LIHUE — Wayne Fujioka is putting his trust into the teru teru bozu which danced in the wind outside the Lihue Hongwanji Mission temple Wednesday morning. “We were talking about the storm and the bon dance Sunday,” said Fujioka, president
LIHUE — Wayne Fujioka is putting his trust into the teru teru bozu which danced in the wind outside the Lihue Hongwanji Mission temple Wednesday morning.
“We were talking about the storm and the bon dance Sunday,” said Fujioka, president of the Lihue Hongwanji Mission. “Someone suggested the teru bozu and made a few to hang outside the temple. We discussed the storm situation and agreed the bon dance will go on.”
The teru teru bozu, in Japanese mythology, is a handmade doll whose name translates to mean “shiny, shiny baldhead” and is brided with a golden bell and sake in exchange for successfully preventing rain with a threat that failure would mean beheading.
Dinner plates will be served starting at 5 tonight and Saturday when the Lihue Hongwanji Mission hosts its bon dance at the temple in Kapaia.
Carl Matsumura, in charge of the food preparation, said the Friday menu includes roast pork, nishime, and roast turkey. Saturday’s offering will be a laulau plate.
Game booth and activities, including the country store, start at 6 p.m. with bon dances starting at 7:30 both nights. The festivities continue until 10:30 each night.
This bon dance marks the end of the summer bon dance season for churches of the Kauai Buddhist Council and usually the end to the unique food offerings at the event, including the popular flying saucers, pronto pups, andagi, saimin, barbque beef, chicken yakitori, and more.
Rev. Kazunori Takahashi, Lihue Hongwanji Mission minister, said bon is observed through the remembering of departed loved ones.
Proceeds from the bon dance benefit the Lihue Hongwanji Mission.
