Izumo Taishakyo Mission of Hawaii

Hawaii has a lot more Japanese than we thought, and it feels more Chinese. There are Japanese shrines, shopping malls and Japanese restaurants, and you seem to be turning in a mini Japan.

It’s one of several real shinto temples that are rare to see in the United States, although in Hawaii it’s a great experience. Not only can you see the temple, but you can also participate in rituals such as cleansing, wishing, ringing bells and others. This was one of the highlights of our last trip to Hawaii. We walked here from downtown and Chinatown, a fun and enjoyable journey to explore this part of Honolulu, really away from the tourist routes, away from the crowds of Waikiki and so on.

Izumo-dasha Hawaii first attracted my attention because of its unique and beautiful bird residence. The main symbol of the shrine in Japan is the bird residence. Bird dwellings are almost everywhere on Japanese islands, so when I saw them on Oahu I knew that this was no doubt a Japanese shrine.

As one of the two most famous shrines in Japan, the Ayun Shrine in Hawaii is located in the temple valley, much smaller than that in Japan. It is a reflection of the deep influence of Japanese culture on Hawaii.

It imitates Japanese architecture. Located in the Temple Valley, the shrine is much smaller than Japan's, reflecting Hawaii's deep influence on Japanese culture.