Kaua‘i Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji in Hanapepe hosted the final Bon dance of the Obon season last weekend. This Buddhist celebration invites the ancestors to return for a summer festival of dance and food. Since June temples all over the
Kaua‘i Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji in Hanapepe hosted the final Bon dance of the Obon season last weekend. This Buddhist celebration invites the ancestors to return for a summer festival of dance and food. Since June temples all over the island have been hosting a dance weekly.
Dishes served at the event include pronto pups, manju, maki sushi, mochi stuffed with sweet bean paste, yakitori skewers and flying saucers, which are grilled meat and cheese sandwiches.
To see for yourself how a couple of these quintessential Obon dishes are prepared, watch the video at thegardenisland.com.
For two weeks prior to the celebration, temple members and generous community volunteers came together to plan the menu and prepare the temple grounds for a party that draws upward of 700 people.
Pictured here are a few of the many women involved in prepping food for the night.
