For temple hours, please call (808) 322-3524. The gift shop is generally open on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. See newsletter for information on services and events.


Aloha and Welcome to the Daifukuji Soto Mission

"Daifukuji" means The Temple of Great Happiness. We invite you to enjoy the serenity of our temple. Our temple was founded in 1914 in Honalo, Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii.

It is our vision:

To offer the teachings of the Buddha and Soto Zen practice to the community.
To provide a safe and peaceful temple environment for Buddhist study, practice, and other Dharma-related activities.
To work in harmony as a Sangha, with compassion, respect, and kindness to benefit all people, caring for their spiritual and social needs.
To cultivate an appreciation for the Buddhist way of life.

Inside our temple:

Enshrined in the main hall is the historical buddha Shakyamuni, who attained enlightenment and became a great teacher in India 2,600 years ago. To the right of Shakyamuni Buddha is the seated figure of Zen Master Dogen and to the left is Zen Master Keizan, both founders of our spiritual tradition. In the alcove to the right of the main altar are two more figures: Bodai Daruma Daishi (Bodhidharma), who carried the Teachings from India to China, and Daigen Shuri Bosatsu, the ever-vigilant protector of the temple and guardian of the Dharma.
Please remove your shoes before entering our Kannon Hall. Enshrined in the Kannon Hall is the beautiful Hawaii Kannon (Kwan Yin), the bodhisattva of great compassion. To her right and left are 33 smaller Kannon statuettes, representing the many manifestations of compassion in the world.
Please feel free to take pictures inside the temple and to spend a quiet moment sitting in meditation.

  updated 3-23-21