KAWASHIMO • 川下
Hugging the banks of the Sacramento River, some twenty-five miles downstream of Sacramento, in the area known as the California Delta, lies the quiet little community of Walnut Grove, known to Issei Japanese as 川下 “Kawashimo.” Japanese immigrants came to California by the tens of thousands in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Many settled in the rich agricultural regions of the Central Valley. They brought with them their Buddhist spiritual traditions and began a network of Shin Buddhist temples.
THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY
Around 1923, concern grew for the need of a place of gathering for people with a Buddhist background and for the religious training of the young ones. Around this time, people in this area gathered from time to time to hold Howakai at different homes. On these occasions, ministers from the Buddhist Church of Sacramento came 25 miles to conduct the services. On special occasions, such as funerals, people traveled to the Church in Sacramento.
In 1924, Mrs. Tome Yoshida, a devout Buddhist, started a Buddhist Sunday School in her own home in Walnut Grove with about fifteen pupils. The tables and benches made for this school can still be found in her home today.
A few years later, an intense interest arose among the people to build a church in Walnut Grove. As a result, a committee was formed, headed by the three most influential residents among the Buddhists, Shodo Tatsuda, Ukichi Kuwabara and Seitaro Hayashi. This committee worked to found the Walnut Grove Buddhist Church. Kikunoshin Hirotsu was appointed building construction chairman of the gigantic project.
CHURCH BUILDING CONSTRUCTED
The church building was completed in 1927 and became a branch of the Buddhist Church of Sacramento. The services at the Church were conducted by Shodo Tatsuda under the guidance of ministers from Sacramento.
On January 24, 1929, the first meeting was held to officially organize the church group. Hikotaro Inaba was elected as the first president to lead the group. The interest was overwhelming, and large numbers of people committed themselves to supporting the Church. On February 1, 1931, with 130 members, Walnut Grove Buddhist Church became independent and severed its ties with the Buddhist Church of Sacramento. On May 31, 1931, Rev. Chonen Terakawa was assigned to the new church. A special dedicatory service was held on August 8 and 9, 1931. Rev. Terakawa also started to conduct services at Isleton in 1932 in a barrack-type building. He also started family services and a Japanese Language School near Thornton on a large farm known as Canal Ranch, where several Japanese families were residing.
CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS
In 1927, young teenage girls started a club known as Shiragikukai with about ten members at the home of Shodo Tatsuda. Pre-teen age girls also became organized as Shojokai (Young Girls Buddhist Association) in June 1930. Young boys were not left out in getting organized either. With thirteen members, they formed the Young Men’s Buddhist Association in 1928. In May 1938, the YMBA and YWBA (formed sometime earlier) merged to form a YBA with a membership of 80. The Fujinkai was officially organized on January 8, 1932.
The neighboring community of Isleton, after completion of their church building, held its Nyubutsushiki on October 28, 1934, with many members from Walnut Grove participating.
The visitation of Renshi Shojo Ohtani on January 29, 1935, was perhaps one of the most important events for many Jodo Shinshu followers of Walnut Grove, at which time nearly 100 members were able to receive their Confirmation.
EARLY PHOTOS FROM OUR CHURCH (SLIDESHOW)
FORCED REMOVAL AND INCARCERATION DURING WWII
When the Second World War started with Japan and caused the evacuation of people of Japanese ancestry, the church building was boarded up and sealed for the duration. The Japanese of the town were evacuated to Merced and Turlock Assembly Centers and then to Amache, Colorado and Gila, Arizona Relocation Centers. Some of the people residing in the outlying area of Walnut Grove went to Walerga Assembly Center and then to Tule Lake Relocation Center.
On July 27, 1945, Shigeo Kato and his family of five returned to Walnut Grove, and with the aid of Tomio Matsuoka, Rev. Takeo Agatsuma (a Walnut Grove Methodist Church minister), and Ralph Sugimoto, made preparations to receive other returnees. The Church was converted to a hostel, and in August, the first group from Gila came back, while the group in Amache came back in September.
ISLETON JOINS WALNUT GROVE
Returnees to the Isleton area found their Church looted and heavily damaged. Thus, the members sold the building and disbanded the Isleton Buddhist Church. Funds received from the sale of the building were donated to the Walnut Grove Buddhist Church and to the New York Buddhist Academy. Isleton Buddhists decided to join the Walnut Grove Buddhist Church.
On December 16, 1945, with Rev. Takuyu Shirakawa also returning, the Church sponsored a combined Memorial Service and a Hoonko Service for members who passed away during the evacuation days. At the same time, the Fujinkai and the YBA were reactivated.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
The Church mourned the passing of Rev. Shirakawa in October, 1949. In July, 1950, it welcomed Rev. Seikaku Mizutani from Lodi.
1952 was a busy year for the Walnut Grove Buddhists with the visitation of the Lord Abbot Kosho Ohtani, the construction of our Nokotsudo and the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Walnut Grove Buddhist Church.
The passing of Rev. Mizutani on September 25, 1972, after a short illness, was a great loss to the Church. He had served the Church for 22 years. His missionary work goes back to 1916 when he arrived in the United States as a youth of 20. His service to the BCA and the Buddhists spans a period of 56 years from 1916-1972. His record, so far, has never been matched by any other minister. Rev. Mizutani’s long years of dedication in the services of Buddhist ministry will be long remembered by all.