Bon dance · Ninole, Big Island · 2 PM – 4 PM
Honohina-Papaaloa Hongwanji Bon Dance 2026
Hosted by Honohina-Papaaloa Hongwanji Mission
Date
What to expect
A Jodo Shinshu (Honpa Hongwanji) temple, the Honohina congregation traces its roots to 1899 when ministers first served the sugar-cane communities along the Hamakua Coast; the first temple building rose in 1907, and the Ninole branch followed in 1927. In 2022, the neighboring Pāpaʻaloa Hongwanji—established around 1903 and active for over a century—closed and merged into the Honohina congregation, bringing along a century-old bronze bell cast in Japan in 1919 that now hangs at the Ninole site. The combined congregation repainted the temple in 2025, marking its 125th anniversary.
The annual Obon celebration centers on an ancestral cemetery service and communal Bon Odori dancing. A 2010 news account noted the small congregation of roughly twenty members welcoming the broader community to join the services and dance; a 2016 temple website reference describes a "4 Temples Obon Tour" coordinated with the nearby Papaikou, Honomu, and Papaaloa Hongwanjis along the Hamakua Coast.
Program highlights
- Founded 1899; first temple 1907, Ninole branch built 1927
- Repainted 2025 marking the congregation's 125th anniversary
- Obon tradition includes cemetery ancestral service and Bon Odori dance
- Small congregation (~20 members) opens the celebration to the whole community
Plan your weekend on Big Island
While you’re out for Honohina-Papaaloa Hongwanji Bon Dance, see who else is open — and meet the makers and farmers behind Hawai‘i’s markets.
Farmers markets this weekend
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.
Sources: Verification source; Verification source. Dates and times can change — confirm with the organizer before you go.