Līhuʻe Hongwanji Bon Dance 2026

Founded in 1900 to serve Japanese plantation workers, Līhuʻe Hongwanji is one of Kauaʻi's oldest Japanese institutions and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A Jōdo Shin (Pure Land) temple affiliated with the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, it holds a two-night Obon celebration each summer, welcoming people of all ages and religious backgrounds regardless of Buddhist affiliation or dance experience.

The evening opens with a brief bon service at 6:45 p.m. before taiko drumming and circle dancing around the central yagura begin at 7:30 p.m. The food booth and Country Store open at 6 p.m., offering flying saucers, pronto pups, andagi, assorted bento, snacks, and dinner plates. The temple also presents a Honoring Ancestors lantern program, displaying personalized remembrance ribbons on the temple's lanai throughout the celebration. The event is cash-only with no outside food or pop-up tents permitted.