Byodo-In Temple; A Unique Buddhist Landmark
Located at the foot of the Ko'olau Mountains in the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, the Byodo-In Temple marks the 100th anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. The temple is surrounded by lush greenery on all sides, making it look like something out of a postcard.
The fresh cool breeze of the Oahu gives you the perfect setting to connect to your spiritual self. Being surrounded by like-minded people, this site welcomes people from all faiths to pray or even meditate and let your worries seep out. Keep reading to find out what is so great about this temple and why we traveled all the way to see it!
Picture Perfect Koi Destination
Situated in a cleft with natural beauty all around, this temple stands in all its glory and is a sight to behold. There are numerous meditation spots and a large reflecting pond with small waterfalls that add to the beauty of this place.
People from all over the world visit the Byodo-In Temple due to its unique and peaceful vibe. It is a non-practicing temple that offers refuge to people from all religious backgrounds. It was also featured among the 20 of the world’s most beautiful Buddhist temples by National Geographic.
Why The Byodo-In Temple?
People from around the globe visit the Byodo-In temple as it does not discriminate based on faith. It has been a popular site for weddings for locals and international travelers who want a destination wedding. Upon arrival, we saw numerous graves; some marked with traditional Japanese tombstones while others marked simply with flowers. The temple now has a mortuary so that you can choose it as the final resting place for your loved ones. Whether it's funeral, cremation, or burial, the Byodo-In temple stands true to its name, Temple of Equality – not to discriminate.
The Meditation Pavilion offers visitors to relax and meditate, connect with their inner self, and release the body and soul tensions. Upon entrance, ringing the bell, or bon-sho, with a wooden log, a shu-moku, is customary, so you have a long and happy life. The sound of the 3-ton bell resonates through the surrounding jungle, perfectly complimenting the backdrop of lush, green mountains with their peaks disappearing in the clouds.
The main thing to see here is the towering 18-foot Buddha statue covered in three layers of gold leaf. Exuding tranquillity and love, this Buddha statue is sure to leave you awestruck and with a sense of peace. It is essential to remove your shoes before entering the temple to respect the religious sentiments of all visitors.
The local gift shop stocks some souvenirs to remind you of the beautiful location. We got bead bracelets, each symbolizing something, such as love, strength, health, peace, etc. You can even buy fish and bird feed. The vibrant Koi fish populate the lakes and ponds surrounding the temple, and you are more than welcome to feed them. There are also the cutest brown birds who are so used to visitors feeding them; they'll eat straight out of your palm!
