Tucked away at the very back corner of the Valley of the Temples cemetery is the Byodo-In
Buddhist temple. A non-practicing temple, it is open to the public to visit and enjoy the beauty of
the area and the serenity of the grounds themselves.
Buddhist temple. A non-practicing temple, it is open to the public to visit and enjoy the beauty of
the area and the serenity of the grounds themselves.
Built in the late 1960s, this temple is a small-scale replica of the 950-yr-old World Heritage Site
by the same name in Uji, Japan. The temple complex includes what is believed to be the largest
statue of Buddha carved outside of Japan, a 5-foot high 3-ton Bon-sho bell that visitors can ring,
hundreds of Japanese koi, several peacocks, a pair of black swans, and a small tea shop-turned-
gift shop that sells all kinds of small trinkets and treasures.
This is one of my favorite locations on Oahu. The quiet peace of that sacred place penetrates
the soul and calms a troubled heart. Regardless of where you come from or what religion you
profess, this is a spiritual oasis tucked away among the misty mountains.
To get there, take Kamehameha Highway south and turn right at the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park across from McDonalds. Follow the road straight, all the way to the back of the park and park in the parking lot there. Open from 9am to 5pm every day and costing $3 per adult and
$1 per child (cash only), the Byodo-In temple is one of the best kept secrets of Oahu. I highly
recommend it to anyone wanting to get off campus but not to somewhere busy or crowded. One
thing that is a must to bring is mosquito repellant otherwise you’ll get eaten alive (especially the
palangis) but the only other thing I would recommend bringing is maybe some bread to feed the
birds right out of your hand.
For more information about the temple, go to byodo-in.com.
by the same name in Uji, Japan. The temple complex includes what is believed to be the largest
statue of Buddha carved outside of Japan, a 5-foot high 3-ton Bon-sho bell that visitors can ring,
hundreds of Japanese koi, several peacocks, a pair of black swans, and a small tea shop-turned-
gift shop that sells all kinds of small trinkets and treasures.
This is one of my favorite locations on Oahu. The quiet peace of that sacred place penetrates
the soul and calms a troubled heart. Regardless of where you come from or what religion you
profess, this is a spiritual oasis tucked away among the misty mountains.
To get there, take Kamehameha Highway south and turn right at the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park across from McDonalds. Follow the road straight, all the way to the back of the park and park in the parking lot there. Open from 9am to 5pm every day and costing $3 per adult and
$1 per child (cash only), the Byodo-In temple is one of the best kept secrets of Oahu. I highly
recommend it to anyone wanting to get off campus but not to somewhere busy or crowded. One
thing that is a must to bring is mosquito repellant otherwise you’ll get eaten alive (especially the
palangis) but the only other thing I would recommend bringing is maybe some bread to feed the
birds right out of your hand.
For more information about the temple, go to byodo-in.com.
By Mermaid on Land <:))><