Special events

Ginza Holiday
Midwest Buddhist Temple's annual celebration
of Japanese crafts and culture, the Ginza
Holiday is an annual three-day event held the
second weekend of August. The Ginza
Holiday showcases the cultural heritage of those
who founded the temple and allows members to
share this with the public through demonstra-
tions of traditional Japanese art forms, crafts,
cuisine and performances. One highlight of this
festival is The Waza, a group of "living treasure"
craftsmen who visit from Japan in order to
demonstrate their skills and share their
creations.

Dharma talks are presented regularly during
Ginza by a resident minister, and tours of the
temple are held.

There is a nominal admission fee. A raffle,
which benefits temple programs and operation,
is held each year; tickets are available from
MBT members, at the temple office, or at the
event.

Midwest Buddhist Temple held its first Ginza
Holiday in 1956 at its former site several blocks
east of the current temple. The festival took its
name from The Ginza, a busy and colorful
shopping center and the most famous district in
Tokyo.

But 300 years ago, the area was famous for
duck hunting, as it was originally a vast
swampland. Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the
reclamation of the area in 1603 and gave the
work to several feudal lords, thus the lots were
named for them - such as Owari-cho,
Yamashiro-cho, Kaga-cho and other streets.

The name Ginza dates to 1612 when Ginza, or
the official silver mint, was opened there. Later,
in 1873, the construction of two-story brick
houses and brick sidewalks gave birth to The
Ginza we know in Tokyo today.

For more information about Midwest Buddhist
Temple's annual Ginza Holiday, call the temple,
312-943-7801.

Obon Festival
The public is invited to participate in the
temple's Obon Festival, an outdoor Japanese
folk dancing festival. It is held each year on the
second Saturday in July and is followed by the
religious observance of Obon on Sunday, when
loved ones who have passed away are
remembered.

The dancing takes place in the temple parking
lot under Japanese lanterns, with dancers
encircling a yagura, or tower, which is seen as
an expression of joy in the Buddhist teachings.
With a taiko drum placed atop the yagura, the
Special events sound of drumming and Japanese folk
music fill the night air as dancers, many wearing kimono
or cotton yukata, join in the simple folk dances.

The Obon is one of the most widely celebrated
and colorful of the Buddhist observances, dating
back some 15 hundred years.

Its origin is linked to the Ullambana sutra which
is related to the story of Maudgalyayana, one of
the great disciples of the Buddha. In this story,
Maudgalyayana sees his departed mother
suffering in the fiery domain of the Hungry
Devils, a domain where hunger and thirst know
no bounds. Everything that is touched
immediately bursts into flames. Grieving at what
he sees, he attempts to relieve her suffering, but
his attempts are futile. In desperation, he goes
to the Buddha and the All Compassionate One
shows him the way. Following the path shown
him, he finally succeeds and his mother's
suffering is relieved. He is overjoyed. He and
his friends rejoice, expressing their joy and
gratitude with music and dancing.

The Obon is symbolic of that occasion. It is a
free event, with beverages available for sale.

For more information about Midwest Buddhist
Temple's annual Obon Festival, call the temple,
312-943-7801.

Mochi-tsuki
Each year in late December, members of
Midwest Buddhist Temple and friends gather to
pound sweet rice to make mochi, or sweet rice
cakes, in the traditional Japanese manner. They
use wooden mallets and time-honored methods
of creating mochi for the New Year. Sponsored
by the Adult Sangha, the Mochi-Tsuki prepares
hundreds of pounds of rice to make mochi,
which are then offered for sale for eating and for
traditional New Year's offerings. For times and
information, call the temple at 312-943-7801.

For more information about Midwest Buddhist
Temple's annual Mochi-tsuki, call the temple,
312-943-7801.