White River Buddhist Temple in Auburn celebrates annual Bon Odori

Published 1:24 pm Friday, July 31, 2026

White River Buddhist Temple, which has been a part of Auburn for over 110 years, hosted its annual Bon Odori celebration on Saturday, July 25.

Bon Odori is popular across the community for all individuals, both religious and nonreligious, and has been hosted by the temple for more than 50 years.

White River Buddhist Temple, 3625 Auburn Way N., was founded by Japanese American farmers as a place free of prejudice where everyone was welcome, explained Tessa Asato, 2026 Bon Odori chair.

“The temple has evolved to be an integral part of Auburn,” she said.

This year, Bon Odori featured a Seattle Matsuri Taiko performance, an Okinawan Kenjin-Kai Eisa Taiko performance, a kid’s Obon dance and more.

Several food options were also available from a Japanese smash burger to spam musabi as well as a beer and wine garden.

Bon Odori celebrates the Japanese Buddhist holiday, Obon, to honor the spirits of one’s ancestors, according to the White River Buddhist Temple website. The festival is the biggest annual event for the temple.

Asato commented on the importance of celebrating Obon with the community.

“Our mantra ‘you are welcome here’ is an important part of our identity,” she said. “We are proud of the way that the Bon Odori has become a favorite annual tradition of the city – where we welcome individuals of all backgrounds to join us for the celebration, dance, and support the temple. Auburn is where we were founded, it’s who we are.”

Dancing was another highlight of the event with all attendees encouraged to join in to songs like “Mi Kokoro” and “Goshu Ondo.”

“The temple strives to create a welcoming community – one where anyone can experience the Bon Odori annual tradition no matter your background. Regardless of whether you know the dances or not, everyone joins in without ego,” Asato said.

The temple looks forward to continuing its tradition and are already excited for next year’s celebration.

“White River Buddhist Temple is so incredibly grateful to be a part of the Auburn community,” Asato said. “We have enjoyed tremendous support from the City of Auburn, the mayor, and other leaders who continue to embrace the rich diversity of our community. If you enjoyed Bon Odori, join us for our regular Sunday services and other events throughout the year.”