Friday · From 7:30 PM
Kahului Hongwanji Bon Dance
Friday, July 17, 2026
Kahului Hongwanji Bon Dance is listed for Friday, July 17, 2026 at Kahului Hongwanji Mission in Kahului, Maui, From 7:30 PM.
Kahului Hongwanji was established in 1911 as a branch of Wailuku Hongwanji Mission, originally serving Japanese plantation workers, and became an independent Jodo Shinshu congregation in 1957. Its obon carries a double legacy: in October 1972, after HC&S closed its plantation villages, the neighboring Puunene Hongwanji — which had served that community for 62 years — merged into Kahului Hongwanji. As a symbol of that union, a sapling from Puunene Mission's Bodhi tree was planted on the front lawn, folding the ancestral memory of two congregations into a single annual dance.
The mission completed a new yagura for its 2025 bon dance, giving the traditional raised tower a permanent home on the temple grounds for dancers to circle beneath. The two-night event features food booths and taiko drummers alongside the bon odori.
- Founded 1911 as a Jodo Shinshu mission; independent congregation since 1957
- 1972 merger absorbed Puunene Hongwanji after HC&S closed plantation villages
- New yagura completed for the 2025 bon dance
- Two-night dance with food booths and taiko
Plan your weekend on Maui
While you’re out for Kahului Hongwanji Bon Dance, see who else is open — and meet the makers and farmers behind Hawai‘i’s markets.
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Good to know
When is Kahului Hongwanji Bon Dance?
Kahului Hongwanji Bon Dance is scheduled for Friday, July 17, 2026, From 7:30 PM.
Where is Kahului Hongwanji Bon Dance?
You'll find Kahului Hongwanji Bon Dance at Kahului Hongwanji Mission, Kahului Hongwanji Mission, 291 S Puunene Ave, Kahului, HI 96732 in Kahului, Maui.
Should I confirm Kahului Hongwanji Bon Dance before going?
Yes. Our listing is based on JCCH 2026 statewide schedule; HHMH temple locator. Event dates and times can change, so confirm with the host before you go.
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.
- 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.
Sources: Verification source; Verification source. Dates and times can change — confirm with the temple before you go.