Bon dance · Waimea, Kauaʻi
Waimea Higashi Hongwanji Bon Dance 2026
Hosted by Waimea Higashi Hongwanji
- When
- Jun 12–13, 20267:30 PM – 10:30 PM
- Where
- Waimea, KauaʻiGet directions
- Host
- Waimea Higashi Hongwanji
Sources
Dates and times can change — confirm with the organizer before you go. Historical dates reflect advertised schedules; a past date alone does not confirm the event took place.
2 dates
Dates
What to expect
Waimea Higashi Hongwanji traces its origins to 1899, when Rev. Kenryu Yamada arrived on Kauai to share the Nembutsu teaching with the island's early Japanese plantation workers. His successor, Rev. Sueto Sato, worked with the lay community to construct a temple in Waimea. The mission belongs to the Higashi Honganji branch of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism.
The two-night bon dance draws crowds that overflow the temple's compact grounds along Kaumualii Highway. Live taiko anchors each evening — in 2026, Taiko Kauai performs on Friday and Tsunami Taiko on Saturday — followed by the community bon dancing circle. A food booth and mini country store open in the early evening each night, offering dinner plates alongside andagi, saimin, and a range of local island staples.
Program highlights
- Founded 1899 during Kauai's plantation era
- Two-night bon dance with live taiko each evening
- Crowds overflow the compact temple grounds
- Food booth and country store open nightly alongside bon dancing
Plan your visit
- Food & vendors
- Nishime and dioja dinner plates (Friday), roast pork and akule dinner plates (Saturday); also andagi, flying saucer, pronto pup, inari and maki sushi, spam musubi, gandule rice, and saimin from temple food booths
- Parking & access
- Parking available at the Old Waimea Sugar Mill and across the highway at the West Kauai Technology and Visitors Center
Farmers markets this weekend
Plan your weekend on Kauai
While you’re out for Waimea Higashi Hongwanji Bon Dance, see who else is open — and meet the makers and farmers behind Hawai‘i’s markets.
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What’s worth a trip this weekend
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