Takeaways about Higashi Honganji

Higashi Honganji is a temple that is truly welcome to all. While there might not be advertisement to those who are not practitioners of the faith, the doors are open to potential new members or scholars who are curious to learn more.

Our group was graciously met by a class on a Wednesday night that was in the middle of a study group that we sat in on. While the group was learning about Genshin, a famous Buddhist who was scolded for bringing his mother a gift, they paused and took time to explain to us so much about the religion and the culture.

We learned that all Buddhist teachings are translated from Chinese and that Pure Land is synonymous with enlightenment. We received the Tibetan wheel of life, which depicts impermanence and a path to Samsara.

The study group was so willing to share their own personal narratives and paths to and through the faith, and we felt comfortable asking them questions that helped build this project out to what it is. We learned so much about the history of Buddhism and the temple and understand why so many non-traditional practitioners are getting involved in the faith. Even members of the temple who did not come for long periods of time are encouraging their children to because they recognize the good-will of the temple. We also talked with Nicole, a therapist who explained that learning about the Buddha and mindfulness helped encourage her patients to practice deep breathing.

Ultimately, Higashi Honganji is providing a little more headspace for all who attend.

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Research Question #3: How does the Higashi Honganji make Shin Buddhism more appealing in an Americanized society?

As passing generations of Japanese Americans have become more and more Americanized, branch membership at the Higashi Honganji has faced both steady and sharp decline in recent years. To combat this trend, the Higashi Honganji has adopted new services to appeal to the newest generation of Japanese Americans and their families, including several new doctrines and practices which have been frowned upon by a number of Japan’s Buddhist bishops, such as promoting meditation as a means to achieve enlightenment. Despite this disapproval, however, the temple also recognized early on that it could not sustain membership in the long-run and survive on a solely Japanese or Japanese-American base of membership, and has since then tried to offer more services which are likely to be more appealing to Americans of all ages, genders, races, and levels of income. Examples of some services tailored to a more Westernized audience which are unique to the American branch of the Higashi Honganji are: ...

Inside the Temple

Center view of the main hall The interior of the temple is very intricate and composed of several different components that all have deep meaning to Buddhism. Starting with the Hondo, or the main hall, it is composed of two areas which are the Najin(altar) and the Gejin (seating area). The altar in a Jodo Shinshu temple is a symbol of the beauty of the Pure Land, which we learned in our Wednesday night study session at the temple is the world of enlightenment and is filled with ornateness and beauty. Contrastingly, the seating area is plain and deliberately is void of any decoration as it represents the world we live in. Close view of the altar There are also various scrolls in the temple that have a specific meaning. The scroll pictured below shows a phrase that members are encouraged to recite that conveys a spiritual mirror for one's awakening.

Brief Introduction to Shin Buddhism in Japan

Shin Buddhism ( Jōdo Shinshū) is one of four popular schools of Buddhism in Japan. Others include : Pure Land Buddhism (aka Shin Buddhism), Nichiren Buddhism, Shingon Buddhism, and Zen Buddhism. Initially, there was some minor conflict between the two traditions, but both are largely able to co-exist peacefully side by side now. Although 90 million Japanese refer to themselves as Buddhists, few actively practice the religion - this means that Buddhism does not affect their everyday life strongly - rather it acts as a set of guiding principles for how to live life, similar to Confucianism or Taoism. The remainder of the Japanese population identify as either Shinto, Christian, or non-practicing.

REL 141g Fall 2018: Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple

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