Berkeley Higashi Honganji Temple

Berkeley Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple was established in 1926 by Japanese immigrants. The current temple building was constructed in the late 1930s and the classrooms and social hall were built in the 1960s. Our temple celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2016. Today our Sangha welcomes people from all walks of life.

Some Major Dates in Temple History:
• 500 BCE (circa) Shakyamuni Buddha taught Buddha Dharma.
• 1173 AD Shinran Shonin was born.
• 1450 Rennyo Shonin revitalized the Honganji temple.
• 1926 Berkeley Higashi Honganji was founded.
• 1938 Oregon Street temple construction.
• 1942-45 Temple closed during World War II.
• 1965 Ohtani Hall was built.

Berkeley Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple is affiliated with the Higashi Honganji temple in Kyoto, Japan, which is also called Shinshu Hombyo and is headquarters of the Shinshu Otani-ha denomination of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. The main temple traces its roots back nearly 750 years. At that time, Shinran Shonin began propagating a form of Buddhism that was accessible to all people, especially those for whom the traditional path of Buddhist monastic life was impossible to follow. Today, Jodo Shinshu is the biggest sect of Buddhism in Japan. About 400 years ago, the Honganji organization split into two separate organizations, which became known as Higashi (East) Honganji and Nishi (West) Honganji.

Today, Higashi Honganji temples are located in Japan, Brazil, Hawaii and in the continental United States. Berkeley is part of the Higashi Honganji North America District, which includes other California temples in Los Angeles, Newport Beach and West Covina. In addition, there are five Higashi Honganji temples in Hawaii.

For more information: HigashiHonganjiUSA.org