Who ever thought that you would find a smaller scaled replica of the Byodo-In Temple from Uji, Japan here on Oahu, Hawaii? When I first moved here I pictured beaches, hikes, waterfalls but never would of thought of seeing a temple such as this one. When I first heard about it I knew I had to go and see it. I love their style of religion. The meditation and the tranquil environment. It just puts anyone at ease with the world and like nothing else matters.
During my time in Hawaii I visited the Byod-In Temple three times and each time it was such a unique experience. We were able to walk through the sacred grounds and see how the temple is built. The details of the temple are amazing. Inside the temple was an offering area and it was just amazing to see. Here is a brief history of the original temple that if found in Uji, Japan.
QUICK HISTORY OF THE BYODO-IN TEMPLE
The Byodo-In Temple was established on June 7, 1986 to commemorate 100 years of the first Japenese immigrants to Hawaii. This temple is a much smaller replica of the of the actual Byodo-In Temple located at the United Nations World Heritage Site in Uji, Japan. The original Byodo-In Temple is over 950 years old.
Touring The Byodo-In Temple
This gorgeous temple is located at the base of the Ko’olau Mountains in Valley of the Temples Memorial Park. When you arrive to the park you drive through various cemeteries until you arrive to the temple. Once you arrive you pay to go on in ($3 for adults/ $1 for children) but it’s very worth it. After having paid we walked across this bridge which over looks a creek and you can see the temple from it. Once we walked across the bridge we walked to our left. The first thing we got to see was the Bon-Sho or The Sacred Bell. We got to ring the bell which was pretty neat.
After ringing the bell we walked over to the Meditation Pavilion. They had a cute little creek running through and a small waterfall. Very relaxing and beautiful.
Continuing our walk through the sacred grounds we made our way to the temple. We got to see Amida Buddha and turn on an incense. Before walking in we had to take our shoes off to show our respect to their culture and beliefs as well as the temple. It was very beautiful inside. The structure had so many details to it from the ceiling to the columns and even Amida Buddha itself. There were so many gorgeous patterns on the golden background of Buddha that were just exquisite.
To end our tour, we visited the Tea House Gift Shop to view the souvenirs that they had. They also had books and other items that helped you learn more about their culture and religion.
While at the Tea House Gift Shop we decided to get food pellets for the fishes. I let my daughter enjoy some time feeding them as we snapped some pictures. It was a short little tour but so very worth it. We had fun and learned a lot and though it’s a replica, it’s still very interesting to see how much detail they put in to it.
“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.”
-Buddha
Location
47-200 Kahekili Hwy
Kaneohe, HI 96744
(808) 239-9844
http://byodo-in.com
Adults $3 Children $1 to get in. Prices are subject to change according to Byodo-In management.
Have you ever been to either one of the Byodo-In Temples? What are your thoughts on it? Would you be adding this quick and beautiful tour to your Oahu bucketlist? Let me know in the comments. Would love to chat.
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