Hawaiian Style Toro Nagashi

This past Monday afternoon I took a short spin down to the 8th annual Toro Nagashi (aka Lantern Floating Festival) going on at Ala Moana Beach Park. The cops had the whole park blocked off to cars so it was good that I came by bike.

When I got to the Magic Island end of the park I could tell that it was a really big production with a stage and props and tents and tons of security. News reports predicted over 30,000 people and it sure looked like that much. Lots and lots of Japanese people, as expected, since it is a Buddist Festival. But there were all kinds of other people there too, probably because it was advertised as more of a "world" event.

Since I didn't want to ride back home in the dark, I had to just take a couple pictures and leave but at least I got to see some of the pre-positioned floating lanterns up close. Luckily for those of us who couldn't be there, it was shown live on television. But to actually be there, to see the lanterns floating out on the dusk colored waters, though, must be really nice.

I especially liked the message delivered by the head priest with regards to this being a world event. She said that the prayers being carried by these lanterns, and especially the prayers for "World Peace," being let onto these waters at Ala Moana Beach should reach all the peoples of the world. Since the waters here in Hawaii, in essence, are the same waters that encircle the entire globe. Something to think about....."Peace"