History:

The only information available about the beginnings of the Monterey Peninsula Buddhist Church exists in the pages of a history book compiled by one of the founding members in 1937. This record book, written in concise Japanese, states that on November 2, 1918, over fifty-five years ago, Rev. Seisho Ishiguro of the Watsonville Buddhist Church was invited to the home of Mantaro Yamate at 605 Lighthouse Avenue in New Monterey to deliver a sermon. At that time there was no church building or hall where the members of the Buddhist community could meet. It seems, however, that a need was felt for such a formal meeting place, and the records show that subsequent to that first service at the Yamate home, a house was rented at 570 Lighthouse Avenue. There a monthly service or Howakai was conducted. And thus, began the remarkable history of the Monterey Peninsula Buddhist Church.

As the number of Nisei in the Monterey area increased, so did the necessity of a more organized Buddhist Church. In 1924, a house at 301 Washington Street, closer to downtown Monterey, was secured and a minister from Japan, Rev. Reichi Kusunoki, was engaged to conduct regular services and a Japanese Language School. This arrangement lasted only a year, due to the return of Rev. Kusunoki to Japan.

In May, 1925, the Japanese Language School was moved back to New Monterey, and at the requests of parents, the monthly services were revived. The aid of Rev. Chien Numata of Watsonville was enlisted to conduct these services. On Rev. Numata's return to Japan in October, 1927, assistance was asked of the neighboring Buddhist Church in Salinas and its minister, Rev. Hideo Shimakawa. The aid lent by Salinas began a long Dharma relationship between the two churches.