Byodo-In Temple — Attraction in Oʻahu

The Temple is absolutely gorgeous! It is truly a must see!

Unfortunately, we had a very volatile interaction with a parking attendant at the Temple. We parked in an open parking spot (no cones, flags, etc telling us we could not park there), the parking attendant banged on our window aggressively and rudely demanded we move to another spot. I told the parking attendant I would move, just let me get my son (who has a disability) out of the car (we had a handicap tag). He did not reply and proceeded to stand over me aggressively as I took my child out of his car seat. I then moved the vehicle with no further interaction with the attendant.

Upon paying at the pay booth and walking towards the temple, the parking attendant began loud talking my family using racial slurs and inappropriate language. I turned around and asked him what he said (my one regret) and he proceeded to get face to face with me in an aggressive manner. I then calmly asked the pay attendant to please get me a supervisor….the parking attendant proceeded to take off his mic and ear piece and posture as if he wanted to fight me and told me if I wanted a supervisor, I can go to the entrance right now instead of see the Temple. My wife asked the attendant to please quit yelling because of my son’s disability. He ignored her request. It was an explosive situation that is truly unbelievable. Any other employee would have been immediately fired for a situation like this.

I proceeded to the booth at the entrance and spoke with the supervisor “Scott” about the incident. He was polite to me, heard the full story, and apologized. Scott recorded my name and number and assured me he would follow back with me about the incident. Unfortunately, Scott did not honor his promise to me. To date, I have not heard from him……

Extremely disturbing...

One of my favorite places on the Windward side, Hawaii's Byodo-In is a smaller version of the much larger one in Japan. It's located in the back of Valley of the Temples (before the Ocean View Terrace a.k.a. the "heart") and opens at 8:30 everyday. I like to stop by the temple when I'm on my weekly exercise run. I go from my house by Haleiwa Joe's to the back of Temple Valley then back home taking a break in the middle at Byodo-In. When I start hearing the bell, I know I'm about half-way finished.

Admission is $5 but there's discount for kama'aina. Both admission and the gift shop are cash-less so pay by card or by app. It's a very popular place for visitors so I like to go in the mornings before there's a lot of people. They have a small parking lot and it fills up pretty quickly especially with buses.

Once inside, you can ring the bon-sho bell, walk the temple grounds and go in the hall to see the Buddha (remember to take off your shoes first!) At the gift shop you can buy various souvenirs, snacks and small things. Even fish food if you want to feed the koi fish. I usually buy a little omikuji fortune and open it by the pond.

I've seen some comments about staff being rude to some people but in all my visits there, I've always been welcomed and greeted warmly. Remember, that it is a religious site and a certain level of respect goes with that. It's also visited by many, many people from all over and a lot of work also goes into keeping the area maintained and the grounds clean.

I've always enjoyed my stops at Byodo-In so if you have a little time on your hands and you're in Kaneohe, I'd...

Nestled amidst the lush windward landscape, the Byodo-In Temple stands as an oasis, a replica of the 950-year-old Byodoin Temple in Uji, Japan. Yet, unlike the quietude of its ancient counterpart, this temple hums with the energy of its numerous visitors.

As I walked through the verdant gardens, the air was vibrant with the mingling scents of tropical flowers and the earthy musk of the pond's koi and black swan. The fiery red of the temple's intricate structure reflected in the calm pond, the golden hues of the Buddha statue casting a warm glow, and the verdant green of the trees whispering stories of old.

However, tranquility was often overpowered by the cacophony of the crowd. The temple bell, intended for a soft call to mindfulness, rang out with a fervor that bordered on the theatrical, as if announcing the start of a circus show. It's a jarring contrast to the intended peace, transforming what should be a meditative experience into a spectacle of sorts.

Despite the din, there were moments of serenity to be found. In a quiet corner, omikuji fortunes fluttered in the wind, tied to the branches of a sacred tree, their silent prayers undisturbed. A cat basked in a patch of sunlight, a living embodiment of contentment amidst the chaos.

In these pockets of calm, the true spirit of Byodo-In could be felt. It's a place that beckons the soul to seek stillness, even when the world around is anything but. And so, my review is twofold: come for the beauty, the culture, and the history, but be prepared for the crowds that turn solitude...