A peaceful, open-hearted Nichiren Shu Buddhist sanctuary.
Service Times: Every Sunday at 10:00 AM
(In-person & English-guided)
A peaceful, open-hearted Nichiren Shu Buddhist sanctuary.
Service Times: Every Sunday at 10:00 AM
(In-person & English-guided)
Memorial Services: Available by appointment
Parking Info: Free on-site parking available
To serve Hawaii in creating a more peaceful and compassionate community through the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Shonin.
Rev Sasabe's ceremony having completed his 2nd 100 day Aragyo. Kito Blessing begins 33 min into video. Very powerful!!
Please reach us via contact form if you cannot find an answer to your question.
No, everyone is welcome regardless of background or faith.
Casual, respectful attire (aloha wear, casual pants, or modest dresses).
Traditional Lotus Sutra chanting with English guidance, a practical Dharma talk, and an informal 30-minute talk story time to meet the community.
Irene Hamasaki, Michelle Kau, Jean Toyama, Amy Morikawa, Gladys Ueoka. 19 became Non-party Declarants on August 20, 2025 listed in support of the Plaintiffs' Memorandum in Opposition to Defendants. The 19 are Takako Stults, Hideko Tokugawa, Elizabeth Teruya, Sumire Stifler, Poranee Sponsel, Robert Pennybacker, Masaeru Nakazato, Sharon Nakase, Debra Motobu, Ann Kwock, Allan Kawada, Esther Ito, Jane Tottori, Nana Isono, Kathy Isobe, Chika Gano, Sumiko Carroll, David Arai, Lorraine Akiba.
All had little to no appearance at Sunday Services. Nor had any active, involved presence with the Temple.
Irene Hamasaki is the daughter of retired temple minister Eijo Ikenaga, who lives rent free on temple property, utilities paid by the Temple, now 16 years in retirement. Hamasaki rents a temple rental house, below market rent value, for some 35 years. Kau, Toyama, Morikawa reportedly have taken calligraphy classes for 40 years from Ikenaga. Ueoka was a temple member in name.
Attorneys for the Plaintiffs: Derek Kobayashi Esq. / Brittney M. Wu Esq. Law firm of Shlack Ito.
Daniel C. Liu, President & Treasurer. Dean Makinodan Vice-President. Cleo Miyamoto, Secretary. Jeff Carlson, Director, Kaliko Sugawa, Director. Steven Iwamura, resigned (2021) Vice-President. Takamasa Yamamura, prior resident minister (2023). Carlson and Sugawa were not Board Members in 2018, when the lawsuit alleged illegal actions by the Board of Directors.
Attorneys for Defendants: David Imanaka Esq. / Suhyeon Burns Esq. Law Firm of Lung, Rose, Voss, Wagnild
On January 28, 2025, the lawsuit was served on the Defendants. In the lawsuit, The Plaintiffs self-proclaimed themselves "lifetime members" and postured they represented "temple membership". They accused the Board of illegally converting the temple to a non-membership organization without their knowledge and approval, back in 2018. Additionally, They accused the Board of gross negligence, destruction of religious artifacts, mismanagement of temple property and finances, not distributing membership lists (CLVC, art. 43, pg. 7), not providing New Year's parties (CLVC, art. 56, pg.9).
A year prior, in February of 2024, concealed from the Board of Directors, Irene Hamasaki complained to the Nichiren Shu Headquarters in Japan, enumerating her grievances against the Board of Directors. Japan Headquarters - Shumuin - apparently declined active involvement. Also concealed In that same year, on March 22, 2024, Plaintiffs' Attorney, Jeffery S. Piper, Esq. requested the Hawaii State Attorney General Office initiate an investigation of the Board of Directors' actions. On February 21, 2025 Plaintiffs' Attorneys again requested the AG's Office "intervene in the lawsuit and take other action as may be appropriate." The AG's Office "did not commence the requested investigation" on either request.
Plaintiffs' positions and accusations were countered by the Defendants' Attorneys showing by record, none of the Plaintiffs, except one, were members in 2018. Therefore, four of the five Plaintiffs had no standing to protest the Board's action in 2018. All five Plaintiffs could not represent temple membership, not having satisfied legal prerequisites. (HRS414D9-90/HRCP 23.1) Only 6 of the 19 Non-party Declarants could be considered "members" by prior By-Laws requirements. None of the 4 Plaintiffs, nor the "one member" Plaintiff or any of the 19 declarants, raised any issues, pertinent to their lawsuit, for 7 years. The one and seven year Statutes of Limitation ended. (HRS414D-89d/HRS657-1(4)) Their incendiary complaints about the destruction of religious artifacts were shown to exemplify their abject ignorance of Nichiren Shu Buddhist practice. Consequently invoking the legal doctrine of Ecclesiastical Abstention. "Recognizing courts must avoid entanglement in religious doctrine, law, or polity." (Baldonado - 118 Hawaii at 169-70/185P.3d at 917-18) "The ecclesiastical abstention doctrine exists to prevent civil courts from wandering into this thicket."( MIS, E., pg 9)
The Plaintiff Irene Hamasaki was caught in a lie, through her own discovered email, requesting and denied "membership" in 2021 and 2022. (RAI j, pg.32 / MIS,C.1, pg.6) She had signed under oath, a declaration claiming to be a "lifetime member", as well as in her lawsuit. One of the 19, M. Nakazato, signed his declaration on record in the lawsuit, claiming no knowledge of the 2018 meeting and the vote for a non-membership temple. But, he is shown, in a photograph, present at that very same meeting. His handwritten name on the sign-in sheet. His vote, in that meeting, recorded in favor of the change. (MIS, II, pg.2) Suggesting, after the 7 year Statutes of Limitation, memories were unreliable..
On August 28, 2025, a Summary Judgement Hearing was convened, after two attempts at mediation. The presiding Judge, The Honorable Judge John M. Tonaki, concurred with the legal arguments of the Defendants' Attorneys. Judge Tonaki decreed Summary Judgement in favor of the Defendants. Dismissing all claims by the Plaintiffs. This judgement concluded the Plaintiffs' Lawsuit had no genuine issues of material fact, meaning it lacked any credibility or substantive facts.
All the legal documents in this case will be downloaded to this website, as a perpetual record of those who attempted to take control of The Lotus Sutra / Myohoji Temple, in 2025 AD, based on avarice and ignorance. All the documents are also on public and legal record for everyone to read.
The Board of Directors extends its thanks and appreciation to David Imanaka Esq. and Suhyeon Burns Esq. for their brilliant legal work, ultimately securing the Summary Judgement in favor of the Defendants, the Temple Board of Directors.
Honolulu Myohoji Mission