Enmanji Temple celebrates 75 years in Sebastopol

This year commemorates the 75th Anniversary of Enmanji Temple in
Sebastopol and celebrating this milestone, Enmanji will host two
weekend events beginning with the 55th Annual Teriyaki Barbecue and
Bazaar and the Obon Odori Dance and Taiko performance.
The community is invited to Enmanji’s Teriyaki Bazaar Sunday,
July 12, for a barbecued teriyaki chicken lunch and other Japanese
delicacies including a sweetened bean-filled pastry called imagawa
yaki.
The Teriyaki chicken plate features a half chicken, steamed
white rice, homemade potato salad, tea and a fortune cookie for
$10.
Cultural activities fill out the rest of the event, featuring
bonsai display from the Redwood Empire Bonsai Society, an extensive
outdoor plant sale, Ikebana flower arranging demonstration and
sale, Buddhist dharma talk, games for the kids, handicrafts, raffle
drawing, bingo, cultural arts displays, martial arts demonstrations
and Taiko performance by Sonoma County Taiko at 12:30 p.m. and 4
p.m.
On Saturday, July 18,  Enmanji Temple will host Obon Odori
dancing at 7 p.m. This community outdoor dance honors those who
have passed, and return to earth once a year to enjoy the earthly
pleasures.
Preceding Obon on Saturday, July 18, will be dance practices for
anyone interested in learning the dance steps. The practices will
be from Tuesday, July 14 through Friday, July 17, from 7 to 9 p.m.
each evening and will take place at Enmanji Memorial Hall. This
event is open to the public and free.
Enmanji Buddhist Temple is located at 1200 Gravenstein Hwy. So.,
Sebastopol.
Proceeds from the Teriyaki Bazaar will support the local Enmanji
Buddhist Temple and community activities.
Enmanji Temple members were the first in the Bay Area to feature
chicken teriyaki barbecue as a way to share their Japanese heritage
and act as a fundraiser.