Bon dance · Pearl City, Oahu · 7 PM – 10 PM
Pearl City Hongwanji Bon Dance 2026
Hosted by Pearl City Hongwanji Mission
Date
What to expect
Pearl City Hongwanji was established in 1905 as a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple, one of many congregations formed by Japanese plantation workers across Oʻahu. The current 1938 building is one of the last intact plantation-era Buddhist temples on the island, its nave ceiling made of canec — a fiberboard pressed from sugarcane bagasse — a direct material link to Hawaiʻi's plantation past. Its bold irimoya roof is an integration of Japanese architectural forms with plantation-era construction techniques.
The bon dance runs a single night, with the temple's country store, crafts booths, and dessert café opening in the late afternoon before food booths begin service and the main event starts at 7 p.m. A Hatsubon memorial service — honoring those who passed in the preceding year — precedes the dancing. The evening also features live taiko drumming.
Program highlights
- Founded 1905; one of Oʻahu's oldest Jodo Shinshu congregations
- 1938 nave ceiling made of canec pressed from sugarcane bagasse
- One-night dance with live taiko performance
- Hatsubon memorial service precedes the bon dance
Plan your visit
Food & vendors: Burgers, fried noodles, Chinese chicken salad, musubi, lumpia, chili, shave ice, andagi, and kettle corn; cash only
Parking & access: Street parking under the H-1 Freeway and across from Lehua Avenue
Plan your weekend on Oahu
While you’re out for Pearl City 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. Dates and times can change — confirm with the organizer before you go.