People of all ages are joining the circle for exercise, culture and fun

BON DANCING is for anyone who wants to be a part of the camaraderie.

At least 200 people of all ages turned out earlier this week, three nights in a row, just to practice for the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin's annual bon dance festival, which started last night and ends tonight.

And if you counted the children attending Honpa's summer session who also practiced for three days in the gymnasium, make that a few hundred more.

Fresh white paint was applied to Honpa's domed mission buildings in Nuuanu the week before the Buddhist religious festival to honor the dead, one of dozens held throughout the state during the summer.

Joyce Araki, a professional teacher of the classical style, has been teaching church members since 1976 in the week preceding the bon festival. She has 51 years of teaching under her obi (a belt worn over a traditional kimono).

Araki has noticed over the years that more people turn out for the dancing, particularly men, who made up about 40 percent of the group Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

About 20 years ago "men didn't use to come out. Now people are so exercise-conscious." She thinks bon dance is good exercise for the arms and legs, along the lines of the graceful, balance-developing tai chi, a Chinese form of dance meditation.

Honpa member Mildred Sogi, 81, has enjoyed dance of all types since she was a child, and loves fast-paced tempos. Among her many students, Sogi taught her daughter and granddaughter but retired from teaching more than 20 years ago. Sogi and Sandy Matsumoto in 1992 started the weekly Wednesday night bon dance practice that is still going on today under another instructor.

Sogi is the one who first admired Araki when she saw her dancing and asked her to come to Honpa to help before the bon festivals.

"She has the highest degree. I thought she was the best Japanese dance instructor. I invited her to come (to Honpa)," said Sogi, who used to stand and study Araki's dance style to "see the finer points."

Dancing all these years has kept her in top physical shape, and "I have fun. Dancing is good -- you meet your friends and you laugh!"

Brandon Yee is neither Buddhist nor Japanese, and he was raised in Los Angeles, where he was never exposed to bon dancing. But his mother is from Hawaii, and when he moved here seven years ago, a friend of hers "got me into it." Then he got involved in the Wednesday night dancing.

He likes learning the cultural aspect of it, and "I've made some nice relationships with the senior citizen ladies. They like to see young people going. ... Some ladies of the class lost their husbands recently, and one of them asked me to dance with her (in memory of) her husband. ...

"They're very feisty. They can last two hours in the circle, and I can't," Yee said.

His friend Carole Kasamoto, 28, said, "I love going because it's fun. And it's keeping my culture alive. When I first started going (four years ago), there were hardly any younger adults, but now there's a bunch, from their teens to their 20s."

Ralston Nagata, a former bon festival chairman, is still heavily involved in helping Honpa prepare for the festival every year. While he disavows any pretense of being a teacher, he organizes older members to teach young children the basic steps. Teaching 30 to 50 students at a time for a half-hour, three classes in a row, for three days in a row gets rather chaotic, but Nagata laughs amidst the craziness.

On Monday retired schoolteacher Jean Crosier* led a class of fifth-graders in a coal miner's dance, or Tanko Bushi, with movements representing the swinging of an ax or digging of a shovel.

"Remember, you're dancing with respect and a lot of happiness," she reminded them.

Nagata said they were teaching the children basic, universal dances, like the Tokyo Ondo and the Tanko Bushi, so they could participate at the festivals. "If they think, 'I know that one,' they might jump in," he said.

Nagata, who grew up in Hilo, used to jump in a truck with his high school pals after work and "hit all the bon dancing" as far away as Honokaa more than 20 years ago.

Bon dancing wasn't just for grandmothers, even back then.

The 2006 Obon Schedule

Oahu
Date	Time	Location
June 16-17	8 p.m.	Haleiwa Jodo Mission, 66-279-A Haleiwa Road
June 17	7:30 p.m.	Ewa Hongwanji Temple, 91-1133 Renton Road
June 23-24	6:30 p.m.	Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, 1727 Pali Highway
June 23-24	7:30 p.m.	Wahiawa Hongwanji Temple, 1067 California Ave.
June 30-July 1	7:30 p.m.	Moiliili Hongwanji Temple, 902 University Ave.
July 7	6:30 p.m.	Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji, 45-520 Keaahala Road
July 8	7 p.m.	Tendai-Shu Hawaii Betsuin, 23 Jack Lane
July 7-8	7:30 p.m.	Waipahu Hongwanji Temple, 94-821 Kuhaulua St.
July 14-15	8 p.m.	Koboji Shingon Mission, 1223-B N. School St.
July 14-15	7:30 p.m.	Shinshu Kyokai Mission, 1631 S. Beretania St.
July 14-15	8 p.m.	Haleiwa Shingon Mission, 66-469 Paalaa Road
July 15	7:30 p.m.	Waianae Hongwanji Temple, 87-762 Old Government Road
July 21-22	7 p.m.	Wahiawa Ryusenji Soto Mission, 164 California Ave.
July 21-22	6:30 p.m.	Rissho Kosei-Kai Hawaii Kyokai, 2280 Auhuhu St.
July 21-22	7 p.m.	Higashi Hongwanji Betsuin of Hawaii, 1685 Alaneo St.
July 22	7:30 p.m.	Kailua Hongwanji Temple, 268-A Kuulei Road
July 22	7:30 p.m.	Kahuku Hongwanji Temple, call 622-4320 for directions
July 28-29	7 p.m.	Jikoen Hongwanji Temple, 1731 N. School St.
July 28-29	7 p.m.	Palolo Higashi Hongwanji, 1641 Palolo Ave.
Aug. 4-5	5:30 p.m.	Koganji Temple, 2869 Oahu Ave.
Aug. 4-5	8 p.m.	Waipahu Soto Zen Temple Taiyoji, 94-413 Waipahu St.
Aug. 5	7:30 p.m.	Waialua Hongwanji Temple, 67-313 Kealohanui St.
Aug. 11-12	7 p.m.	Shingon Mission of Hawaii, 915 Sheridan St.
Aug. 11-12	7:30 p.m.	Pearl City Hongwanji Temple, 858 2nd St.
Aug. 11-12	7 p.m.	Aiea Soto Mission Taiheiji, 99-045 Kauhale St.
Aug. 18-19	7:30 p.m.	Mililani Hongwanji Temple, 95-257 Kaloapau St.
Aug. 18-19	7:30 p.m.	Soto Mission of Hawaii Shoboji, 1708 Nuuanu Ave.
Aug. 18-19	7:30 p.m.	Jodo Mission of Hawaii, 1429 Makiki St.
Aug. 26	7:30 p.m.	Aiea Hongwanji Mission, 99-186 Puakala Road
Sept. 2-3		Okinawan Festival at Kapiolani Park
Sept. 16	5 p.m.	Autumn Matsuri, Hawaii Okinawan Center, 94-587 Ukee St.
Big Island
Date	Time	Location
Tonight	8 p.m.	Honomu Henjoji Mission
June 17	8 p.m.	Papaikou Hongwanji Temple
June 24	8 p.m.	Honomu Hongwanji Temple
June 30-July 1	8 p.m.	Puna Hongwanji Temple
July 1	8 p.m.	Kohala Hongwanji Temple
July 7-8	8 p.m.	Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin
July 8	8 p.m.	Paauilo Hongwanji Temple
July 8	7:30 p.m.	Kona Daifukuji Soto Mission
July 8	7 p.m.	Kohala Jodo Mission
July 14-15	8 p.m.	Hilo Meishoin
July 15	8 p.m.	Honokaa Hongwanji Temple
July 22	7 p.m.	Kurtistown Jodo Mission
July 22	8 p.m.	Hilo Hooganji Mission
July 22	8 p.m.	Kona Hongwanji Temple
July 29	8 p.m.	Papaaloa Hongwanji Temple
July 29	7 p.m.	Hilo Taishoji Soto Mission
Aug. 5	8 p.m.	Hawi Jodo Mission
Aug. 5	8 p.m.	Honohina Hongwanji Temple
Aug. 5	8 p.m.	Paauilo Kongoji Mission
Aug. 5	7 p.m.	Hilo Nichiren Mission
Aug. 12	7 p.m.	Hilo Higashi Hongwanji Mission
Aug. 12	7 p.m.	Hamakua Jodo Mission
Aug. 12	8 p.m.	Kona Koyasan Daishinji Mission
Aug. 19	8 p.m.	Kamuela Hongwanji Temple
Aug. 19	8 p.m.	Hakalau Jodo Mission
Aug. 26	8 p.m.	Puna Hongwanji Pahoa Fukyojo
Kauai
Date	Time	Location
Tonight	8 p.m.	Waimea Shingon Mission
June 16-17	7 p.m.	Kapaa Jodo Mission
June 23-24	7:45 p.m.	Kauai Soto Zen Temple, Hanapepe
June 30-July 1	7:30 p.m.	Kapaa Hongwanji Temple
July 7-8	8 p.m.	Waimea Higashi Hongwanji
July 14-15	8 p.m.	West Kauai Hongwanji Koloa Temple
July 21-22	8 p.m.	West Kauai Hongwanji Waimea Temple
July 28-29	8 p.m.	Koloa Jodo Mission
Aug. 4-5	8 p.m.	West Kauai Hongwanji Hanapepe Temple
Aug. 11-12	8 p.m.	Lihue Hongwanji Temple
Maui
Date	Time	Location
Tonight	7 p.m.	Puunene Nichiren Mission (Azeka Shopping Center)
Friday	8 p.m.	Wailuku Shingon Mission
June 23	7 p.m.	Wailuku Jodo Mission
June 24	7:30 p.m.	Lahaina Shingon Mission
June 30-July 1	7 p.m.	Lahaina Jodo Mission
July 7-8	8 p.m.	Paia Mantokuji Soto Mission, Paia
July 14-15	7:30 p.m.	Makawao Hongwanji Temple
July 21-22	8 p.m.	Wailuku Hongwanji Temple
July 28-29	8 p.m.	Kahului Hongwanji Temple
Aug. 11-12	7 p.m.	Kahului Jodo Mission
Aug. 26	7:30 p.m.	Kula Shingon Mission
Molokai
Date	Time	Location
July 15	5:30 p.m.	Guzeiji Soto Mission, Kaunakakai

CORRECTION Tuesday, June 27, 2006 » Jean Crosier teaches bon dancing. Her last name was misspelled as Crozier in a story on Page D6 Saturday. Please see the applicable Corrections Page for more information.