Mililani Hongwanji Bon Dance
About Bon Dance
Date: August 15 & 16 2025
What is Bon Dance?
Shin Buddhism teaches us to try to live our lives to the fullest, centered around gratitude, community, and compassion. Bon dance is one way we do this.
Also called Obon or Kangi-e (meaning gathering of joy), bon dance is a time of year to remember those who are no longer with us, but who have helped us become who we are today. It's a time to recognize how precious and connected our lives are.
Losing a loved one is difficult and something we all experience, so we gather with joy, gratitude, appreciation and love for our departed loved ones. It provides a unique chance in our busy lives to foster support, understanding, and a sense of community for anyone and everyone.
In addition to being a great opportunity to learn about and perpetuate Japanese history and culture, bon dance has become a larger community event in the melting pot of Hawaii. People of all backgrounds gather for this island tradition, dancing, eating, remembering, sharing memories and making new ones.
Why do we dance?
With roots in the legend of Mogallana, we bon dance to express joy and gratitude for those who have made it possible for us to live here and now.
While they have passed, they are not gone. Their impact on our lives continues after their passing and through our memories of them.
Bon dancing creates opportunities to share memories, create new memories, and remember our loved ones. The songs we dance to often perpetuate the experiences and history of the Japanese and Okinawan communities where bon dance originates.
The Origins of the
Bon Dance
"It [Obon] is based on the legend of the monk
Mogallana's rescue of his mother from the hell of hungry ghosts. The story dramatizes the son's anxiety for his mother's welfare after her death and how it was
resolved through Buddhist practice."
"When his mother was released, Mogallana danced for joy. His response is regarded as the origin of the Bon
dance."
(Dr. Alfred Bloom, "Obon Festival - Living and Dying in
Buddhism")
This legend shows how Buddhist teachings like compassion, gratitude, impermanence, etc can help guide anyone through the hardships we all face in life.
Bon dance was brought to Hawaii by Japanese immigrants starting in the late 1800s. While sharing the same purpose, it has developed into it's own unique tradition, with a variety of differences compared to how it is observed in Japan.