The Los Angeles Buddhist Temple Federation 2026 Hanamatsuri Service
In Commemoration of Buddha’s Birthday
From Past to Future: The Evolving Role of Japanese American Temples in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple
815 East First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 680-9130
Sunday, April 5, 2026
1:00 PM Service with Kinnara Gagaku
1:30 PM Opening Message by Rev. Wiiliams Briones, LABTF President
1:40 PM Special Presentation by Rev. Masao Kodani
3:00 PM Closing Message
LABTF Hanamatsuri 2026 Program PDF
Kinnara Gagaku
Kinnara Gagaku was formed in 1969 when Prof. Suenobu Togi at UCLA’s Department of World Music agreed to teach at Senshin Buddhist Temple. The Kinnara Gagaku/Bugaku and Taiko groups are part of a larger group known as Kinnara. It is a Buddhist study group associated with Senshin Buddhist Temple.
Hanamatsuri Greetings by Rev. William Briones
Rimban of Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple
President of Los Angeles Buddhist Temple Federation
On behalf of the Los Angeles Buddhist Temple Federation (LABTF), I’d like to welcome you to this year’s LABTF Hanamatsuri. Many thanks to this year’s committee chair, Rev. Ryuta Furumoto of Senshin Buddhist Temple and to the Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, for the use of their wonderful facility.
Today, we are commemorating the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, the prince that awoke to the Truth and became Shakyamuni Buddha. For all Buddhists throughout the world, the birthday of the human being Siddhartha is a significant event. As a human being, he had been born into this world and through the experiences that confront all living beings, he awoke to the very Truth of the universe or Ultimate Reality.
Last year’s Butsuren theme focused on the past 100 years of the Nikkei Buddhist story in the Los Angeles area. This year, we would like to follow up on the future of our Buddhist temples in Los Angeles. This year’s Butsuren theme is “From Past to Future: The Evolving Role of Japanese American Temples in Los Angeles.”
Our guest speaker is Rev. Masao Kodani, a Buddhist Churches of America (BCA) Minister Emeritus. Rev. Kodani was deeply involved in the development of Bon Odori, Gagaku, (imperial court music of Japan) and Taiko as essential, evolving elements of American Buddhism.
As we celebrate the birth of Buddha, it gives all of us an opportunity to express our gratitude to the Buddha and reflect on his teachings… the teachings that open our eyes to the truth of impermanence and interdependence in our daily lives.
Guest Speaker: Rev. Masao Kodani
Rev. Masao Kodani, a Sansei Japanese American, is a minister of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha tradition. At Senshin Buddhist Temple, he founded Kinnara Taiko, one of the earliest taiko groups established in the United States, as well as Kinnara Gagaku and Bugaku (Japanese court music and dance).
Born in Glendale, California, Rev. Kodani was a young child when he and his family were incarcerated at the Poston Relocation Center in Arizona during World War II. After returning to Los Angeles, the Kodani family lived in a predominantly African American community near the Watts neighborhood. Although Rev. Kodani’s parents were Buddhist, they sent their children to Evergreen Baptist Church in East Los Angeles, believing it would help them fi t into American society more easily.
After graduating from Centennial High School, Rev. Kodani attended the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), where he earned a bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies. During his time at UCSB, he developed a close relationship with Rev. Art Takemoto of the Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. Influenced by Rev. Takemoto, Rev. Kodani traveled to Japan to study Buddhism at Ryukoku University.
After obtaining a master’s degree in Buddhist Studies, Rev. Kodani returned to the United States and was assigned to Senshin Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles in 1968. Following 45 years of ministry, Rev. Kodani retired in October 2013. He continues to share the Dharma through his talks and music.
