The Palo Alto Buddhist Temple (PABT) held a special celebration on Nov. 9 to celebrate its 110th anniversary.
PABT Resident Minister Rev. Dean Koyama opened the gathering with Gassho and PABT Co-Vice President Don Tirsell welcomed members.
The temple’s history was on full display. Photos of past and present generations across decades showed Dharma School classes, the PABT site groundbreaking, preparations for Obon, pounding mochi, grooming bonsai plants, children on stage at Hanamatsuri, members traveling together on learning trips, youth playing basketball and other sports, and much more.
A live performance by Taiko SOBA entertained with a highly energetic sound and movement and brought a special smile. The late Rev. Hiroshi Abiko, who was a minister at PABT for 18 years beginning in 1983, shared his passion for taiko with youth and adults. Over the years, some of the Taiko SOBA members were former PABT Dharma members.
The Lotus Jazz Quintet also played a special performance that filled the room with music while members dined together and enjoyed treats prepared by Yuwakai members. Two hundred cupcakes baked by members displayed the number “110” for the years of history.
On Nov. 10, Rev. Koyama delivered the Hyobyakumon (dedication ceremony) at the 110th anniversary and Eitaikyo Service and closed with these words: “May this temple continue to serve as a place for others to encounter, seek, and discover the Wisdom and Compassion of Namo Amida Butsu so that all beings may live with peace and harmony throughout the world.”
The origin of the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple traces back to a discussion at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in 1914, when Issei members (first-generation Japanese immigrants) and Bishop Rev. Koyu Uchida from San Francisco decided to create the temple on the San Francisco Peninsula.
PABT was founded in the early days of the town of Palo Alto, which was incorporated as a city only 20 years earlier. At the time, the area included dairy fields, orchards and Stanford University. The name of the temple was the Japanese Buddhist Church of Palo Alto.
Initially, gatherings and services were held in homes. As membership grew, services moved to the Kaneda Home Laundry. Members later rented a house and, in 1927, purchased a residential property on Ramona Street.
After the end of World War II, members returned to Palo Alto and services started again in individual homes.
Janice Matsumura was a child when her family returned to the Bay Area after World War II.
”My brother and I went to Sunday school and back then it was held in a house,” Matsumura recalled.
By 1947, a building at 472 Sheridan Ave. served as the PABT temple and Rev. Shintatsu Sanada came from San Francisco to conduct services.
In the following years, PABT endeavored to purchase a site and build a temple. Steve Yano and Nancy (Yano) Enomoto lived in the house across from the Japanese Community Center on Sheridan that was used by PABT at the time. They remembered the dedication of their father, the late Isao Fred Yano, who was one of the leaders driving the project to build a new temple and made many contributions, including serving on the original PABT Board of Directors that was responsible for re-establishing the temple after World War II. Purchase of a new site and construction would require a great effort involving fundraising activities and multi-year pledges from members.
They also remembered participating in Obon in the street and the bazaar that helped raise funds.
In 1952, a deposit was placed on the empty lot near a dairy farm on Louis Road that serves as the current site. The completed temple building was dedicated in 1954.
Over the years, the population of Palo Alto grew and today PABT neighbors include many residences and an elementary school.
Sherri Kawazoye joined PABT in 1959 after she moved to Palo Alto from Colorado.
“(The temple) kept the community together and you had a place to go to have fun,” Kawazoye said. “It was sports activities, mixed with Japanese culture and religion. For me, Jodo Shinshu Buddhism and Japanese culture are my foundation.”
She and her husband Yutaka Kawazoye made many contributions to PABT. Yutaka Kawazoye served as board president in 1976-77 and 1997-98 and Sherri Kawazoye served as chairperson of the centennial fundraising committee in 2014 for significant projects and upgrades at PABT.
In Gassho for the past years of spiritual education, sacrifices of our pioneers, efforts from our leaders and members and for the years ahead.
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