Located on the island of O'ahu, Hawaii, The Byodo-In Temple at the foot
of the Ko'olau mountains had been established on the 7th of June 1968 to
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants
arrival to the island. The temple is a smaller replica of the 900 years
old Byodo-in Temple in Uji, Japan, which has been designated as a United
Nations world heritage site.
The temple is a non-practicing
Buddhist temple where people of any faith can go for worship,
meditation, or to admire its beauty. The temple has a three meter lotus
Buddah inside which is covered in gold and lacquer. The Amida Buddah is
thought to be the largest figure carved outside Japan. The hall and the
entire artistry reflects the essence of the culture of the Fujiwara aristocracy.
On the outside, a large brass peace bell can be seen and the temple is
surrounded by Koi ponds covering an area of 8000 square meters.
A
plush landscape gives a sense of serenity and tranquility. wildlife in
the surrounding includes peacock, black swans, turtles, and other
animals. The Byodo-In Temple has gained increased popularity as many
sequences of famous TV series had been filmed there including: Hawaii Five-O, House of the Rising Sun, ABC series Lost and many others. Various events can be organized at the temple such as weddings, concerts, funerals, classes and so on. The Byodo-In temple is a landmark of Hawaii reflects all of Hawaiian heritage.