Kapaʻa Hongwanji Bon Dance 2026

Kapaʻa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple was established in 1922 by Japanese plantation workers on land leased from Kauaʻi County, belonging to the Jodo Shinshu tradition under the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaiʻi. The original structure burned down in 1929; a replacement built in 1938 was commandeered by the U.S. Army during World War II while the temple's resident minister was sent to an internment camp on the mainland. The current building near Fuji Beach in Waipouli opened in 1972 and sustained significant damage from Hurricane Iniki in 1991. The congregation observed its centennial in 2022.

The two-night obon draws dancers in kimono circling a central yagura to taiko and Japanese folk music, with food, craft, and game booths opening at dusk before the dancing begins. Community members and visitors alike are welcome to join the circling dance; Monday evening practice sessions are offered in the weeks leading up to the event.