Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist Church of Hawaii

History of Rissho Kosei-kai of Hawai`i
(December 1951 - Present)

Dec 1951	Mrs. Tomoko Ozaki while living in Kona, Hawaii was initiated into Rissho Kosei-kai by her former schoolteacher in Japan, Mr. Kanshichi Suzuki. She then became the first member to join RKK outside of Japan.
	Mrs. Ozaki and her husband Susumu, worked as coffee farmers and began spreading the teachings to their family, neighbors, friends and fellow coffee farmers during the work day.
	Mr. and Mrs. Eizo Moriguchi (Mr. & Mrs. Ozaki’s neighbors) were the first Kona Chapter members of Kona. (Kona is located on the island of Hawaii, nicknamed The Big Island).
	Mrs. Masue Kalakaua (Mrs. Ozaki’s mother) was the first Wailuku Chapter member of Maui.
1952	Mrs. Kei Kimizuka (Mrs. Ozaki’s cousin) was the first Honolulu Chapter member of Oahu. Oahu members first met at Mrs. Kimizuka’s home to learn about RKK.
Jun 1958	Found Nikkyo Niwano of RKK Japan visited Hawaii on their way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Japanese Immigrants to Brazil. He and Rev. Motoyuki Naganuma were welcomed by 15 members of Hawaii with Mrs. Ozaki at the Honolulu International Airport. He traveled to Kona to visit the place where Mr. & Mrs. Ozaki planted the first seeds of faith in Hawaii.
Sep 1958	Founder Niwano officially recognized Hawaii as the First Overseas Congregation of Rissho Kosei-kai. He selected District Leader, Mrs. Kazue Yukawa of Japan as a missionary to Hawaii.
Mar 1959	Rissho Kosei-kai Hoza Center was opened at Mr. and Mrs. Ozaki’s home in Kona. Mrs. Kazue Yukawa arrived in Kona with the symbol of Faith. Upon Mrs. Yukawa’s arrival, the Oahu members moved from Mrs. Kimizuka’s home to Mrs. Teruko Kimura’s home in Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii Prior to Mrs. Yukawa’s arrival, Mrs. Ozaki would ask and received guidance by mail from Founder Niwano.
Aug 1959	The Territory of Hawaii was named the 50th State of the United States of America.
Jan 1960	The Divine Mandala Scroll was enshrined in Mrs. Kimura’s new home in Kalihi, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Dec 1964	Founder Niwano and Rev. Nichiko Niwano visited Hawaii on their return trip from India. Hawaii received guidance and encouragement from the Niwano’s to open a Hoza Center in Honolulu.
1965	RKK Hawaii Members first Pilgrimage to Rissho Kosei-kai Japan to further learn the Teachings and Practices of RKK.
Jun 1965	Mrs. Kazue Yukawa retired and Mrs. Tomoko Ozaki was appointed as the second missionary of the RKK Hawaii Kyodan.
Oct 1966	Rissho Kosei-kai of Hawaii was registered with the Regulatory Agency in State of Hawaii.
1968	RKK Hawaii made a second Pilgrimage to Japan to get a firm grasp of the Teachings and Practices of RKK.
Jan 1969	RKK Hawaii was officially recognized as a Branch of RKK Japan. Mrs. Tomoko Ozaki was assigned the duty as the first Reverend of RKK Hawaii. Making her the first American Born Minister of Rissho Kosei-kai.
Jan 1970	RKK Maui was officially recognized as a Branch of RKK Hawaii. Mrs. Jane Taguchi was assigned the duty as their Associate Minister. And the Maui Hoza Center was opened at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Taguchi.
Jun 1971	Reverend Yasutaro Kawate, Liaison of the Overseas Progress arrived to bless the construction site of the church. Construction began soon after the dedication.
Mar 1972	New construction of our Church was completed on the Pearl City site. Founder Niwano enshrines the Statue of the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni.
Jun 1972	Founder Niwano attends the Inauguration ceremony in Pearl City
Oct 1976	Mrs. Tomoko Ozaki retires as Reverend of the Hawaii Branches. Reverend Nobukazu Masuda is assigned as the second minister of the Hawaii Churches.
Apr 1977	Rev. Masutaka Uchida attends the 5th Anniversary of the completion of the Honolulu Church.
Aug 1979	President Nichiko Niwano attends the 20th Anniversary of Rissho Kosei-kai in Hawaii.
Feb 1980	Maui Hoza center moved from Mrs. Jane Taguchi’s home to Mrs. Dorothy Tagawa’s Home in Wailuku.
Aug 1980	Renovation and expansion project is completed on our Pearl City church.
Apr 1983	RKK Hawaii Pilgrimage to Japan. 73 members and friends participate.
Apr 1984	Reverend Kinzo Takemura, Director of Overseas Mission of RKK Japan officiates at our 25th Anniversary service.
Dec 1984	Reverend Masuda and his family return to Japan. Reverend Yoshiaki Yamamoto is assigned as the third minister of the Hawaii Churches.
Sep 1985	384 RKK Japan members from the Tokyo district come to Hawaii to attend the commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Japanese Immigration on U.S. and Japan Treaty.
Mar 1988	Rissho Kosei-kai Japan celebrates its 50th Anniversary. RKK Hawaii makes a pilgrimage to RKK Japan.
Mar 1989	Reverend Yasuhiro Saito, Director of RKK Japan attends the 30th Anniversary of Rissho Kosei-kai Hawaii.
Oct 1991	RKK Hawaii attends “GLOBAL SANGHA GATHERING” at RKK Japan.
Mar 1994	RKK Hawaii observes its 35th Anniversary with Reverend Norio Sakai officiating.
Jul 1994	New Construction is completed in Kona. RKK Kona inauguration was celebrated with President Nichiko Niwano enshrining the Statue of the Eternal Buddha.
Jun 1994	RKK Hawaii participates in our first Matsuri Parade, marching down Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki.
Dec 1994	Reverend Yamamoto and his family return to Japan. Reverend Mitsuyuki Okada is assigned as the fourth minister of the Hawaii Churches.
Apr 1995	50 members of RKK Hawaii went to RKK Japan for 2nd World Gathering of the RKK Sangha.
Feb 1997	First MATOI group in Hawaii is formed from RKK Hawaii Youth Group.
Aug 1997	RKK Hawaii Matoi group invited to participate in Los Angeles’ Nisei Week Parade.
Oct 1998	60 members of RKK Hawaii made pilgrimage to Japan to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of RKK Japan and to participate in the Oeshiki parade.
Jul 1999	Kona Branch observes it’s 5th Anniversary of their enshrinement of the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni.
Aug 1999	Matoi members travel to Vancouver Canada to participate in a Cultural presentation session under the 13th IARF World congress.
Oct 1999	Founder Nikkyo Niwano enters Nirvana. Reverend Okada, Mrs. Okada and three members from RKK Hawaii attend the funeral of Founder Niwano at the Great Sacred Hall.
Dec 1999	Reverend Okada and his family return to Japan. Reverend Masayuki Idei is appointed as the fifth minister of the Hawaii Churches.
Jun 2000	Kyushu Area churches participate in our Annual Matsuri Parade.
May 2001	Reverend Kinjiro Niwano visits Hawaii for the “LEADERS MISSIONARY ASSEMBLY” held on Oahu, Maui and Kona.
Aug 2001	RKUS and RKK Japan begin a “Joint Youth Seminar” in Kona. Mrs Misako Iguro of Japan provided the use of her Kona home for the Youth Seminar Lodging.
Oct 2001	RKK Hawaii made a pilgrimage to RKK Japan for the third anniversary of Founder Niwano’s entrance into Nirvana and participated in the Ichijo Parade.
2001	Mrs. Dorothy Tagawa and her Family donate their home and property in Wailuku, Maui for the RKK Maui Dharma Center.
Nov 2002	The newly renovated RKK Maui Dharma Center is complete. President Nichiko Niwano enshrines the statue of the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni in Maui.
	President Nichiko Niwano also visits Oahu and attends their “Aloha Ohana Gathering”.
Mar 2003	Mrs. Misako Iguro and her family sell their Kona Property and donate the proceeds to RKK Kona. An Additional Building is to be erected for use as a mini convention center.
Apr 2003	Reverend Idei was invited to perform a special invocation of the opening ceremony to the Hawaii State Legislation Session.
Sep 2003	Reverend Koyata of RKK Shikoku, Japan begin their annual memorial service pilgrimage to pay homage to the victims of the Ehime Maru.
Feb 2004	RKK Hawaii launches RKHawaii Web page
Mar 2004	RKK Hawaii celebrates 45th Anniversary. Reverend Sakai joins our celebration.
Dec 2004	Reverend Idei and his family return to Japan. Reverend Hiroyasu Hosoyama is appointed as the sixth minister of the Hawaii churches

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