Mountain View to Host 58th Annual Obon/Bazaar
Once again, the Mountain View Buddhist Temple will entertain hundreds of visitors to the 58th annual Mid-summer Obon Festival & Bazaar on Saturday, July 17, from 4 to 10 p.m. and on Sunday, July 18, from 12 noon to 8:30 p.m.
“Obon is a time to remember and honor all those who have passed before us, appreciate all that they have done for us—a time for self- reflection, for when we become aware of our imperfections that we can begin to think of others and be awakened to a deeper meaning of Life,” said spokesperson Margaret Abe.
Emcee Mike Inouye, traffic anchor NBC-11 Bay Area News, will introduce the taiko groups opening the festival on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and Jun Daiko at 6:30 p.m.
Japanese and American food will be available for festival goers such as California Roll, nori maki sushi, sushi roll, tempura, teriyaki chicken and beef, udon noodles, unagi donburi, chirashi, age sushi, spam musubi, ohagi, Skewered Teriyaki Beef & Veggie, chicken salad, Polish sausage, corndog, French fries, corn, yaki manju, strawberry shortcake, shaved ice, soft drinks, beer, sake, coffee, tea and water.
Visitors will enjoy exhibits of Ikebana flower arranging, Bonsai miniature trees, Suiseki rocks, Mataro Kimekomi dolls, Dharma and Nakayoshi Gakko children’s work in the Cultural Room.
The colorful Flower Shop will be filled with cut flowers and plants, and the Cultural Bookstore (BCA Bookstore), children and adult game booths, craft booth, temple cookbooks, and more will be enjoyed by all.
Emcee Mike Inouye will do the honors also on Sunday, with the Temple taiko groups opening the festival at 12:30 p.m., the Obon Jazz Quartet follows at 1:30 p.m. and the Jun Daiko at 4:30 p.m.
The “Children’s Hands-On Cultural Activities” will be held under the white tents from 1 to 3:45 p.m., includes activities such as Origami folding, Ikebana flower arranging, hachimaki headband stamping, Bonsai miniature tree shaping, calligraphy names, and Balloons by Debbie.
The Chidori Band, led by Shig Tashiro, performs at 6 p.m., a short service for dancers at 6:30 p.m.; and at 7 p.m., more than 400 dancers in colorful kimono and happi coats will dance at in a counter-clock-wise circle around the wooden yagura stage. Bon Odori dance will be led by Instructor Marilyn Ozawa, and her assistants: Frances Sawamura, Esther Bunya, Toshiko Uyehara, Aiko Uchiyama, and YBA President Haley Sugimoto.
The Bon Odori dance coordinator is Richard Fujikawa; the emcee for the band and dancers is Bill Nishimoto, and Shig Tashiro will coordinate the Chidori Band.
The evening will end with a raffle drawing at 8:15 p.m. with the festival closing at 8:30 p.m.
“Another year of festivities will close with many happy community families, friends, new friends, neighbors, college students that gathered for this event, but will once again come home next year and the years after to visit and feel the spirit of community at this once-a-year gathering.”
Hard-working co-chairs for this year are Doug Sawamura and Ken Nakano.
The Temple is located at 575 North Shoreline Blvd. in Mountain View, across from the Bailey Park Center and Safeway. Admission is free and free temple parking will be available.
The Mountain View Buddhist Temple will be holding a Hatsubon/Obon Service on Sunday, July 11, at 10 a.m. This special Hatsubon service is especially important for those who have lost a loved one since the last Obon. Rev. Dean Koyama will conduct the service with guest speaker, Rev. Sunnan Kubose of the Bright Dawn, Institute for American Buddhism.
For more information, call (650) 964-9426 or 941-9466; online at www.mvbuddhisttemple.org
