Mililani Hongwanji Bon Dance

Mililani Hongwanji Mission is a Jodo Shinshu (Shin Buddhist) congregation affiliated with the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii — a network rooted in the plantation era, when the first Hongwanji temple in the islands was dedicated in 1889 to serve Japanese immigrant workers. The Mililani temple carries that same Shin Buddhist lineage into the heart of modern Mililani Town on central Oʻahu.

The two-night bon dance opens with a children's lantern processional at 6:30 p.m. on Friday evening, followed by community dancing around the central yagura from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. both nights. Food trucks and temple club booths serve entrees, desserts, and goodies — with gyudon (beef bowls) made from a temple member's recipe and food sales run by the temple's aikido and judo clubs — alongside a country store stocked with homemade goods, andagi, Hawaiian plates, barbecue skewers, and shave ice. A craft fair, silent auction featuring artwork and plants, a Dharma Store selling Buddhist materials, and guided temple tours of Shin Buddhist traditions round out the evening, drawing families from across central Oʻahu.

Food & vendors: Food trucks with entrees, desserts, and goodies; gyudon (beef bowls) from a temple member's recipe; Aikido and Judo club food sales; country store with homemade goods; andagi, Hawaiian plates, barbecue skewers, and shave ice

Parking & access: Street parking; most vendors require cash