Byodo-In Temple

I live on the small island of Oahu. Whenever visitors come here, we usually have to take them to the same places over and over.

However, when our daughter, Tiffany asked if we'd like to join her and our granddaughter to see the Byodo-In temple on the other side of the island we were happy to go. Our son-in-law could not go. When they come to Hawaii he has to close himself off in our office with his computer and headphones to stay on mainland time and work.

Tiffany drove on the H3 through the Tetsuo Harano tunnel into what looked like another world.

Living on the over populated, leeward side of the island which doesn't get as much rain, the windward side is lush and green.

When you come out of the tunnel, it truly is like stepping into another world.

And there it was!

This is from Wikipedia:

The Byodo-In Temple (平等院 Byōdōin) is a non-denominational Buddhist temple located on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi in Valley of the Temples Memorial Park. It was dedicated in August 1968 to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaiʻi. 

The temple is a replica of a 900-year-old Buddhist temple at Uji in Kyoto Prefecture of Japan. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a functioning Buddhist temple in the proper sense as it does not host a resident monastic community nor an active congregation. 

Inside the Byodo-In Temple is a 18 ft statue of the Lotus Buddha, a wooden image depicting Amitābha. It is covered in gold and lacquer. Outside is a three-ton, brass peace bell. Surrounding the temple are large koi ponds that cover a total of 2 acres (0.81 ha). 

Around those ponds are lush Japanese gardens set against a backdrop of towering cliffs of the Koʻolau Range. The gardens are home to sparrows and peafowl. The temple covers 11,000 sq ft.

We enjoyed walking around the grounds and admiring the black swans who strolled through the gardens.

However, our time on this side of the island was not over. Tiffany's friend had mentioned a macadamia nut farm we should visit. 

Art laughed since he grew up on the Big Island where there are acres and acres of macadamia nut farms. Oahu isn't known for macadamia nuts.

Still, it turned out to be rather interesting anyway, but that will be tomorrow's post.