Kauai Celebrates Birth of Buddha This Sunday

Annual Hanamatsuri service to be held at West Kauai Hongwanji Mission Hanapepe Temple.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 10:05am

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A dreamy, impressionistic photograph showing the soft, blurred outlines of a Buddhist temple surrounded by lush, tropical greenery, conceptually representing the peaceful, spiritual atmosphere of the Hanamatsuri celebration.The annual Hanamatsuri celebration on Kauai brings the island's Buddhist community together to honor the birth of the Buddha through serene, nature-inspired rituals.Lihue Today

The Kauai Buddhist Council is hosting its annual Hanamatsuri, or birth of the Buddha, service this Sunday at the West Kauai Hongwanji Mission Hanapepe Temple. The public is warmly invited to attend the 9:30 a.m. service, which will feature a flower shrine, a statuette of the infant Buddha, and a Dharma message delivered by Rev. Yuika Hasebe, the chief minister of Hawaii Betsuin in Honolulu.

Why it matters

The Hanamatsuri celebration is a significant annual event for the Buddhist community on Kauai, marking the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as the Buddha. The service and rituals are a way for the community to come together and honor this important spiritual figure.

The details

During the Hanamatsuri service, a flower shrine known as a hanamido is set up in front of the temple's main altar, symbolizing the Lumbini Garden in Nepal where the Buddha was born. Inside the shrine, a statuette of the infant Buddha is placed, and the Sangha, or Buddhist community, offers flowers, prayer, and pours sweet tea over the statuette in a ritual known as 'kambatsu,' reenacting the gentle rain that fell at the Buddha's birth.

  • The Hanamatsuri service will take place this Sunday, April 13, 2026 at 9:30 a.m.

The players

Kauai Buddhist Council

An organization that includes many of the Buddhist temples and places of Buddhist study on the island of Kauai, and presents the annual bon dance calendar.

West Kauai Hongwanji Mission Hanapepe Temple

The location where the Hanamatsuri service will be held.

Rev. Yuika Hasebe

The chief minister, or rimban, of Hawaii Betsuin in Honolulu, who will be delivering the Dharma message at the Hanamatsuri service.

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The takeaway

The Hanamatsuri celebration on Kauai is a longstanding tradition that brings the Buddhist community together to honor the birth of the Buddha through meaningful rituals and teachings. It serves as an important cultural and spiritual event for the island.