The Midwest Buddhist Temple & The Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Tradition

About the Event

To begin your morning, guests will have the opportunity to attend the Midwest Buddhist Temple’s Founder’s Day service which honors the founding minister, Rev. Kono, and the founding members of the temple. After the service, guests will visit the Legacy Japanese Garden led by one of MBT’s docents. The garden was created to honor the Issei and Nisei pioneers of the temple. It was designed and built by Hoichi Kurisu, world-renowned Japanese Garden landscape designer.

Rev. Tsuchiya will give a presentation on MBT’s tradition, and guests can share what they experienced with all their senses in the temple’s Hondo or main hall. There will be time for questions immediately following the presentation.

Guests will meet in the main hall of the temple at 10:15 am. A portion of the registration fees will be donated to the temple.

Parking is available in the temple lot. Limited street parking is also available.

About the Presenter

Rev. Todd Tsuchiya is the Minister at the Midwest Buddhist Temple in Chicago, Illinois. He is originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota where he retired from a 30-year career as a dentist. Rev. Tsuchiya received his Master of Divinity from the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, California and subsequently received Tokudo ordination and Kyoshi certification from the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha in Kyoto, Japan.

Rev. Tsuchiya is married to his wife Connie, they have an adult son Kyle, and 2 cats named Mochi and Bodhi.

The Midwest Buddhist Temple was established in 1944 by their founding minister, Rev. Gyodo Kono along with the many Japanese and Japanese Americans who resettled in Chicago after their release from the internment camp incarceration by the US Government during WWII. They lost their homes and businesses on the West Coast so moved to Chicago to start new lives.

Host or Publisher Japan America Society of Chicago