Henjyoji Shingon Buddhist Temple

Memorial Day in Portland is commemorated in part with the coming together of the various Buddhist temples and places of worship historically connected with the Japanese American population of the city. The Japanese Ancestral Society of Portland (https://www.japaneseancestralsociety.org) and other groups gather to clean and maintain the graves of community members, and commemorate members of the community who gave their lives in service to their country. This year, temple Board Member Dave Bachelor was asked to share a remembrance of his uncle, 1st. Lt. Grant Henjyoji who died in Vietnam in 1969. Lt. Henjyoji's name appears on the war memorial in the Japanese Cemetery at Rose City Cemetery in Portland. Members also hold a commemorative gathering at Lone Fir Cemetery, one of the cities oldest, where graves of the earliest Japanese settlers and contract laborers were laid to rest. Some of these graves are newly uncovered by volunteers.