Buddhist Temple of San Diego 100th Anniversary Weekend 2026

Buddhist Temple of San Diego marks its centennial Friday, September 18 through Monday, September 21, 2026 under the theme "Gratitude to Our Past, Present and Future." The temple at 2929 Market Street in Logan Heights has anchored Japanese American Buddhist life in San Diego since 1926, making this the county's biggest Nikkei institutional weekend of the fall after summer Obon season.

Friday, September 18 opens with a Great Reunion and a 75th Junior YBA anniversary bonfire at Crown Point in Mission Bay. Saturday, September 19 moves to the Mission Valley Doubletree by Hilton at Hazard Center for a ticketed banquet: cocktail hour, dinner, and a commemorative program aimed at alumni reconnecting across generations.

Sunday, September 20 is the public heart of the weekend at the temple. The published schedule lists a 9 a.m. Kieshiki (Buddhist naming) ceremony, a 10 a.m. group photo, the O-Chigo parade at 10:15 a.m., a 10:30 a.m. centennial service led by resident minister Rev. Sterling Davenport with visiting clergy including Bishop Marvin Harada and former resident minister Rev. Yushi Mukojima, then a noon luncheon and program supported by the Buddhist Women's Association. O-Chigo is the children's parade tradition in Shin Buddhist communities; here it lands inside a once-in-a-century service day rather than as a standalone summer fair.

Monday, September 21 closes with a golf outing at Riverwalk Golf Club in Mission Valley for members who want a quieter farewell. Registration for banquet, naming ceremony, golf, and luncheon pieces runs through the temple's 100th anniversary page; not every segment is open walk-in.

Who this is for: temple families, San Diego Nikkei alumni, and anyone who danced Obon at BTSD in August and wants the institutional history behind the lawn. This is reunion and service programming, not a street food festival. Visitors without temple ties should still confirm which Sunday segments welcome the broader public before you arrive.

The weekend sits three weeks after AADF Mainstage and the same month as House of Korea's lawn program, which gives September a clear split: cottage culture on the park lawn, temple history in Logan Heights.

BTSD also runs the Japanese Cultural Bazaar in June, Bon Odori in August, and Mochitsuki in December, so the centennial is the capstone on a full festival year rather than a one-off fundraiser.

Our take: buy banquet tickets early if you are traveling for reunion weekend. For a single public-facing moment, Sunday's O-Chigo parade and anniversary service are the beats most visitors can plan around once the temple confirms guest policies.

When: September 18–21, 2026
Where: Buddhist Temple of San Diego and partner venues, San Diego, CA

Confirm hours, tickets, and updates on the official listing.