KAPAA — Penny Yoshimura from Houston was busy sewing her happi coat, Sunday at a workshop led by Pearl and Gloria Shimizu of the Japanese Cultural Society at the Kapaa Neighborhood Center. “A happi coat is a Japanese festival coat,”
KAPAA — Penny Yoshimura from Houston was busy sewing her happi coat, Sunday at a workshop led by Pearl and Gloria Shimizu of the Japanese Cultural Society at the Kapaa Neighborhood Center.
“A happi coat is a Japanese festival coat,” Yoshimura said. “You wear it for all kinds of festivals.”
Gloria Shimizu said they hosted the happi coat workshop in preparation of the Japanese bon season. The first bon dance hosted by the Kauai Buddhist Council will be June 6-7 at the Kapaa Jodo Mission.
“We didn’t have a workshop last year, but the happi coat is an accepted form of wear at the bon dances, so we’re doing it, today,” Gloria said.
Yoshimura, whose grandfather ran the Yoshimura Store in Kapaa, said she came back from Houston for the bon dance.
The Obon tradition was brought to Hawaii by the Japanese immigrants more than a century ago and evolved into a social and cultural event, combining the religious custom of honoring ancestors through an evening of dance, music, and merry-making, states the Go Hawaii website.
The bon dance at the Kapaa Jodo Mission starts a weekly series of bon dances at different Buddhist temples through Aug. 9. The traditional format has the hosting temple doing an obon service starting at 6:30 p.m. with the bon dancing starting at 7:30 p.m. and continuing until approximately 10 p.m.
Once the Kauai Buddhist Council series is complete, there are several community organizations which also host bon dances, one being the Hawaii Health Systems Corp. which hosts bon dances at both the Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital and the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital for those residents who are not physically able to be transported to the church bon dances.
Schedule for 2014 bon dance
June 6, 7: Kapaa Jodo Mission
June 13, 14: West Kauai Hongwanji (Waimea temple)
June 20, 21: Kapaa Hongwanji Mission
June 27, 28: Waimea Higashi Hongwanji Mission
July 4, 5: no bon dance
July 11, 12: Kauai Soto Mission Zenshuji, Hanapepe
July 18, 19: Koloa Jodo Mission
July 25, 26: West Kauai Hongwanji (Hanapepe temple)
Aug. 1, 2: Lihue Hongwanji Mission
Aug. 8, 9: Waimea Shingon Mission
