soto Mission · Wahiawā
Bon danceShinshu Kyokai Mission Bon Dance
Shinshu Kyokai Mission · Honolulu
Bon danceHaleʻiwa Jodo Mission Bon Dance
Haleʻiwa Jodo Mission · Haleʻiwa
Bon danceKapaʻa Hongwanji Bon Dance
Kapaʻa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple · Kapaʻa
Bon danceKahului Hongwanji Bon Dance
Kahului Hongwanji Mission · Kahului
Bon danceJikoen Hongwanji Bon Dance
Jikoen Hongwanji Buddhist Temple · Honolulu
Bon danceHilo Meisho-in Bon Dance
Hilo Meisho-in · Hilo
Bon danceHonomū Hongwanji Bon Dance
Honomu Hongwanji Mission · Honomū
Bon danceHonokāʻa Hongwanji Bon Dance
Honokaa Hongwanji Mission · Honokaa
Bon dancePālolo Higashi Hongwanji Bon Dance
Pālolo Higashi Hongwanji Mission · Honolulu
Bon danceHale Anuenue Bon Dance
Hale Anuenue Restorative Care Center · Hilo
Bon danceWest Kauai Hongwanji Hanāpēpē Bon Dance
West Kauai Hongwanji Mission · Hanapēpē
Bon danceMakawao Hongwanji Bon Dance
Makawao Hongwanji Mission · Makawao
Bon danceʻAiea Hongwanji Bon Dance
ʻAiea Hongwanji Mission · ʻAiea
Bon danceHilo Hooganji Mission Bon Dance
Hilo Hooganji Mission · Hilo
Bon danceKona Hongwanji Bon Dance
Kona Hongwanji Mission · Kealakekua
Bon danceGuzeiji Soto Mission of Molokaʻi Bon Dance
Guzeiji Soto Mission of Molokaʻi · Kaunakakai
Bon danceWaipahu Soto Zen Temple Taiyoji Obon
Waipahu Soto Zen Temple Taiyoji · Waipahu
Bon danceWailuku Hongwanji Bon Dance
Wailuku Hongwanji Mission · Wailuku
Pāʻauilo Hongwanji Bon Dance
Paauilo Hongwanji Mission · Paʻauilo
Bon danceKurtistown Jodo Mission Bon Dance
Kurtistown Jodo Mission · Kurtistown
Bon danceSoto Mission of ʻAiea Obon
Soto Mission of ʻAiea Taiheiji · ʻAiea
Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home Bon Dance
Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home · Hilo
Bon danceHale Makua Kahului Bon Dance
Hale Makua Kahului · Kahului
Bon dancePearl City Hongwanji Bon Dance
Pearl City Hongwanji Mission · Pearl City
Bon danceHāmākua Jodo Mission Bon Dance
Hāmākua Jodo Mission · Honokaa
Bon danceHilo Higashi Hongwanji Bon Dance
Hilo Higashi Hongwanji Mission · Hilo
Bon danceSoto Mission of Hawaiʻi Bon Dance
Soto Mission of Hawaiʻi Shoboji · Honolulu
Bon danceLife Care Center Bon Dance
Life Care Center of Hilo · Hilo
Bon danceHākalau Jodo Mission Bon Dance
Hākalau Jodo Mission · Hākalau
Bon danceHāwī Jodo Mission Bon Dance
Hāwī Jodo Mission · Hāwī
Bon danceKamuela Hongwanji Bon Dance
Kamuela Hongwanji Mission · Kamuela / Waimea
Bon danceMililani Hongwanji Bon Dance
Mililani Hongwanji Mission · Mililani
Bon danceJodo Mission of Hawaiʻi Bon Dance
Jodo Mission of Hawaiʻi · Honolulu
Bon danceHonohina-Papaaloa Hongwanji Bon Dance
Honohina-Papaaloa Hongwanji Mission · Ninole
Bon dancePāʻia Rinzai Zen Mission Bon Dance
Pāʻia Rinzai Zen Mission · Pāʻia
Kohala Jodo Mission Bon Dance
Kohala Jodo Mission · Kapaʻau
Bon danceMegaBon
JCI Honolulu / Todaiji Hawaiʻi · Pearl City
Bon danceAutumn Okinawa Dance Festival
Hawaiʻi United Okinawa Association · Waipahu
Bon dancePāhala & Nālehu Hongwanji Combined Bon Dance
Pāhala and Nālehu Hongwanji · Nāʻālehu
Bon danceWindward Mall Bon Dance
Windward Mall · Kāneʻohe