2005 Obon Festival
2005 Obon Festival by Tosh Ishioka
Our Obon Festival was a HUGE SUCCESS with additional new booths and entertainment. The Taiko Group had the Taiko Toss Game and Snow Cone booths. The WLA Youth Club had the Fishing Game and the Coffee & Dessert booths. A special thank you to Connie Yahata and Judy Okita who organized the booths and coordinated the helpers.
The entertainment was special on Saturday and Sunday, the premier of the WLA Taiko Group under the leadership of Elaine Fukumoto, Joyce Layne, and Audrey Nakasone. The performers played with energy and enthusiasm and were well received. The Kinnara Taiko also presented a lively performance on Sunday.
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL of the food booths who worked so very hard to prepare more food for the expected crowd. Jim Shimomaye purchased new equipment to make the delicious chicken teriyaki. The BWA added the popular spam musubi to their sushi booth. We appreciated the ladies from the Venice BT and other friends who volunteered to help with the preparation of sushi and wonton.
The Obon Committee members always get their work done efficiently. Special thanks to Sam Hada and Hidemi Ohkawahira – they helped several booths with purchasing and delivering goods. We welcome Kay Okamoto, our new Obon treasurer. We thank Grace Mizushima and her teachers who spent weeks teaching the dances. Lastly we like to acknowledge the support from the Hui Aikane, family of members, and other friends who helped with various booths.
Thank You by Rev. Usuki
If we believe in an old cliché “We’re having too much fun” then we experienced it at our Obon Festival last month. How amazing it was to see an overflow crowd who packed the temple grounds on both days, dancing, eating, and visiting with family and friends. I was told that this was the biggest crowd in memory, and the food and game sales hit a record amount as well. This was my first WLA Obon and I really did not know what to expect after months of preparation and anticipation, but what I experienced 
was total joy and the “Gathering of Joy” could not have been more true. Our anticipation was so great that I was even coaxed to dancing after 40 years of hesitation and watching from the sidelines. Now my wife, Rev. Patti, and I are hooked. This success could not have been possible without the members and new friends who came to help with various chores. The biggest Thank You must go to the people who came early for many days to make sushi, won ton, udon and other items. They sacrificed their time and many were unable to stay and enjoy dancing.
If you had a chance to come early to watch our Taiko Class perform then you were treated to something very special. The WLA Taiko group’s first mission statement is to have “fun” and I think the audience and the performers truly “had too much fun.”
We already have a loftier goal of expanding the Obon even more next year by moving the dancing to the street and adding more booths. Our mission in life is to realize the Oneness of all life and to share in this experience together both religiously and with the community. If we can continue to have a positive attitude while sharing our effort and joy then who knows how many more people we can make happy?
© 2008 West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple Online
