Bon dance · Hilo, Big Island
Hilo Daijingu Natsu Matsuri 2026
Hosted by Hilo Daijingu
- When
- Aug 22, 20267 PM – 10 PM
- Where
- Hilo, Big IslandGet directions
- Host
- Hilo Daijingu
Sources: JCCH 2026 statewide schedule; Hilo Daijingu official site; location source for address/coords; https://www.jcchawaii.org/resources/2026-obon-schedule; https://www.facebook.com/groups/228378161056078/posts/1877520862808458/
Dates and times can change — confirm with the organizer before you go. Historical dates reflect advertised schedules; a past date alone does not confirm the event took place.
Date
- Saturday, August 22, 2026, 7 PM – 10 PM
What to expect
Hilo Daijingu was established in 1898 as Old Yamato Jinia, a Shinto shrine serving Hawaii Island's Japanese immigrant community. As a Shinto institution rather than a Buddhist temple, its Natsu Matsuri (summer festival) draws on Japanese shrine-festival traditions; the shrine has served the community for over a century under Shrine Shinto lineage connected to Ise Jingū.
The shrine relocated to its current Anela Street location after the 1960 tsunami that destroyed much of downtown Hilo, and has continued hosting its summer matsuri at that site since.
Program highlights
- Shinto shrine (not a Buddhist temple) — natsu matsuri, not obon, tradition
- Founded 1898 as Old Yamato Jinia; guardian shrine for Hawaii Island
- Relocated to Anela St after the 1960 Hilo tsunami
Farmers markets this weekend
Plan your weekend on Big Island
While you’re out for Hilo Daijingu Natsu Matsuri, see who else is open — and meet the makers and farmers behind Hawai‘i’s markets.
What’s worth a trip this weekend
One email a week: the makers worth seeking out, pop-ups, and Hawai‘i cultural events worth planning around.