| General Info | Sponsors | Mamechan’s Obon Dinner |
| Opportunity Drawing | Silent Auction | Volunteers | Donors |
General Info
The 2022 Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple Obon Festival will be held on July 16-17 from 3PM to 9PM. We invite you all to join us in person for some delicious food, fun games, our opportunity drawing, silent auction and of course Bon Odori, which will start at 7PM both days.
Our main food offering this year is a dinner including a generous portion of Chicken Teriyaki, fried wonton, Andagi (Okinawa Dango), tsukemono (cabbage), and rice all prepared under the leadership of acclaimed Chef Chris Ono.
There will be other foods (sushi, chicken salad, hot dogs, chili, shaved ice), but we are asking those who would like to partake to pre-order their Mamechan’s Obon Dinner by July 6th. We will have a small number available for walkup purchase, but better if you order yours now! Visit www.givebutter.com/mamechan today!
Our Obon Festival is open to the public. You will be required to wear a mask when going inside the Temple. Outside, masking is recommended.
Obon Sponsors
Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple (VHBT) gratefully thanks and acknowledges SPONSORS of our 2022 Obon Commemoration. To become an Obon sponsor, please visit https://givebutter.com/VHBTObonSponsor2022 or complete the form HERE. Thank you to our Sangha and community for your generous support!.
- In Memory of Dino & Colleen Belli and Chikao & Mary Kujubu
- In Memory of Janet Mitsui Brown
- In Memory of Janet Mitsui Brown and her love for the temple, Lumbini boutique, and the JA community
- In Memory of George Ta-Min and Tsui Lin Ching and Rev. Sentoku and Mrs. Emily Hideo Uyeda Mayeda
- In Memory of Ray Enomoto
- In Memory of Fred & Lillian Higa
- In Memory of Minoru and Betty M. Hisashima
- In Memory of Butch and Reva Hisashima
- In Memory of Kho Iseda
- In Memory of Mary Quon Jung
- In Memory of Mr. Shigeo Kita
- In Memory of Shigeo Kita
- In Memory of Shigeo Kita, Ken & Yuri Yamaguchi
- In Memory of Richard Komoto
- In Memory of Claudio Malicay Jr.
- In Memory of Jim & Akimi Mayeda
- In Memory of Donna Nakagiri
- In Memory of Mitsugi & Hisaye Nakagiri
- In Memory of Nancy Nakagiri
- In Memory of Setsuji & Masuyo Nakao
- In Memory of Tom Nakasone
- In Memory of Gram & Lillian Noriyuki
- In Memory of Hitoshi & Kay Shimizu
- In Memory of Spud & Trea Shiraki
- In Memory of Bishop Ryosho Sogabe, Mr. Frank Hirai, Mr. Tom Hirai, Mrs. Dorothy Hirai
- In Memory of Sadamu & Harue Ueki and May Fukuda
- In Memory of Alice Fumiko Wakabayashi Yakura
- In Memory of Michiko Yamashita
- Children of Ukraine
- Anonymous
- Asher Family
- Annie Chuck & Rip Rense
- The Gee Family
- Eugene & Akemi Hayashibara, DDS
- Phyllis & Eugene Hayashibara
- Kadomatsu Family- With gratitude for all that the temple has done for our family
- Mrs. Yoshiko Kariya
- Norman & Mae Kumagai
- Milnes & Noriko Kurashige
- Lai Mayeda Famly
- Ayako Masada
- Mayeda Sunoo Family
- Fusae Nishina and Merle & Gail Sharp Family
- Yayeko & David Nishina
- Randy & Mari Tamura
- Tokirio Family
- Rich Yamashita
- Angel Maid Bakery
- Kubota Mortuary
- Union Bank
Mamechan’s Obon Dinner
Our main food offering is Mamechan’s Obon Dinner (chicken teriyaki, wonton, Andagi, tsukemono, and rice). Pre-orders are requested by July 6th as only a small number will be sold on a walk up basis.
Don’t forget to place your order soon. Tickets are being sold in 30 minute slots, and you can pick up yours during the designated time slot during the Festival. Each order will receive a large portion of chicken teriyaki, 3 wonton, 2 Andagi (dango), tsukemono and rice, all prepared under the direction of talented chef Chris Ono.
Don’t delay, as there will be just a limited number of walk up orders taking during Obon Festival weekend. Visit Visit www.givebutter.com/mamechan to order today. Not comfortable with online ordering? Call Aya Masada at (310) 418-1453 to place your order.
Odori Dancing
Bon Odori practices start on Monday, June 27th at 7:00 PM. Additional dates are June 29th, July 6th, July 8th, and July 11th. We are bringing back many of our favorites so it is easier to pick up the moves again:
Bon Odori Uta, Uki Uki Ondo (Uchiwa), Akachan Ondo (kachi kachi), Honen Bon Uta (tenugui), Ashibinaa (thank Jon Ito for this one), Ei Ja Nai Ka (thank Quinn Okamoto for this one), One Plus One, Hokkai no Abarembo, Kyo Mo Egao De Konnichiwa, Tanko Bushi, Gassho Ondo plus 2 new dances: Sakura Ondo (same name, different dance), and Kangi E a new dance created by Nobuko Miyamoto.
So, start stretching and get ready to dance and come to practice so you can get your popsicle too!
Opportunity Drawing
Our Opportunity Drawing offers the chance to win the Grand Prize of $1000 cash, 2nd prize of $500, and 3rd prize of an Apple iPad. In addition, through the generosity of local merchants and Temple members, a number of other prizes will be available.
The Drawing will be held on Sunday, July 17th, 2022 at 8:00PM, immediately following our Live Stream Sunday Service. Winners need not be present and will be notified by e-mail or phone.
Email us at obon@vhbt.org or call us at (310) 391-4351 for more information.
Silent Auction
Our 8th annual silent auction is now live for taking bids at www.32auctions.com/2022VHBTObon
Featured items include LA Dodgers Tickets, a weekend at The Cal in Las Vegas, a Pie a Month for a Year, a Gourmet Dinner for 2 prepared in your own kitchen, and a TON of Sanrio/Hello Kitty stuff, including some amazing hand crocheted Sanrio characters, made by our very talented Sandy Saeki.
You may bid online and you may also bid in person where you can see some of the items yourself.
But why wait? The more bidding that happens, the more exciting the auction is. Online bidding is easy, you just need to sign up for a 32auctions account (free)- they will walk you through it. If you have an account from last time, you may use the same one.
Questions? Contact Aya Masada at (310) 418-1453 or Tommy Nakagiri at (310) 892-4686.
Volunteers
We have started taking signups to help us stage our first Obon Festival in almost 3 years! On the attached file, you may click on the various links to help us in the food or game booths during the festival, the raffle, silent auction and marketplace, general ground support, and also at the various prep sessions in the week leading up to the Obon.
It takes a village, and we are asking everyone who is able to take a few hours to consider helping us in any way you can. We can promise that everyone will have a fun time while albeit working hard.
To sign up, please click on the link to register in the attached file. Signup Genius is pretty easy to use, but if you prefer, email vhbtlive@gmail.com or call 310-391-4351 to sign up- we’ll make it as easy as possible. If you have questions on any part of our Obon, you may contact the people listed on the flyer for more information.