2023: Koyasan Shingon Mission in North America celebrates 110th anniversary in Los Angeles

The Koyasan Beikoku Betsuin aka Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles held the 110th Anniversary Celebration of the Koyasan Shingon Mission in North America on October 14 and 15, 2023. Headed by Archbishop Taisen Imagawa, sixty Buddhist monks from Japan visited Los Angeles from October 13 to 18, 2023.

From Kongobu-ji, the head temple of the Koysan Shingon sect in Japan, Bishop Shunga Kiryu of the International Bureau, Bishop Seihan Takei of the Finance Bureau, important officers, and former ministers of the Koyasan Betsuin were included in the Japan’s delegation of sixty monks.

The monk delegation was accompanied by performers from the Koyasan Kongo Ryu Goeika Association, the Koysan Religious Dance Association, and Kado Koyasan (the Koyasan Flower Arrangement Association). The Japan delegation was also accompanied by performers for Oct.15’s the Daihannya Tendoku Service, a 600-volume reading of the Obaku Tetsugen version of the Daihannya-Kyo Sutra.

Kado Koyasn ikebana exhibition and workshops at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center on Oct. 14 and 15 were presented by the Koyasan Flower Arrangement Association with Bishop Koshun Yamagata. Kongo School Poetry Workshop, and Koyasan Religious Dance Workshop were also held.

In the main hall of the Koyasan Betsuin on Oct. 14 and 15, a five-tiered flower arrangement was created by the Koysan Flower Arrangement Association.

 

The religious program of the 110th anniversary started on Oct. 15 at 9:45 am after the photo session of the Koyasan Betsusin staff, former and present ministers of the temple, Japan’s delegation, and 15 members of the Koyasan High School Religious Department from Japan.

At the beginning of the service, the Koyasan Religious Dance Society offered a performance of “Kongo.” Six young women from the Koyasan Betsuin were adorned in Chihaya costumes and offered “Lantern Flowers” before the principal deity of the temple while the priests chanted the Rishu-Kyo Sutra. A flower offering ceremony was followed by.

Then the Hannya Shingyo (Heart Sutra) was chanted in the accompaniment of the dynamic taiko drumming. And the Daihanya Tendoku service finally got underway by Koyasan high school students. The local parishioners who attended the service were moved by the beautiful sound of the chanting. The audience was immediately enlivened by the energetic voices of “Dai-hann-nya-haramitachi-kyo.”

The Daihannya Sutra consists of 600 scrolls. 15 students from Koyasan High School handled these scrolls on the stage and performed the recitation. By running through each of the yellow pages with dynamic flowing motion, it is considered that they went through the entire sutra.

After the religious services, the ceremonial stages of the 110th Anniversary of the Koyasan Shingon Mission in North America commenced with the dedication of “Henjo-son” performed by the Koyasan Religious Dance Association and the Koyasan Kongo-ryu Goeika Group.

The dedication was followed by a message reading of a congratulatory address of Abbot Shindo Hasebe, the head of the Kongobu-ji and chief abbot of the Koyasan Shingon-shu. Abbot Hasebe’s message was read by Archbishop Taishin Imagawa. Congratulatory messages were also delivered by the Honorable Kenko Sone, Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles, and Reverend William Briones, President of the Los Angeles Buddhist Temple Federation. Reverend Briones message was read by Reverend Junkyo Murakami of Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji.

Letters of appreciation from Kongobu-ji were presented by Bishop Shunga Kiryu, the director of the international bureau, to those who have contributed: The Late Bishop Seytsu Takahashi, the 4th Shukan of Koyasan Betsuin; The late Bishop Ryosho Sogabe, the 5th Shukan of Koyasan Betsuin; The late Mr. Hatsuno Sunahara, Co-Founder of Keigenji Temple in Northern California; The late Ms. Rie Yamamoto, Co-Founder of Keigenji Temple in Northern California; Mrs. Akiko Narisawa, long time member of Seattle Koyasan Buddhist Church; The late Mr. Haruo Kajiwara, former President of the Board of Seattle Koyasn; The late Mrs. Masako Nagano, former chairperson of the Women’s Association of Seattle Koyasan; Mr. Hirokazu Kosaka, Master Artist in Residence of the Japanese Community & Cultural Center in Los Angeles; Mr. Edward Takahashi, donor of the Rishu-Kyo Scroll at Koyasan Betsuin.

Following the certificate of appreciation ceremony, the congratulatory dance “Hoetsu Kangi no Gowasan’ was performed by all member of the Koyasan Religious Dance Association with chanting by all the Koyasan Kongo Ryu chanting teachers. The ceremonial part concluded with words of thanks from Richard Marumi, President of Koyasan Betsuin.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Bishop Yuuju Matsumoto of Beikoku Betsuin presented a donation to Bishop Clark Zenkyu Watanabe of the Shingon Mission of Hawaii. This donation was intended to support the reconstruction of the Lahaina Hokoji Temple, the oldest temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism located in a foreign land, which was affected by the devastating wildfire on Maui in August 2023.

In the afternoon of Oct. 15, the 110th Anniversary Luncheon was held at the Watanabe Culinary Center of the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center. The atmosphere was peaceful and relaxed, a chance to celebrate after the service.