Daifukuji Soto Zen Mission
a.k.a. 10-47-7222
Mamalahoa Hwy., Honalo, HIThe Daifukuji Soto Zen Mission is architecturally significant as a good example of a Buddhist temple constructed in Hawaii in the early twentieth century.
Its mixture of Japanese and local architectural elements makes it a typical Buddhist building of its period and place. The use of the metal roof and single wall construction derive from Hawaii's plantation tradition, while the roof forms, elevated building, the decorative portico, and use of the verandah all derive from Japan. However, the round-arched windows well bespeak a Western influence amidst the otherwise oriental ornamentation. This building is the best example of the form on the Kona coast and is one of perhaps a dozen such structures which remain extant in Hawaii. Other good examples of the form include the Hongwanji temples in Koloa (Kauai), Hana (Maui), and North Kohala (Hawaii); the Jodo Missions in Koloa (Kauai), Hamakua (Hawaii), and Lauphoehoe (Hawaii); and the Soto Zen Mission in Paia (Maui).
This is the oldest Soto Zen temple in Hawaii. The congregation was established in 1914, and under the direction of Reverend Kaiseki Kodama a temple was constructed, approximately 200 yards north of the current building. In 1918 Reverend Meido Kakiura took over the ministry at Honalo, and in 1921 dedicated the present building.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.