Byodo-In Temple

On Thursday, Matt and I visited the Byodo-In Temple. It is aptly located in the Valley of the Temples. Tall mountains surround the valley, providing a beautiful backdrop for the temple. While there, I saw the temple cat, a black swan, a grumpy peacock, and slews of hungry koi.


A bit of background on the temple:

This Buddhist temple is a replica of the 900-year-old Byodo-In located in Uji, Japan on the southern outskirts of Kyoto. The temple was built in the 1960's to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant workers in Hawaii who came to work in the sugar plantation fields. Inside the Byodo-In Temple is a nine-foot Lotus Buddha. It is the largest wooden Buddha carved in over 900 years and is stained in a black lacquer and decorated in gold leaf.


Beside the temple is a 5-foot, three-ton brass Peace Bell. The bell can be heard throughout Kahalu’u when rung. The deep tone of the bell sounds a message of calm and peace. Ringing the bell will purify the mind of evil spirits and temptation. It is said that ringing this bell will bring you happiness, blessings, and a long life, and is customarily rung before entering the temple.


The temple grounds are often used for wedding ceremonies for Hawaiians or visitors from Japan. The temple has become more popular since it was used as a filming location in the first season of “Lost,” where it served as the home of the Korean woman Sun's father.