Last month I had the opportunity to travel with Rev. Takashi Miyaji of the Southern Alameda County Buddhist Temple and several members of the San Mateo Buddhist Temple on the Bay District Pilgrimmage Tour to attend the 17th World Buddhist Women’s Convention, held in conjunction with the Joint Service Celebrating the 850th Anniversary of Shinran Shonin’s Birth and the 800th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Jodo Shinshu Teaching, followed by an excursion to sacred sites related to hidden Nembutsu practice in the Kagoshima region. A pilgrimmage tour differs from ordinary tourism, in that the sites we visit are connected to the transmission of the Buddha’s teachings and the Nembutsu, and therefore provide us with a precious opportunity to reflect on the causes and conditions that have supported our lives up to this moment and guide us to clarify the direction of our lives moving forward.
Continue reading “Impressions from the Pilgrimmage Tour”Life of Shinran
Ho’onko Memorial Service for Shinran Shonin 報恩講法要
January 22, 2023

Guest Speaker
Rev. Takashi Miyaji
御講師
宮地 崇 師
Resident Minister
Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church
H.E. Kosho Ohtani Professor of Shin Buddhist Studies
Institute of Buddhist Studies
We invite you to join us in person or from the safety and comfort of your own home via Zoom Meeting for our for our annual Ho’onko Memorial Service for Shinran Shonin on Sunday, January 22, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.
This service will also include the Installation of Officers for the temple Board of Trustees led by incoming Temple President David Chin and the Buddhist Women’s Association led by Co-Presidents Grace Kanomata and Doris Murai.
Schedule
8:30 a.m. Shoshinge Gyōfu Chanting
9:00 a.m. Mindfulness Meditation
9:30 a.m. Ho’onko Service
English Language Dharma Talk by Rev. Takashi Miyaji
Installation of Officers for the SMBT Board of Trustees
Installation of Officers for Buddhist Women’s Association
10:45 a.m. 日本語法話 宮地 崇 師
Japanese Language Dharma Talk by Rev. Dr. Takashi Miyaji
To join us for this online Service, CLICK HERE to sign up for “Live Broadcast of Services”.
自宅からご参拝されたい方はここにクリックして、”Live Broadcast of Services”に登録してください。
Ho’onko Memorial Service for Shinran Shonin 報恩講法要
January 16, 2022

Guest Speaker
Rev. Akinori Imai
御講師
今井亮徳師
Bishop Emeritus
Higashi Honganji North America and Hawaii Districts
Minister Emeritus
Berkeley Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple
Under these extraordinary circumstances, we invite you to join us from the safety and comfort of your own home for an online Ho’onko Memorial Service for Shinran Shonin via the Zoom Meeting internet program on Sunday, January 16, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. Please do not come to the temple in person.
This service will also include the Installation of Officers for the temple Board of Trustees led by incoming Temple President David Chin and the Buddhist Women’s Association led by Co-Presidents Grace Kanomata and Doris Murai.
Schedule
8:30 a.m. Shoshinge Gyōfu Chanting
9:00 a.m. Hula
9:30 a.m. Ho’onko Service
English Language Dharma Talk by Rev. Akinori Imai
Installation of Officers for the SMBT Board of Trustees
Installation of Officers for Buddhist Women’s Association
10:45 a.m. 日本語法話 今井亮徳師
Japanese Language Dharma Talk by Rev. Akinori Imai
To join us for this online Service, CLICK HERE to sign up for “Live Broadcast of Services”.
現在感染が拡大している新型コロナウイルス感染を防ぐため、サンマテオ仏教会本堂内に集まることはできませんが、2022年1月16日の9時30分から報恩講法要をインターネットと電話でライブ中継をする予定です。
自宅からご参拝されたい方はここにクリックして、”Live Broadcast of Services”に登録してください。
Rev. CJ Dunford’s Ohigan Spring Equinox Dharma Talk
Rev. Dunford shares their reflections on how Shinran Shonin’s Nembutsu teaching challenged the structures of oppression in 13th century Japan, and the inspiration we can find in the Nembutsu as we endeavor to reflect the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha in midst of our own troubled times.
Ho’onko Memorial Service for Shinran Shonin 報恩講法要
January 10, 2021
Guest Speaker (English)
Rev. Patricia Kanaya Usuki
Minister Emeritus
San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple

日本語の御講師
ワンドラ睦先生
オレンジ群仏教会
Rev. Dr. Mutsumi Wondra
Orange County Buddhist Church

Under these extraordinary circumstances, we invite you to join us from the safety and comfort of your own home for an online Ho’onko Memorial Service for Shinran Shonin via the Zoom Meeting internet program on Sunday, January 10, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. Please do not come to the temple in person.
This service will also include the Installation of Officers for the temple Board of Trustees led by incoming Temple President David Chin and the Buddhist Women’s Association led by Co-Presidents Grace Kanomata and Doris Murai.
Schedule
8:30 a.m. Shoshinge Gyōfu Chanting
9:00 a.m. Taiso Morning Exercise with instructor Juliet Bost
9:30 a.m. Ho’onko Service
English Language Dharma Talk by Rev. Patricia Kanaya Usuki
Installation of Officers for the SMBT Board of Trustees
Installation of Officers for Buddhist Women’s Association
10:45 a.m. 日本語法話 ワンドラ睦先生
Japanese Language Dharma Talk by Rev. Dr. Mutsumi Wondra
To join us for this online Service, CLICK HERE to sign up for “Live Broadcast of Services”.
現在感染が拡大している新型コロナウイルス感染を防ぐため、サンマテオ仏教会本堂内に集まることはできませんが、2021年1月10日の9時30分から報恩講法要をインターネットと電話でライブ中継をする予定です。
自宅からご参拝されたい方はここにクリックして、”Live Broadcast of Services”に登録してください。