Wahiawa Ryusenji-Soto Mission Details

Wahiawa Ryusenji Soto Mission

Before it became Wahiawa Ryuseji, the temple was called Kawailoa Soto Mission founded by the Reverend Ryuki Hirai in 1904. Located in the middle of the Kawailoa Camp the Mission had a Japanese Language School for the Japanese community. In 1933, the temple received an official name – Kaiunzan Ryusenji Temple and the Japanse School was renamed Kawailoa Japanese Language School. It was not until 1965, under the guidance of the tenth successive minister, Reverend Gyokuei Matsuura, that the construction of the new temple building on its present site on California Avenue in Wahiawa was completed. At this time, Kaala Japanese Language School was also founded.

Wahiawa Ryusenji Soto Mission is a very active temple that holds monthly services, memorial services, weddings, blessings and funerals. It also holds an annual Bon Festival and Craft Fair. The Kaala Japanese Language School is still active and is one of the few remaining Japanese Language Schools in Hawaii. Ryusenji also has Kumon classes (tutoring of Math, English and Japanese) and is the home of Hawaii's very first Kumi Daiko (ensemble taiko) group, Hawaii Matsuri Taiko.