At the Hakalau Jodo Mission

Buddhist Services 

  • Sunday, March 9, 1 p.m., Spring Higane-E: Higan-E takes place twice a year, at the time of the spring and autumn equinox. Higan means "the other shore", that is the other shore of enlightenment which contrasts this worldly shore of birth and death. It is a ceremony to honor ancestors and to chant the nembutsu.
  • Sunday, April 13, 1 p.m., Hanamatsuri: Buddha’s Birthday--It is said that when Shakyamuni was born, birds sang, flowers bloomed, and two elephants poured sweet dew for bathing Shakyamuni. At the service, members pray by pouring sweet tea over the statue of Shakyamuni placed in a miniature flower garden of Lumbini. Shakyamuni's right hand points to heaven and left hand to earth. This is a service of remembrance and celebration.
  • Saturday, May 24, 10 a.m., Memorial Day Service: The Memorial Day Service is one of our commitments to the greater Hakalau Community. It takes place in front of a monument honoring the boys and young men from this area that died in World Wars I and II, Korea, and Vietnam. This service is a Buddhist service of remembrance and there is also a veteran speaker. This is followed at the Hakalau Jodo Mission with an “All American” lunch.​
  • There will be no services in June or July.
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2024 Memorial Day Service

Classes, Workshops, Presentations, and Exhibits

Bonsai Workshop

Bonsai enthusiast Phil Hulbert conducts this monthly workshop with the following objectives:
  • To offer residents living north of Hilo, the opportunity to learn and practice Bonsai, the Japanese art of growing and shaping miniature trees in containers.
  • To offer participants the opportunity to share their skills and knowledge of Bonsai and figure out how we can help each other.
  • To create a group of enthusiasts in support of perfecting this art form.
We welcome all levels of experience and knowledge, from no knowledge to avid practitioner.
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ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUESTED.
IF YOU HAVE THEM, PLEASE BRING TOOLS AND TREES TO WORK ON.
Place: Hakalau Jodo Mission Dining Room
Dates:    2nd Saturday of the Month
Time:      12:30 - 3:30 p.m.
​Cost:       THIS WORKSHOP IS FREE 
CONTACT PHIL HULBERT to register or request more information: TEXT  to (360) 791-8091 EMAIL  [email protected]

Tai Chi

Calm the Mind
Strengthen the Body
​Activate Internal Energy
Our instructor, Sifu Slade Shim, began his practice of Traditional Yang Style Tajiquan under Peter Tam Hoy in 1991. He will teach us the discipline and the forms of this centuries old practice.
In advance of your first class, please: Day:     Wednesdays
Time:    8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Cost:    $15 per session, or $12 per session if the entire month is paid for in advance.
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Bring water and a hat. Some of the practice may be outside.

​Practice Yoga

“Practice means choosing, applying the effort, and doing those actions that bring a stable a tranquil state…When this practice is done for a long time, and with sincere devotion, then the practice becomes a firmly rooted, stable and solid foundation.”     Yoga Sutras 1.13-14
Props are available to borrow.​ If using your own props,  bring a  mat, strap, 2 blankets, 2 blocks.  
​Contact Alison Simpson at 808-825-7856 or [email protected].  ​
Classes focus on safe and active stretching and lengthening of muscles to improve flexibility as well as increasing range of motion throughout the body. Classes are suitable for beginners and for all degrees of flexibility.  
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​Instructor Alison Simpson is a graduate Purna Yoga College at the 200 Hour Foundation Level. In January 2020 she completed training with Jennifer Weinert of Purna Yoga Hilo and has studied with Jennifer for three years. She is certified with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200).

Days and Times: 
                   Tuesdays and Fridays, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
                   Thursdays, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Cost:    $10 per class, cash or check, paid onsite​

Yoga in the Motonaga Garage Gallery
​at Akiko’s B& B

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Photo courtesy of Susan Forbes
Days:         Mondays and Thursdays
Time:          6:10 - 7:45 p.m. (Arrive 6 p.m.)
Cost:          $10
Leader:      Maddy Asta
Place:        Akiko's Buddhist Bed and Breakfast
Text Maddy to attend: 808-825-1720
Class size: 11 limit
Mats, blocks, bolsters, blanket, straps provided.
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Hakalau Farmers Market

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Hooray for Dimitri, the new president of the Hakalau Farmers Market & FoodShare!
Slow down and enjoy your neighbors at our Market. 
​See you Tuesday! 

Date:     Tuesday afternoons
Time:      3:00 - 5:00 pm
Place:    Hakalau Veterans Park 

​Find fresh produce, local arts and crafts, and delicious ready-to-eat foods from your neighbors. There's always something new to discover at our Market!

​If you don't want to attend the market but still would like to support our farmers and get the best produce available anywhere, you are in luck! Subscribe to the Market's newsletter to find out which farmers are continuing to provide produce and other products. 


​Community Service

We continue to work together,  2nd and 4th Sundays of each month : 2nd Sunday, Hakalau School Green Team, 4th Sunday, Cemetery Stewards. honoring our commitments and vows to be of service.  A work menu with specific tasks is assigned to each participant, and Thai lunch is when work is “pau”, as we offer our prayers of gratitude and share food together.

Reviving Hakalau School

Our vision is the creation of the Hakalau Learning Center. 
Contact Akiko Masuda at [email protected] to sign up to work.Need a head count for lunch.  Luckana, Im, Ubon and Dao, our Thai angels, prepare extraordinary food, made with aloha and caring.​
Date:  Second Sunday of the Month:                  
​             March 9, 2025
             April 13, 2025
             May 11, 2025​​
​Time:  9:30 a.m. - Noon
Place: Hakalau School
Attire: Come dressed, fully covered, gloves and hat. 
​Bring Tools:  Weed whackers, rakes, lawn mowers, machetes, scythes, pruners, etc. Unload your tools at Hakalau School and then park at the Hakalau Park. Be ready to work!!!
BRING WATER! ENJOY LUNCH! ​
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Photo of Hakalau School after the Green Team labored.
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2nd Sunday Green Team, December 10, 2023. Photo courtesy of Easten Tanimoto.

Cemetery Stewardship

Our vision is legislation to prevent  the bulldozing & building upon the graves of immigrants...AND to have these cemeteries maintained by the closest nearby community.
We clean 2 cemeteries each month: O’okala and Kukuihaele.

Times vary slightly month to month, depending on which cemetery needs more work Akiko will share this information with you.

Date:    Fourth Sunday of the Month: 
              March 23, 2025
              April 27, 2025
              May 25, 2025
Time:    9:30 a.m. Meet at 30 Mile Marker, Hwy 19, 
              O'okala Cemetery, gravel parking area.
             9:45 a.m. pule
             10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
                  Group 1: O’okala Cemetery (Akiko)
                  Group 2: Kukuihaele  (Marcus & Shigeko) 
             NOON -  All gather for Lunch at O’okala.
​Let Akiko know if you are coming. Need head count for lunch: [email protected]

If you are coming, we ask that you commit to stay the entire time.
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Cemetery stewards at Kukuihaele
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O`okala, photo courtesy of Easten Tanimoto.
For the Hakalau Kuleana, our responsibility is to care for the land, the people, and the culture. We are guided by cultural values of YESTERDAY: Engage in collective effort. Look out for each other. Honor hard work. Show respect for those who came before us. Aloha and Mālama `Aina. In 2021, Akiko Masuda added two more values to the list: Consistently show up. Whatever has to be done, jump in and do it!