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    Koganji Temple

    4.3 (21 reviews)

    Koganji Temple Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Koganji Temple

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    Beautiful lanterns
    Laine K.

    Yelp 100 Challenge #65/100 Want to go to a Bon Dance that has a carnival atmosphere? Then you got to check out Koganji Temple! I've been going to Bon Dances for so long and I can't believe I never went to this one. This is one of the very few Bon Dances I haven't been to and I am glad that I finally did go. When planning to go to this Bon Dance you want to get there early. It starts at 5:30pm but to give you an idea on the main street on Manoa Road, there were only 2 parking spots on the street and we got there about 5:20 pm. Also the side streets were getting filled up too. The pleasant surprise I got when I arrived was the beautiful Manoa Valley in the backdrop and all those gorgeous lanterns. It really reminded me to Karate Kid 2 when the Chozen (the bad dude) comes down on the wire holding all the lanterns and breaks up the Bon Dance party. Did I say it's like a carnival? Well this place has scrips. Yup, like a carnival. It is $.50 a scrip and at around 8:20 pm they announced that the booths were going to take scrips and cash, so you didn't feel like your scrips were going to be wasted. Another tip on this. By 8:30 pm the lines are super long so get there early to eat what you want so you're standing in line. Oh wait did I mention booths? This place has tons of food booths and one of the most food options I've seen at a bon dance. Let me start to list what they had in the booths: Ice Cream booth Teriyaki that is cooked over the fire. One word. Super yummers! Teriyaki burgers - Not a fan of them there Mochi - They heat it up so it's nice and gooey and offer tons of options to put yummy goodness on them. Here is what the flavors were: kinako, azuki-an, ginger sauce, and nori wrapped in special sauce Andagi - Pineapple, Cinnamon, and regular. Cinnamon was awesome Croquettes - Curry filled and they were good Kimono dog - Turkey dog with andagi batter. So good! Country store - Tons and tons of goodies made by the volunteers. Thank you Gerri and the other wonderful folks there on explaining what you wonderful creations were like Irish soda bread and Scottish Shortbread. They were all delish! Not only sweets but Quinoa salad, homemade salsa, teriyaki sauces, oh man to much to name already. Shave Ice - Choices were regular syrup, yuzu-lilikoi syrup, add azuki, & add ice cream Yakisoba Whew.... You get the picture. This place is food central for Bon dances. Now how about the the Bon Dance itself. The dances were so fun and everyone joined in. What I also liked is that they played the song twice so the second time around it felt like you were a pro or at least a semi pro or at least got half of the moves down. Also at 8:30 pm they had a great taiko show. The whole family enjoyed it. Did I say this place is crowded? It is so crowded that politicians know and I got to meet Governor Neal, Charles Djou, Stanley Chang, and David Ige. Overall, this is one of the best bon dances I've been too and would highly recommend it to everyone! Thank you Koganji Temple for having a wonderful Bon Dance to honor my ancestors.

    Awesome croquettes
    Reece T.

    Probably the best bon dance on the island. There's just so many food booths; lots of grilled and fried snacks for people of all ages. Lilikoi ice cream, teriyaki grilled corn, yakisoba, kinako mochi, bentos, teri burgers, croquettes...the list goes on. My personal favorite is the croquettes; I have a feeling like they add some kind of curry in it. Overall a great bon dance venue with lots of space to sit down; just bring your own chairs unless you plan on coming early to reserve the benches. Parking is tough too; you'll probably have to park a street or two away. The food is definitely worth the long lines and tough parking--this is one you need to check out.

    Mochi sold during bon dance.

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    8 years ago

    Love this Bon dance! Best bathrooms, baked goods and onolicious foods for the night!

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    Ask the Community - Koganji Temple

    Does anyone know if this is the temple you can see from this road out look on the hill? I can't remember what temple it was that I drove past and I've been looking for it ever since to get some pictures.?

    It cannot be seen from Oahu Street. You have to drive in to the campus.

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    Review Highlights - Koganji Temple

    I also like how they sell bon dance accessories and have fun, easy dances for everyone, including the kids.

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    Mu-Ryang-Sa Buddhist Temple

    Mu-Ryang-Sa Buddhist Temple

    4.8(63 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    This beautiful Korean temple is a hidden gem of Honolulu, Hawaii. Tucked away into the mountainside…read moreof Palolo, a residential neighborhood, this temple is one of the largest Korean temples outside of Korea. There is a suggested donation and no photos inside the temple. My sister recommended this place and the views are absolutely spectacular and tranquil. Parking can be a bit steep when driving up, but there's plenty of parking spots. Highly recommend!

    Cyndy's Bottom Line: Peace & tranquility…read more *Visitor Hours: 9-5pm daily *Admission by Donation: General $3.00, Seniors(60+) $2.00, Children $1.00, groups of 5 or more reservation in advance *Visitor parking lot on the premise has approximately 12 stalls or street parking within the neighborhood. *Be careful and drive slowly upon exiting the parking lot because of the steep driveway which may hit or damage the front end of your car. *There are activities held at the temple for the community- Korean service every Sunday 10:00-12noon. Insight or Vipassana meditation, Korean Dance and Drum, Korean Language (Reading and Writing), Painting, Yoga and Korean Tea Ceremony. *Website for more info - muryangsatemple.com e-mail: muryangsatemple@gmail.com Mu-Ryang-Sa Buddhist Temple is nestled deep in the lush, tranquil Palolo Valley for over 40 years and is the largest Korean Temple outside of Korea. The name of the temple means "Broken Ridge Temple.". What appears to be a flaw in the construction the roof was lowered because it exceeded the height limitation of the City & County. The temple is magnificent despite the roof's lower height. The grounds are beautiful and abundant with plants especially the variety of mango trees and coconut trees throughout the property. There are statues such as the Statue of Miruk Boddhisatava. There are lotus buds and lovely lotus flowers in bloom and pots of water lilies too. Water is saved in plastic containers and drums. The most interesting sight is the pots of aged miso and shoyu on the roof top below the temple. Highly recommmend a visit to capture the tranquility and beauty of the temple and Palolo Valley.

    Photos
    Mu-Ryang-Sa Buddhist Temple
    Mu-Ryang-Sa Buddhist Temple
    Mu-Ryang-Sa Buddhist Temple

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    Wat Thai of Hawaii - Spicy basil pork (close-up)

    Wat Thai of Hawaii

    4.4(87 reviews)
    12.2 mi
    $

    Love the thai food very reasonable price. Staff very friendly. I will be following themread more

    I found this spot from my hours of research and I have been to the Hollywood one many times and…read morethought this might be a great spot to take my mom. She loves going to temples and loves Thai food so I definitely was excited to explore this temple together. Based on the address on Yelp, I got lost for a good 10-15 minutes. I almost gave up but luckily spotted it and had to do a U turn and we finally arrived. So I arrived 10 minutes before the food stalls closed but honestly they stayed opened a bit longer than their closing time. As I saw ppl arrive even later and was able to still make purchases. I do have to say that they do start cleaning, and not everything is available as things were being sold out. They have a table for you to grab utensils and condiments. There are some tables you can sit and eat the food that you purchase. Most of the food I purchased was about $10 each. And you pay each stall that you are at. My mom and I enjoyed everything we ordered, if only we were staying in Hawaii more days, we would definitely come back or even order more. The hard part is that they do not have a website and they are not open every Sunday either. So try calling or just randomly go and pray that it will be opened. I honestly really enjoyed my visit. Both a cool temple to go see and being able to eat authentic Thai food it was an extra bonus. 2 thumbs up from this Yelper. I highly recommend coming here if you have not been. Ordered: *Fried Bananas *Papaya Salad (you can request how spicy you want this) *Pork noodle soup *Sugar Cane Juice *Fish Cake *Water Bottle $1 *Pork spare rib Tips: *Cash Only *Restroom available. *Outside temple street parking in the dirt or pull in and try your luck to find parking.

    Photos
    Wat Thai of Hawaii - Food stall

    Food stall

    Wat Thai of Hawaii - Fishcakes (seasoned with basil and lemongrass) - 7 /$10

    Fishcakes (seasoned with basil and lemongrass) - 7 /$10

    Wat Thai of Hawaii - BBQ Pork - 7 skewers / $10

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    BBQ Pork - 7 skewers / $10

    Chinese Buddhist Association of Hawaii Hsu Yun Temple

    Chinese Buddhist Association of Hawaii Hsu Yun Temple

    4.4(12 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    My Hunny and I visited this temple on Mother's Day to give flowers to my Popo and Mom. It's a…read morebeautiful temple and although the parking is very small, somehow they make it work. There's a massive tree in the lot and a lotus blossoms in the nearby plant pots. We could hear the monks chanting during their ceremony and prayer/Meditation. We enjoyed taking photos of the nature surrounding the temple. It's a very peaceful, spiritual place where you can embrace nature. The breeze was cool and refreshing after we finished burning incense and cleared the smoke smell from out clothing. It was a lovely Mother's Day.

    I met my dad's cousin for the first time and she told me about this temple. I didn't know what to…read moreexpect. I mean, once you drive up, it's a little hard to believe that it is located in a residential area. It is really something to look at! Respecting the temple is the first thing to remember because you don't know who is watching. It was interesting that I took off my shoes and put them on a shelve with a bunch of other shoes, but no one else was inside. I walked around and looked at the different statues. I read some of the stories. I did take some pictures which I wasn't sure was okay or not. The one Buddha that called to me was the one with the many arms. I felt like him the past few months, doing way too much and juggle more things than I probably could handle. I knelt, lit an incense and said a little prayer. Hopefully He heard me. I also gave a money offering, which you should always do. Definitely worth coming to. Next time I'll spend more time meditating. 谢谢!

    Photos
    Chinese Buddhist Association of Hawaii Hsu Yun Temple - 5/24/25

    5/24/25

    Chinese Buddhist Association of Hawaii Hsu Yun Temple
    Chinese Buddhist Association of Hawaii Hsu Yun Temple

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    Izumo Taishakyo Mission - View of Izumo Taishakyo Mission of Hawaii

    Izumo Taishakyo Mission

    4.5(46 reviews)
    3.1 miKalihi

    Ring in the New Year with a visit to Izumo Mission in Honolulu. Visiting Izumo Shrine on New Year's…read moreDay has been a personal tradition of mine for many years. After watching the first sunrise of the year, I make my way here to begin the year with gratitude, reflection, and hope for what lies ahead. Each visit, I receive omamori for traffic safety and good fortune, along with a lucky arrow for protection and continued blessings throughout the year. The shrine feels especially meaningful on New Year's Day, filled with a quiet sense of reverence mixed with shared optimism from the community. Even with the crowds, the experience remains calm and grounding. If you plan to visit on New Year's Day, it's best to arrive early, as it can become quite busy later in the day. It's a meaningful and time-honored way to welcome the New Year and carry on a tradition that connects reflection, intention, and good fortune.

    明けましておめでとうございます!…read more Happy New Year as we welcome the year of the horse it's 2026 and I couldn't think of a better place to be right as it hits midnight as this temple has been a long tradition to start the year right. As this shrine dresses up for the occasion many gather here for various reasons whether it's to pray for good fortune, health and happiness, you start with a purification wash first to then make your way up to right the priests and wring the giant bell to follow with the ritual for your offering and prayer which they will help you and once done make your way down for your amazake and purchase your omamori after you rid of your previous years charms. It feels great to start the year right and be grateful for what I've received and to pray for a fabulous year ahead. どうもありがとうございます!m(_ _)m

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    Izumo Taishakyo Mission
    Izumo Taishakyo Mission
    Izumo Taishakyo Mission

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    Koganji Temple - buddhist_temples - Updated May 2026

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