The main hall of Seattle Betsuin yawns empty, after fire-damaged adornments of the hall and inner altar were sent to Kyoto, Japan, to be refurbished.

Members of the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple sangha had a powerful lesson on impermanence at the beginning of 2024.

With the goal of attracting families with children, the temple held its annual New Year’s Eve Service at noon on December 31, 2023, rather than at the usual 7 p.m. Head minister Reverend Katsuya Kusunoki hoped for a good turnout, but never expected to see the more than 250 people at the service. With such a crowd, the traditional ringing-out of the old year, by striking the large bell 108 times, seemed to portend a good 2024.

However, the next morning temple members received an email telling them to stay away from the New Year’s Day Service and from the temple, because of an arson fire during the night. The entire temple building, a historic landmark, was shut down.

In response, Seattle Betsuin Board Chairperson Tyler Moriguchi quoted Shin Buddhist Founder Master Shinran:

“For him who counts on tomorrow,
Like the fragile cherry blossom,
Tonight, unexpected winds may blow.”

Immediately following the fire, the temple formed the Betsuin Arson Restoration Project, to assess the damage, work with insurers, and keep members updated regularly on the situation.  The archives committee, which has worked behind the scenes for several years, quickly played a leading role.

Why were archives important?  A Seattle Times quote by Alex Sakamoto, minister’s assistant and temple board member, says it well: “Just outside the room where the fire began were the temple’s physical archives, which date back to 1901 when first-generation Japanese Americans founded the temple. The current location was built during World War II in 1941, and the destroyed archives contained documents from when temple members were detained in incarceration camps. By losing this, we’re losing this knowledge and history.”

A team of 129 volunteers—temple and community members—have dedicated more than 1,500 hours toward preserving the temple records, according to the Betsuin Archives Committee.

Others, from Governor Jay Inslee to representatives from the Seattle mayor’s office, have visited and shown support. The nonprofit organization Plant Amnesty celebrated Arbor Day by pruning all the trees in Wisteria Park, one of the temple’s properties. Their generous dana was especially appreciated following the fire.

Seattle University’s Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture, and Zen priest Reverend Dr. Jason Wirth, offered their campus for three fundraising events. Seattle Betsuin is especially grateful to Seattle Koyasan Buddhist Temple and Reverend Taijo Imanaka and his sangha, for opening their doors many times for Betsuin special services.

In addition to this in-kind tangible dana, as of June 28, 2024, approximately 1,479 individual financial donations were received. In response temple volunteers made and mailed 1,151 thank you cards, each with a handwritten greeting.

Before the fire, who would have imagined this outpouring of community support for a little- known religious organization? Reverend Kusunoki wrote: “Through this experience, I truly realized that Seattle Betsuin is supported by numerous people. I deeply express my appreciation for all of you who support Seattle Betsuin.”

”We are all experiencing difficulties. Things are not going as we expect. It is Sakyamuni Buddha’s teaching. It is a precious time for us to listen to the buddhadharma and to find a path to follow. I appreciate your patience, understanding, and support. I look forward to gathering at the temple’s hondo (main hall) again, and reciting Nembutsu, (NamoAmidaButsu), together.”

At this writing it is not known when the cleaning process will be complete and when the temple will be fully functioning. Operations will perhaps partially resume in September, and maybe not until March for the main hall and its inner altar. 

On a hopeful note, Chairperson Moriguchi wrote in Temple Restoration Update for the week of Feb 11-17, 2024: “Miraculously, the Bon Odori taiko drum survived the fire, despite being very close to the room where the fire began.” He added in the April issue: “Even though we do not yet have a date for reopening, I am happy to announce that we have decided to hold the Seattle Bon Odori on July 20 and 21, 2024. While Bon Odori will most certainly have a different look and feel, there will be dancing in the street again this year.”

Bon Odori Chair Ron Hamakawa adds, “While it will not be a “normal” Bon Odori this year, we are committed to ensuring that we appropriately remember and honor those who came before, and to especially think about our Hatsubon (deceased since the last obon observance) families.”  

For progress toward the re-opening of Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple, or to contribute, please go to this link.