2011 65th Annual Monterey Peninsula Buddhist Temple Obon Festival (Sun) [Confirmed]NEW

The Buddhist Temple of the Monterey Peninsula hosts the 65th annual Obon Festival, Sunday, July 10, 2011.  The Festival will take place at the Temple, 1155 Noche Buena Street in Seaside, California. Hours are noon – 7:00pm.  Featured at the Festival are Japanese foods, entertainment, ikebana and bonsai exhibits, games for children, and Japanese goods and crafts for sale.  Food choices include tempura prepared by chefs from local Japanese restaurants, sushi, beef and chicken teriyaki, udon, yakisoba (fried noodles), kushi katsu (fried pork), gyoza, lumpia, kuri manju (pastry with sweet lima bean filling), and shaved ice.  Day-long entertainment features martial arts demonstrations, tea ceremony, Japanese dancers, and Taiko drumming. 

In the evening, the colorful Obon Odori, or community Japanese folk dancing, takes place. The day wraps up with a raffle drawing and a grand prize of $1,500. Half of the proceeds from the raffle will be donated to Japan relief efforts. As another Japan relief fundraiser, Shorinji Kempo will donate all proceeds from their "kick-athon" booth – festival-goers can pay a donation, learn to kick in the Shorinji Kempo martial arts style, and then kick a mitt for  a minute.

The Obon Festival is a free event, donations accepted.  Parking is available across the street from the Temple.  

Date
July 10, 2011 - Sunday

Time
12:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Obon Odori Dance
6:00 pm Start

Schedule of Events
12:00 Noon   Opening Ceremony with Shinsho Mugen Daiko, Monterey               
All Afternoon    Ikebana and Bonsai Displays                  
12:30 pm        Monterey Bonsai Group
1:00 pm          Shorinji Kempo
1:30 pm          Ohara School Ikebana
1:30 pm          Tea Ceremony         
2:00 pm          Brief Introduction to Buddhism by Rev. Jay Shinseki  
2:00 pm          Aikido of Monterey                                      
2:30 pm          Seibukan Jujutsu
3:00 pm          Yosokan Dojo
3:30 pm          Bando-Mitsuhiro Kai (Buyo Japanese Dance)
3:30pm           Tea Ceremony
4:00 pm          Salinas Kendo Dojo           
4:30 pm          Royal Court 2011, Story of the Pacific Grove Feast of Lanterns
5:00 pm          Shinsho Mugen Daiko (Taiko)
5:30 pm          Obon Service, Rev. Jay Shinseki officiating
6:00 pm          Obon Odori Dance
6:30 pm          Raffle Drawing        

Obon 2011 Dance Practice Schedule
7:30 - 8:30pm at the Temple Social Hall, Tuesdays and Thursdays
June 7 & 9
June 14 & 16
June 21 & 23
June 28 & 30

The Obon festival is a Buddhist tradition to celebrate, remember and express gratitude to all family members who have died.  The Obon festival has been celebrated in Japan since 657 AD.  The first Obon in the United States was held in Hawaii in 1910; festivals on the mainland began about 20 years later.  2011 marks the 65th year of the Obon Festival on the Monterey Peninsula.

The first Monterey Obon Festival was held on August 25, 1947 at the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Hall in Monterey, home to the Temple then. In 1963, the event was moved to the Monterey County Fairgrounds where it was held for 30 years.  The Obon Festival returned to the Temple, now in Seaside, in 1993.  3,000 to 5,000 people from across the Monterey Peninsula and beyond attend each year.

Questions/comments can be emailed to obonfest@gmail.com.

If you are interested in volunteering for the Obon Festival, please contact Kristen Yamamoto at obonfest@gmail.com.  Call 831-372-8181 for more information.

Title
2011 Monterey Peninsula Buddhist Temple Obon Festival (Sun only)

Locaction
Monterey Peninsula Buddhist Temple, 1155 Noche Buena St., Seaside, CA 93955

2011 Japanese Obon Festival & Bon Odori Schedule
http://www.japanese-city.com/obon