Ekoji Buddhist Temple
Entrance to Ekoji Buddhist Temple
Religion
Affiliation	Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism
Location
Location	6500 Lakehaven Lane Fairfax Station, Virginia
Country	United States
Geographic coordinates	38°46′26″N 77°18′2.6″W / 38.77389°N 77.300722°W / 38.77389; -77.300722
Architecture
Founder	Rev. Kenryu Tsuji and Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata
Date established	1981
Website
http://www.ekoji.org

Ekoji (恵光寺, Ekō-ji) is a temple of the Jōdo Shinshū Hongwanji-ha Japanese Buddhist sect in Fairfax Station, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. It is a member of the Buddhist Churches of America, ^[1] the oldest Buddhist organization in the mainland United States.

Ekoji (literally in Japanese, "Temple of the Gift of Light") was founded in 1981; its initial location was an office condominium building located in Springfield, Virginia, and a larger temple was constructed in Fairfax Station, Virginia, in 1998. The temple was established through the beneficial efforts of the late Rev. Kenryu Tsuji (1919-2004), the former Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America, and the late Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata, a Japanese businessman and devout Jodo Shinshu Buddhist. ^[2] He also established the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai ("Society for the Promotion of Buddhism") to help spread Buddhism throughout the world.

Reverend Nariaki Hayashi became the full-time resident minister in 2016. However, as of 2022, he has left to be the minister of the Tri-State Denver Buddhist Temple.

As of 2023, Ekoji has a chapter of the Young Buddhist Association.

The temple serves as the headquarters for the taiko drumming ensemble Nen Daiko. ^{[3] [4]}

There are several Ekoji Temples in Japan, as well as in Düsseldorf, Germany and Mexico City.

See also

• Buddhism in the United States
• Buddhism in the West
• Glossary of Japanese Buddhism

References

External links

• Ekoji Buddhist Temple, Jodo Shinshu Buddhism (Nishi Hongwanji), Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C.
• Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (BDK): Society for the Promotion of Buddhism
• Ekoji Buddhist Temple on Facebook
• Ekoji Buddhist Temple on Instagram
• Ekoji Buddhist Temple on Twitter
• Nen Daiko