SHINGON Buddhism 2026 | Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Little Tokyo to Hold Daihannya Tendoku Goma Service & Dedication Dance on Sunday, October 25, at 1:30 p.m.
A Special Buddhist Ceremony Featuring the Recitation of 600 Volumes of the Daihannya Sutra and a Traditional Japanese Dedication Dance
Posted on September 20, Revised on October 8, 2026 by Cultural News
Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Little Tokyo will hold a special Buddhist ceremony, the “Daihannya Tendoku Goma Service & Dedication Dance,” on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. The event is open to the public, and everyone is welcome to attend.
The ceremony will feature the traditional tendoku ritual of the 600 volumes of the Daihannya Hannya Haramita-kyō (Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra). Rather than reading every word of all 600 volumes, tendoku is a traditional ritual practice in which the sutra volumes are carefully opened and recited in a manner that invokes the merit and teachings of the sutra. The ceremony is performed to pray for the removal of misfortune, the cultivation of wisdom and merit, the well-being of all people, and world peace.
More than 10 Shingon Buddhist priests from throughout North America will participate in the ceremony. Bishop Shunga Kiryu, Director of the International Affairs Bureau of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism in Koyasan, Japan, will serve as the officiant. Bishop Yuei Goto, Deputy Director of the International Affairs Bureau, will serve as the Goma priest.
Dedication Dance
Following the Buddhist ceremony, Ukon Takafuji, a Japanese traditional dancer, choreographer, and cultural producer based in Asakusa, Tokyo, will present a traditional Japanese dedication dance.
Unlike a conventional stage performance, which is presented primarily for an audience, a dedication dance is offered directly to the Buddha. The dance itself becomes an offering, expressing gratitude, reverence, and prayer. Through this performance, the event will highlight the connection between Buddhist religious practice and Japanese traditional performing arts. Audiences must attend at 1:30 p.m.
Daihannya Sutra Book Dedications
In conjunction with the ceremony, the temple is accepting dedications for copies of the Daihannya Sutra. The names of donors will be inscribed in the sutra volumes and read aloud during the ceremony. Individuals and families may participate by dedicating a sutra volume and offering their prayers to the Buddha.
Event Information
Event: Daihannya Tendoku Goma Service & Dedication Dance
Date: Sunday, October 25, 2026
Time: 1:30 p.m. (Doors open at 12:30 p.m.)
Location: Koyasan Buddhist Temple, 342 E. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: 213-624-1267
Email: office@lakoyasan.org
Website: https://www.koyasanbetsuin.org/
Admission: Free and open to the public