A commemorative ceremony was held in Japan recently to mark forty years of the establishment of the Lankaji Temple at Kogoshima, Sawara, the first Theravada Sri Lankan Buddhist temple to be set up in Japan.
Minister of Urban Development and Housing Prasanna Ranatunga attended the ceremony as chief guest on behalf of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The ceremony was overseen by Chief Sanghanayaka of Japan and Chief Incumbent of Lankaji Temple, Ven. Banagala Upatissa Thera.
The Lankaji Temple is the first Theravada Buddhist temple built in Japan, which has over a thousand years of Buddhist history.
Ven. Upatissa Thera has been given the opportunity to go to Japan under the patronage of Takiko Yoshida.
Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala’s dream of setting up a Theravada temple in Japan thus came to fruition and the Lankaji temple was opened under the patronage of late President J.R. Jayewardene.
The Temple gradually developed and became one of the leading temples in Japan with the support of statesmen, businessmen and the Sri Lankan business community in Japan. The Lankaji temple has served as a relief centre for thousands of Sri Lankan expatriates.
