Walnut Grove Buddhist Church

Walnut Grove Buddhist Church is a Buddhist temple in the historic Japanese-American farming community of Walnut Grove, California, outside of Sacramento, CA. It is an affiliate of the Buddhist Churches of America.

Past head priests (Rinban) of the Walnut Grove Buddhist Church

History

Pre-establishment

Walnut Grove, known to Issei Japanese as "Kawashimo," was settled by Japanese immigrants in the early 20th century. By the end of World War I, many families were established. The growth of successive generations prompted the need for religious service within the community.

Around 1923, Dharma talks (法話会 hōwakai) became a regular practice that were held within Japanese homes. Ministers from the Buddhist Church of Sacramento traveled 25 miles to conduct these services. On other occasions, such as funerals, the community would travel to Sacramento.

In 1924, a Buddhist Sunday School was formed by Tome Yoshida with about fifteen students. The tables and benches used can still be found in her house today.

Establishment

The church was established in 1926 and the church building completed a year later in 1927. It was recognized as a branch of the Buddhist Church of Sacramento. On February 1, 1931, it broke off from the larger church and became independent with 130 members.

On January 29, 1935, the temple hosted visiting Renshi Shojo Ohtani, who led the confirmation of nearly 100 members.

On the same year of the temple's establishment, a medical health club (白菊会, shiragikukai) was started by a group of ten teenage girls. In June 1930, a group of younger children assisted in the establishment of the Young Girls Buddhist Association (YGBA, 少女会, shōjokai), serving as the equivalent of the local Young Men’s Buddhist Association (YMBA) that was established two years earlier. The Buddhist Women's Association (婦人会, funjinkai) was officially organized on January 8, 1932.In May 1938, the YMBA and YWBA merged to form the Young Buddhist Association (YBA).

World War II and aftermath

A taiko group performs at the Walnut Grove Buddhist Church Bazaar

The evacuation of Japanese Americans during World War II led to the temple's closure. Japanese from the area were sent to Merced and Turlock Assembly Centers and then to the Amache, Colorado and Gila, Arizona Relocation Centers.

Immediately after the war on July 27, 1945, Shigeo Kato and his family returned to Walnut Grove; who with Tomio Matsuoka, Rev. Takeo Agatsuma (Methodist Church minister), and Ralph Sugimoto; prepared to receive other Japanese. The church building functioned as a hostel at this time.

Returnees from the Isleton area found their temple looted and damaged. The building was sold and finds donated to the Walnut Grove Buddhist Temples and New York Buddhist Academy. Isleton residents ultimately became part of the congregation at Walnut Grove.

On December 16, 1945, the reverend Takuyu Shirakawa returned and the church sponsored a combined Memorial Service and Hōonkō (報恩講) for members who had passed away during the war. The Buddhist Women's Association and the YBA were also reactivated at this time.

Reverend Shirakawa's successor, Reverend Seikaku Mizutani was the longest serving Rinban of the church, serving 22 years from 1950 to 1972. By the 1970s, Walnut Grove as a community faced decline as many of the original congregants' children moved to Sacramento and beyond, seeking non-agricultural jobs.

Through the 80s and 90s, church membership continued to fall as many of the older generation passed away, although many children and grandchildren of the original members still consider the church as their ancestral home, and return to support the annual summer Bazaar and Obon, providing much needed income to the church coffers.

Ministers of the Walnut Grove Buddhist Church

Name	Years Served
Chonen Terakawa	1931-1936
Tokujo Tsumura	1936-1941
Takuyu Shirakawa	1941-1949
Seikaku Mizutani	1950-1972
Shoshin Ota	1973-1985
Ken Fujimoto	1985-2006
Harry Bridge	2007-2009
Katsuya Kusunoki	2010-

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