Led by HFBWA President Linda Nagai and 1st VP Claire Tamamoto, Hawaii BWA members and guests will meet their counterparts from the Buddhist Churches of America, and Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada, South America and Japan at the Kyoto International Conference Center on May 11-12, 2023.
As an attendee, here are some items needing your attention. CONTACT YOUR UNIT OR UNITED BWA PRESIDENT FOR DETAILS.
Convention Registration fee – $200 – contact your Unit/United BWA President (deadline Feb. 3, 2023)
Convention Program – TBD
Uniform – BWA Purple Polo shirt (similar to previous one) – $25.00 – Oct. 31, 2022 deadline to order
Lei Making (added to convention Uniform) – TBD
Entertainment – New Buddhist Women’s Pledge (singing/ukulele playing/American sign language) sign up if interested in participating
Montoshikisho – optional; designed by Japan BWA; available at HHMH HQ Bookstore; $45 (a reduced cost is being offered through your temple or BWA Unit – $40.50) click here for design on new montoshikisho
Five Nights Stay in Kyoto (RT air (Honolulu to Osaka); transportation to/from airport to hotel, to/from hotel to Honzan and convention site; Designated hotel; some meals, etc.) – Kintetsu Hawaii (should be confirmed already)
The one-and-a-half-day convention follows our participation at the Hongwanji Founder’s Hall (Honzan) on May 10, 2023 as part of the Joint Celebration.
14th BWA Hawaii State Membership Conference Coming Soon
Please join us when Maui United BWA hosts the State Conference on April 23-24, 2022 at Wailuku Hongwanji with hotel accommodations at Maui Beach. The theme is “Building Healthy Sanghas—Connecting with Others.” Two keynote speakers will be featured: Deidre Tegarden, Maui, “Connecting with Others” and Janet Umezu, California, “Diversity and Acceptance.” The business meeting will Read More
Please join us when Maui United BWA hosts the State Conference on April 23-24, 2022 at Wailuku Hongwanji with hotel accommodations at Maui Beach. The theme is “Building Healthy Sanghas—Connecting with Others.” Two keynote speakers will be featured: Deidre Tegarden, Maui, “Connecting with Others” and Janet Umezu, California, “Diversity and Acceptance.” The business meeting will be conducted by the Hawaii Federation of BWAs president in preparation for the 17th World Buddhist Women’s Convention to be held in Kyoto, Japan on May 11-12, 2023.
NOTE: As of January 9, 2022, the Maui committee formally adopted a change in the format of the 2022 Membership Conference. The conference will be in virtual format only, via Zoom. The registration cost is $100 per person. If you have not previously registered, please use the form above with a deadline of January 31, 2022. If you have already registered, you do not need to do more.
Deadline for requesting a refund of prepaid Maui Beach Hotel reservation is January 23, 2022. If you need additional information, please contact Sharon Nohara at sharon.nohara@gmail.com.
The Hawaii Federation of BWAs along with other Buddhist groups like the Pacific Buddhist Academy has participated in the MLK, Jr. March in Waikiki for the past few years. This year, we have chosen to create a video showing some similarities between Dr. King’s teachings and Buddhist beliefs including clippings of our participation in Waikiki and on Maui. We are grateful to the committee members including Rev. Blayne Higa, Dave Atcheson, Sharon Nohara, Carol Valentine, Jennifer Taira of Ohana Arts and Lois Toyama. Please join us on Sunday, January 17, 2021 at 11:00am at this link: honpahi.link/youtube
At the 3rd World Buddhist Women’s Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii in June 1967, a resolution to adopt the Student Exchange program was passed. In 1971 the first two young women, Jan Aratani and Gail Mamura were sponsored by the Hawaii Federation of BWAs and selected to go to Japan . Since then until 2019, 42 others have traveled to Japan. The most recent young women were Chloe Oshiro of Mililani Hongwanji and Katelyn Otani of Pearl City Hongwanji. Their reflections can be found in the most recent HI Federation Newsletter Fall 2019.
On Saturday, March 7, 2020 at Jikoen Hongwanji an “Aloha Reunion Tea” is being planned from 1:00 – 3:00. It will be a time to reconnect with these young women. We’ll have tea and signature goodies from each island. (event follows the Spring Rep Mtg.). It’ll be a wonderful talk story time, since some of them might be traveling from places beyond Honolulu, Hawaii where they are now working or residing.
Assisting President Lois Toyama are Irene Nakamoto, Barbara Brennan, Caroline Otani (Class of ’87), Wendie Yumori and Carol Valentine.
Susan Kakuda (Class of ’93) first row (left) Katelyn Ohtani and Chloe Oshiro (Class of 2019)
A primary purpose of the BWA is to support the propagation of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism throughout the world. To implement this purpose, our World Federation of BWAs is proposing to establish a Jodo Shinshu teaching position at the BCA’s Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkely, California. IBS has been vital in spreading Jodo Shinshu not only in the Americas (North and South), but also in Hawaii, Canada, Europe, and Japan, etc.
The GOAL is to raise three (3) million dollars with the interest earned yearly to be used to fund the teaching position of an instructor. This position will be named for two individuals close to our hearts – The Eshin-ni and Kakushin-ni Endowed Chair for Jodo Shinshu Studies.
Each Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple worldwide is being asked to support this project and the Hawaii Federation of BWAs is in favor of it. Each temple’s goal is approximately $300. The BWAs in Hawaii will spearhead this fundraising effort with all donations earmarked as coming from the entire temple membership. Deadline is December 31, 2018.
Thanks to the hard work of many individuals, we have met Hawaii’s goal of $11,000. As of January 15, 2019, we have raised $14,631 from 21 Temple and BWA groups. Additional thanks goes to the Dharma School Teachers of Oahu and the Hawaii District Ministers Association. If your temple/BWA missed the deadline and would still like to participate in this worthwhile project, contact your United BWA President for more information.
Images of Kakushinni, left, and Eshinni, right, at Hawaii Betsuin.
Hawaii Buddhist Women’s Associations has a new Facebook page. Look for it on our website’s homepage. Click the “f” icon in the upper right portion of the screen. We welcome current articles, photos, news, events. Send information to the following for posting: Federation (Tamayo Matsumoto, Lois Toyama); Honolulu United (Lois Toyama); Kauai United (Rev. Tomo Hojo); Big Island United (K.T. Cannon-Eger)
