WAIMEA — Freckie Okada, at 97 years young, took her position in the rotation of bon dance taiko players on Saturday night that opened with a clear sunset blowing away the rains that plagued the Kapa‘a Hongwanji Mission bon dance on Friday night.
As the music announcing the moon coming out pulled in a large field of bon dance participants, Okada started tromping at the o-daiko, or large taiko housed in the yagura. She said taiko must be the secret to vitality and long life as she has not missed a bon dance since the first of six bon dances on the Kaua‘i Buddhist Council calendar started.
“There’re too many drummers, tonight,” she said, relegating her spot to the next drummer in the rotation. “I’m going to sit down, now. Too long to wait.”
Okada and the rest of the bon dance taiko players will be back Friday night at the Waimea Shingon Mission, tucked away at the base of the cliffs in Waimea Valley. This weekend, Aug. 2 and 3, is the last of the Kaua‘i Buddhist Council’s bon dances for 2024.
Stacie Chiba-Miguel, a regional manager for A&B Hawai‘i, said she’ll be there as well since her aunt, Susan Brooks, volunteered the family to run the two-day event.
“Chiba Grandpa is no longer with us,” Chiba-Miguel said. “This event was always his baby, and he worked really hard. My aunt said she took this over because she knew how much it meant to Grandpa Chiba, and she doesn’t want to see this legacy die.”
Sandie Kato-Klutke, limiting herself to the Friday night at Kapa‘a because of the rains, said she’s planning on getting out to the Waimea Shingon Mission bon dance because Michiko, the missus of Rev. Kohtoku Hirao is a really good cook of Indian food.
“They always have good food,” Kato-Klutke said. “It’s worth the drive, just for the food.”
On the menu for the two days are Flying Saucers, andagi, anda-dawg, or Pronto Pup, a nishime plate, a roast pork plate, bento, maze sushi, cone sushi, UFO, curry and rice bowl, yakitori, pickled mango and shaved ice. Food sales start at 4:30 p.m. on both nights.
Rev. Hirao said he is supposed to go to Maui over the weekend to participate in a one-year anniversary service for the Lahaina wildfires that destroyed the Shingon temple in Lahaina. But he should be back to participate in the prayer service that starts at 6 p.m. before dancing starts at 7:30 p.m.
Intermission presentations include the Taiko Kaua‘i and a special dance performance by the Shingon Mission on Friday. On Saturday, the Tsunami Taiko, coming off a strong showing during the Koloa Plantation Days park celebration, and the Men of the Koi Dynasty who are celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, will take over intermission.
The Waimea Shingon Mission, the Odaishisan of Kaua‘i, hosts a service on the second Sunday starting at 9 a.m.
The church also hosts full moon medidation on every full moon with the exception of June and July, and a Goma Fire Ritual on the fourth Sunday starting at 7 a.m.
Waimea Shingon Mission also hosts the replica Shikoku pilgrimage route consisting of concrete monuments cast in the shape of artillery shells. These were made in 1945 by members and Gold Star Mothers to commemorate those who had lost their lives in the war.
For more information, visit the website at waimeashingon.mystrikingly.com or call 808-338-1854.
