Kohala Koboji Shingon Buddhist Mission

The Kohala Koboji Mission is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of its members and local community through the practice of Shingon Buddhism as exemplified by temple services, and community gatherings providing for educational, physical, and healthy lifestyles.

The Kohala Koboji Mission complex (Temple, Community Hall, Community Kitchen and Monk’s Cottage) has been serving the Kohala Community and their families since 1924.

The temple and its buildings are a historic part of Kohala and are in much needed repairs and overall restorations for the temple’s efforts to continue to serve the Kohala community.

In 1995, Kristina and Rikko Varjan founded the aikido dojo within the Kohala Koboji Buddhist Mission complex, located on the Big Island in Kapa’au, Hawaii.

Aikido, a traditional peaceful Japanese martial art, has been affiliated with the Kohala Koboji Mission. Traditionally and historically martial art dojos, e.g., Aikido, Judo and Karate, have been auxiliary parts of Japanese Buddhist centers throughout the Hawaiian Islands.

Aikido, as a non-competitive martial art, complements the teachings and practices of the Kohala Koboji Temple. They both share the common goals of developing self-awareness, respect for others and respect for our environment and community.

The Aikido of Kohala dojo continues to offer aikido classes in the Community Hall for adults, children, and families.

This dojo is also uniquely connected with the Kohala Koboji Temple because the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei, and his family were at one time members of the same Shingon sect in Japan.

The aikido members participate volunteering their time and assist in most of the temple’s activities and are the main source of maintenance for the entire temple property.

The Kohala Koboji Temple is one of the many historic temples and shrines, which has its roots to when Buddhism became central to the life of Japanese communities in Hawaii since the 1890’s.

We are committed to preserving, repairing and restoring the Kohala Koboji Mission building complex (Temple, Community Hall, Community Kitchen and Monk’s Cottage) for continuing temple services, community gatherings and educational events.

The Kohala Koboji Shingon Mission is the recipient of a grant through the Historic Hawaii Foundation to further support the process of preserving and rehabilitating the Kohala Koboji Mission. This significant grant will most assuredly provide protection from the deteriorating weather elements that have taken its toll on these historic buildings.

Our efforts to raise further donations continues for more additional repairs necessary beyond the scope of this grant.

Hence, our gofundme crowdfunding platform along with private donor contributions will continue to raise further donations for these additional repairs.

All donations received will be used for these repairs and restorations to keep the Kohala Koboji Buddhist Temple buildings and their activities viable for the benefit of the community and future generations.

Please see our fund-raising platform:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-kohala-koboji-buddhist-mission-buildings-hi