Festivals

MILL VALLEY — Marin Buddhist Temple’s 42nd annual Obon Festival will be held on Sunday, June 22.

The schedule of events is as follows.

10 a.m.: Bento sales

12 to 6 p.m.: Dinner service (chicken teriyaki fresh from the grill)

1 p.m.: Ikebana demonstration by instructors Kinsui Saiki and Julie Nakatani

1:45 p.m.: Buddhist calligraphy by Rev. Ronald Nakasone

2:45 p.m.: Japanese classical dance by Mishibana Kai under the direction of Yoshiko Fujimoto

3:30 p.m.: Bay Marin Aikido, led by Hans Goto

4:15 p.m.: Gen Taiko, led by Melody Takata

5 p.m.: Music by the Chidori Band from San Jose

6:30 p.m.: Obon Odori, led by instructors Chizuko Shiro and Yoshiko Fujimoto

The bazaar will feature chicken teriyaki, salad, chirashi sushi, hot dogs, grilled vegetables and ethnic desserts. There will also be games for children and adults.

Ikebana and bonsai by temple members will be displayed, and handmade crafts will be for sale.

Obon dance practices will be held on Tuesday, June 17, and Thursday, June 19, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 15, at 1 p.m. at the temple.

The temple is located at 390 Miller Ave. in Mill Valley. For more information, call (415) 388-1173.

SAN JOSE — The San Jose JACL announced that its second Children’s Day event will be held at the Issei Memorial Building, 565 N. 5th St. near Jackson in San Jose’s Japantown, on Friday, June 27, from 12 noon to 2 p.m.

Children and their families are invited to come and enjoy the backyard garden setting of the Issei Memorial Building. Originally known as the Kuwabara Hospital, the building has been home to many people, businesses and community organizations over the years. The San Jose JACL will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the building in 2010.

Lunch, beverages, snacks and dessert will be provided by San Jose JACL. There will be Japanese-inspired crafts and activities, as well as prizes for the kids and information about the San Jose JACL, including chapter events, scholarships, community service, and membership.

The highlight for the afternoon will be a drawing for the Stay at Home Fundraiser. No purchase is necessary to attend.

Last year’s event drew over 80 community members. San Jose JACL volunteer Lisa Kobayashi said, “We are pleased that so many people attended last year, and we would love to have as many or more people join us this year for Children’s Day. The Issei Memorial Building is a treasure in Japantown, and we want to share it with some of the younger community members.

“Many of the old-timers know its history, but some of the younger people do not even know it exists. With the 100th anniversary of the building approaching next year, it is our goal to heighten awareness of the building and its place in San Jose Japantown history.”

To RSVP with the number of adults and children attending, or for more information, call Kobayashi at (408) 254-9487 or 910-5170, or e-mail kobayashi@netzero.net. More information on the chapter is available at www.sanjosejacl.org.

LODI — Buddhist Church of Lodi, located at 23 N. Stockton St., will hold its annual Obon Bazaar on Saturday and Sunday, June 28-29.

Japanese food will be sold both days from 12 noon to 8 p.m.

The schedule of events is as follows.

Saturday, June 28

Lecture on "Buddhist Culture" from 1 to 2 p.m.

Entertainment in JACL Hall from 3 to 5:45 p.m. (koto by Mikami Kai at 3 p.m., tea ceremony by Mikami Kai at 3:30 p.m., minyo by Miyuki Kai at 4 p.m., martial arts demonstration by Pacific Judo at 4:30 p.m., classical dancing by Hanayagi Kai at 5 p.m.).

Bingo from 6 to 10 p.m.

Kids' game booths from 6 to 10 p.m.

Sunday, June 29

Bingo from 1 to 7 p.m.

"Introduction to Buddhism" from 2 to 3 p.m.

Obon Odori (traditional festival dancing) from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The public is invited to participate.

Raffle drawing after dancing.

Dance practice will be held on Wednesday, June 18, Friday, June 20, Monday, June 23, and Wednesday, June 25, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

For more information, call (209) 368-5589 or visit http://lodibuddhist.org.

The merchants of San Francisco’s Japantown will be celebrating the Tanabata Festival at the malls adjacent to the Peace Plaza from July 1 until Aug. 31.

Tanabata, meaning “evening of the seventh,” is a summer tradition in Japan where celebrants write wishes or poetry on small pieces of paper and hang them on bamboo plants. This tradition is said to celebrate the tale of two heavenly lovers that can only meet on the evening of the seventh day of the seventh month.

The stores of the Kinokuniya, Kintetsu, and Miyako malls, located on Post Street between Laguna and Fillmore, will be celebrating the festival in unique ways, and visitors are encouraged to come dressed in traditional summer kimonos (yukata). There will be places throughout the malls where visitors can write their own wishes and poetry.

FRESNO — Fresno Betsuin Buddhist Temple, 1340 Kern St. (at E Street), will hold its annual Obon Festival on Saturday, July 12.

The temple will have an open house, including a Q&A session with the ministers, at 2, 4 and 5:30 p.m. and during the Obon Odori intermission.

Exhibits of bonsai, ikebana and Japanese dolls will open at 3 p.m.

The food booths, which also open at 3 p.m., will offer traditional and not-so-traditional dishes, including chicken and beef teriyaki, orange chicken, ribs, somen noodles, tri-tip sandwiches, snow cones, potstickers, korokke (meat/potato dumplings), strawberry shortcake and lumpia (Filipino egg rolls).

Children's carnival games and face-painting begin at 5 p.m.

Fresno Gumyo Taiko will perform at 5 p.m.

Everyone is invited to participate in the Obon Odori, traditional Japanese dancing, at 7:30 p.m.

The temple grounds will be decorated with memorial lanterns, each of which will have the name of a deceased loved one written in both English and Japanese.

For more information about the event and/or the lanterns, call (559) 442-4054, e-mail info@fresnobuddhisttemple.org or visit www.fresnobuddhisttemple.org.

SACRAMENTO — Having fun and learning about a vital social, cultural and religious institution in the Japanese American community is the focus of a youth Obon workshop on Tuesday, July 22, at 6 p.m. at Buddhist Church of Florin, 7235 Pritchard Rd. (off Florin Road and Highway 99) in Sacramento.

Participants will hear about the importance of Obon Odori and get tips on how to do the dances. Refreshments will be served.

The free workshop is open to middle school, high school and college students, young adults and parents. It is sponsored by the Florin Young Buddhist Association (YBA) and Florin JACL Youth Project.

RSVP to Andy Noguchi at (916) 978-6121 or andynoguchi@hotmail.com.

RENO — Reno Howakai will hold its Obon services and Obon Odori on Saturday, July 12, at 1 p.m. at the Knights of Pythias Hall, 980 Nevada St.

Reno Howakai holds services once a month from April to October, except for September, when a food bazaar is held. The supervising minister is Rev. Tesshi Aoyama of Placer Buddhist Church in Penryn.

MARYSVILLE — Marysville Buddhist Church, located at 125 B St., will hold its Obon Festival on Saturday, July 19.

Teriyaki chicken box lunches will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 3 p.m. The cost is $9.

Obon, Hatsubon and July-August Shotsuki (memorial) services will be held at 3:30 p.m. The guest speaker will be Rev. Shousen K. Hanayama of Watsonville Buddhist Temple.

The dining room will open at 5 p.m.

The Obon Odori begins at 7:30 p.m., followed by a performance by Marysville YBA Taiko at 8:30 p.m.

Dance practices will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, July 8, 10, 15 and 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, call (530) 743-6426 or e-mail office@marysvillebc.org.

SAN JOSE — San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin will hold its annual Obon Festival on Saturday and Sunday, July 12-13.

The church is located at 640 N. 5th St. between Jackson and Taylor streets, four blocks east of the Japantown/Ayer light rail station.

On both days, the food booths will open at 12 p.m., and the Buddhist bookstore and game booths at 1 p.m.

Entertainment will be provided by two drumming groups from Southern California. Asayake Taiko from UC San Diego will perform at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. on Sunday. Jodaiko from UC Irvine will perform at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.

There will be Japanese storytelling on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

A talk on “Buddhism 101” will be given at 2 p.m. both days, and bingo begins at 3 p.m. both days.

San Jose Taiko, a fixture at the Obon Festival, will perform at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. San Jose’s Chidori Band will play Japanese songs at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Obon Odori (folk dancing) will take place at 7:45 p.m. on Saturday and 6 p.m. on Sunday with hundreds of dancers participating. The Chidori Band will provide live music.

The festival will conclude with a raffle drawing at 8 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, call the temple office at (408) 293-9292 or visit www.sjbetsuin.com.

OAKLAND — Buddhist Church of Oakland invites everyone to its Obon Festival of Joy and Food Bazaar on Saturday, Aug. 2, starting at 3 p.m.

The festivities will include a display by the Ohara School of Ikebana, teriyaki steak and teriyaki chicken dinners, a tea ceremony demonstration, koto and taiko performances, and music by San Jose’s Chidori Band.

The Bon Odori will start at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to participate in the dancing.

On Sunday, Aug. 3, the Hatsubon service will be held at 9:30 a.m. for those who have lost loved ones in the past year, followed by the regular Obon service at 10:30 a.m.

The church is located at 825 Jackson St. in Oakland’s Chinatown, just two blocks from the Lake Merritt BART station. For more information, call (510) 832-5988.