Whenever Ai Hironaka, the resident minister of Lahaina Hongwanji Mission, gazes at the widely circulated photograph capturing the burning temple, he expresses gratitude towards the photographer. Despite his efforts to rescue the Amida Buddha statue after evacuating his family from the flames, he was deterred by the overwhelming heat and smoke. He believes the photo was taken just moments after his retreat, capturing the sight of the burning roof of Waiola Church within the frame. To Hironaka, the image symbolizes the temple’s valiant struggle to protect what he could not. He shares words of empathy with the temple depicted in the photograph, acknowledging its sacrifices. He tells it, “You must be in pain. You did enough to protect this place. You did enough. You can lie down now.”
All three of Lahaina’s historical Japanese Buddhist temples, the oldest of which was built in 1926, were engulfed by the devastating August wildfires on Maui. Given the declining number of attendees, the prospect of rebuilding seemed improbable. Among these temples was the Lahaina Jodo Mission, which only had around 10 regularly attending families. Over the past few decades, Hawaii has witnessed a decline in its Japanese Buddhist temples, many of which date back to the 1900s.
In Hawaii, there is a constant sense of precariousness, as if everything is on the verge of being lost. On these small islands, whether it be due to invasive insects, large corporations, or other factors, so much can easily be wiped away. This vulnerability is what permeates the air of nostalgia in Hawaii, where people still give directions using landmarks that no longer exist, like a mango tree that was cut down years ago. Even though CVS acquired Longs Drugs more than a decade ago, it continues to retain its original name in Hawaii. The past lingers on, as if holding on to what has already been lost could somehow prevent further losses. However, in early August, Lahaina was lost. Within a matter of hours, lives, homes, and cherished connections to the past were lost in the devastating fires. This loss also included the Japanese Buddhist temples.
Historical narratives often focus on the impact Christianity had on the islands, but during the early 20th century, Japanese Buddhism also played a significant role. After Japanese laborers arrived to work on sugar plantations in the late 1800s, priests followed to provide spiritual solace in the arduous conditions. Hironaka explained that the Hongwanji, a Buddhist sect, believed in building temples if the people requested them. By 1930, Hawaii had over 170 Japanese Buddhist temples representing various sects. However, as Japanese immigrants aged and their descendants embraced different religions or none at all, attendance declined, leading to the closure of many temples. Currently, only around 50 remain active.
Although the membership of Lahaina Hongwanji has significantly diminished, Hironaka reaffirms the commitment to rebuild. Many skeptics question how many members will actually return. Hironaka responds by asking why they shouldn’t first create a place to return to. He envisions the future temple as a beacon of hope, which Lahaina will desperately need after the fire.
Across town, facing Baby Beach, the Jodo Mission embodied the most traditional design among Lahaina’s Japanese Buddhist temples. Established in 1912 and relocated to its current site in 1931, the mission featured a three-story pagoda and a main temple built using traditional Japanese carpentry techniques, with wooden beams joined without the use of nails. The August fire spared a 12-foot-tall bronze Buddha that had been cast in Kyoto.
In the aftermath of the disaster, the temple received a substantial donation to aid in its rebuilding efforts. Maya Hara, the daughter of the resident reverend at Lahaina Jodo Mission, described the donation as an unexpected contribution from a family with ancestral ties to the temple’s construction. For Hara, this demonstrates a profound spiritual and ancestral connection to the temple, even among those who do not attend its services. She expressed, “I believe that our role, history, and legacy contribute to this sense of nostalgia and the desire to preserve a particular way of life.” However, contemplating the rebuilding process is overwhelming, despite the intention. The timeline for returning to the property remains uncertain, as does the duration of the cleanup. It could take months or even years. During this time, the event itself may become a solid memory of the past.
Many descendants of plantation workers look back fondly on the plantation era. Hawaii’s modern menus and architectural styles still reflect that period, even though the conditions endured by the laborers were often brutal, bordering on slavery. It is worth acknowledging that these very plantations contributed to the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and their land-use practices left Lahaina susceptible to wildfires. Nostalgia can be a complex emotion in that way. Now, some Native Hawaiians are advocating for a return to an even earlier past, when people lived in closer harmony with the wetlands that once dominated Lahaina. How far back should we go? How far back can we go?
The hardships endured during the plantation era played a role in shaping this place and some of its most treasured aspects, including the temples. During that time, these temples also served as sites for labor-union organizing and social gatherings for homesick immigrants. Nostalgia for the Lahaina that no longer exists is already seeping in. Hironaka recounts an incident where he hitchhiked back to his family and car after attempting to rescue the statue. Instead, he discovered that his son had gone searching for him. Fearing that his son was lost in the smoke, Hironaka turned back towards town, only to find that his son had encountered one of the caretakers at Waiola Church, located next to Lahaina Hongwanji. The caretaker informed Hironaka’s son that he had already headed back. Hironaka expressed gratitude, stating, “That saved my son. The neighbor knows me and my family. This highlights the power of Lahaina’s community.”
One of the oldest Hawaiian Christian churches and one of the oldest Japanese Buddhist temples on the islands burned down side by side. Hironaka hopes that they can rebuild together, forging something new and valuable from yet another hardship that has left an indelible mark on this place.
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