Bon dance · Kapaʻau, Big Island · From 6 PM
Kohala Hongwanji Bon Dance 2026
Hosted by Kohala Hongwanji Mission
Date
What to expect
Kohala Hongwanji Mission is a Jodo Shinshu (Shin Buddhist) temple in Kapaau, in the heart of North Kohala — a district shaped by Japanese immigrant labor on the sugar plantations of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The mission belongs to the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, the state's principal Jodo Shinshu organization, and its annual obon is rooted in the same plantation-era community that built Hongwanji temples across the islands.
This Jodo Shinshu temple in former sugar-plantation country traditionally opens the evening with a graveyard service at Keokea Cemetery before the main obon service and dancing. Taiko drumming is provided by the Kona Hongwanji Taiko group, and a food concession runs through the night. Admission is free; commemorative dance towels are available for a donation, and all community members are welcomed to join the dancing.
Program highlights
- Keokea Cemetery graveyard service precedes the main temple obon service
- Live taiko drumming by Kona Hongwanji Taiko group
- Free admission; commemorative dance towels available for donation
Plan your weekend on Big Island
While you’re out for Kohala 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; Verification source; Verification source. Dates and times can change — confirm with the organizer before you go.