Every summer, Buddhist temples across Hawaiʻi host bon dances — outdoor festivals with live drumming, circle dancing, food booths, and lanterns strung across temple grounds. The season runs from June through September, with dances happening almost every weekend on every island. Visitors are welcome. You don’t need to be Buddhist, Japanese, or Hawaiian. You just need to show up.
The 2026 schedule hasn’t been published yet — temples typically release dates in May — but the tradition has run continuously in Hawaiʻi for over 140 years, and the rhythm barely changes. Here’s what you need to know to find one and join in.
