KāNEʻOHE, HI
A place for reflection on windward Oʻahu
The Byodo-In Temple sits against the green Koʻolau range inside Valley of the Temples Memorial Park. Although it is not an active congregation, the temple welcomes visitors of every faith to walk the Japanese gardens, see the koi ponds, ring the peace bell, and enter the hall containing a large Amida Buddha.
Dedicated in August 1968, the Oʻahu temple commemorates the centennial of the first Japanese immigrants’ arrival in Hawaiʻi. It is a smaller-scale concrete replica of the celebrated Byōdō-in and Phoenix Hall in Uji, Japan, whose history reaches back to 1052.
Why Byodo-In Temple matters
Dedicated in 1968 to commemorate 100 years since the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in Hawaiʻi. The temple represents the enduring cultural connection between Hawaiʻi and Japan.
Architecture and notable features
A smaller-scale replica of the Byōdō-in Phoenix Hall in Uji, with an Amida Buddha, peace bell, koi ponds, and Japanese gardens.