6,000 Candle-Lit Lanterns To Float In Hawaii On Memorial Day

Forbes

15-04-2025

Thousands of floating candle-lit lanterns set sail at sunset on Memorial Day at Ala Moana Beach in Honolulu.
More than 40,000 people are expected next month on Memorial Day to watch the floatation of 6,000 candle-lit lanterns at Honolulu's Ala Moana Beach.
Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaii is an annual ceremony honoring deceased military members and loved ones. It is officiated by Shinnyo‑en, an international Buddhist community. This May will be the 27th anniversary of the free event, and its theme is 'Many Rivers, One Ocean.'
'Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaii invites individuals, families and communities of every background to unite in a shared spirit of gratitude, reflection and hope,' says Rev. Craig Yamamoto, community relations liaison of Shinnyo-en Hawaii. 'We are honored to continue this meaningful tradition, fostering connection where renewal and unity embrace all.'
Candle-lit lanterns are floated in the water, according to the Shinnyo website, 'to carry our gratitude and prayers for all spirits and forms of life that have supported our existence since the beginning of time. Everyone is welcome, regardless of belief or background, to take part in this physical expression of love and remembrance for those who have touched our lives.'
Candle-lit lanterns are placed in the ocean each year on Memorial Day in Honolulu in remembrance of deceased military members and loved ones.
Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaii was held at a different location — at Keʻehi Lagoon on Oahu's south shore — during the ceremony's first three years. In 2002, the ceremony was moved a few miles down the coast to Ala Moana Beach. During the COVID pandemic, the 2020-2022 ceremonies were observed as a pre-recorded TV and Internet broadcast.
Tourists and locals who wish to float a lantern in person at the ceremony may receive one for free on a first-come, first-served basis at a Lantern Request Tent on Memorial Day. People may not float their own lanterns.
'The lanterns used for the Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaii ceremony are tested for flammability in all weather conditions,' the Shinnyo website says. 'Homemade lanterns may create a safety hazard for the other participants and our volunteers who retrieve your lanterns from the water.'
The local Waikiki Resort Hotel told its customers last year what to expect at the Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaii ceremony.
'As the sun sets over Waikiki,' the hotel said, 'visitors are treated to an array of traditional ceremonies honoring both Buddhist and Hawaiian traditions, with each ceremony carrying historic significance.'
Travelers have posted on Tripadvisor that they found the event meaningful and beautiful.
A traveler from Long Island, for example, posted in May 2019 that 'seeing all those lit lanterns on the water was an emotional experience, and so glad we went.'
The ceremony begins with the blowing of the pu, a Hawaiian conch shell, and the pounding of Japanese taiko drums. A Hawaiian chant and a hula dance follow, and then six large lanterns are brought in.
They supposedly carry all peoples' prayers for all spirits. Prayers are offered for victims of war, water-related accidents, natural and manmade disasters, famine and disease. Gratitude is mentioned for all, including endangered or extinct plant and animal life. The six lanterns are floated in the ocean with the hope of encouraging harmony and peace.
A communal flame is ignited before prayers, blessings and Buddhist chants, and flower petals are spread. Her Holiness Shinso Itu, one of the few women in the world to lead a Buddhist denomination, sounds a bell, and the 6,000 lanterns are placed atop the ocean water.
If you cannot attend in person, this year's ceremony can be watched on KHON2 in Hawaii, at the Shinnyo website and at the Shinnyo YouTube channel.
The website offers a universal hope.
'Whether you participate in person at the beach, view the broadcast on television or watch the livestream online from anywhere in the world, we hope that, as we gather together in this shared experience of aloha, what might have begun as a personal moment of reflection can grow into an experience of collective harmony and empathy, like many rivers flowing into one ocean.'
Onlookers watch the Shinnyo Lantern Floating for Peace ceremony at New York's Lincoln Center in 2014. (Photo byfor Shinnyo-en)
By sharing our feelings of loss and grief, we may also experience the lights of hope, courage and compassion, kindling a desire for connection and healing not just for ourselves, but for those around us.
Shinnyo is reality, or the true nature of all things. It is the innate goodness, wisdom, and compassion inherently at the core of every living being. Shinnyo is the light that exists in all, without exception.
Shinnyo also can be understood as external forces, vibrant and infinite, that compassionately lead us to moments of awakening – those serendipitous moments of feeling present and inspired.
When we become aware of shinnyo existing in and warmly encompassing us all, we can appreciate how interconnected we are. Each of us is unique, like 'Many Rivers,' and equally embraced in the 'One Ocean' of our wonderfully diverse world.
We hope that you'll use Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawai'i to celebrate the shinnyo in those you are remembering, awaken to its existence inside yourself, appreciate it in others around you, then decide how you will 'Share Your Light' through tangible acts to bring about hope and a brighter future for all.
When the founder of Shinnyo-en visited Hawaiʻi in 1970, he paid respects at Punchbowl (National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific) and the USS Arizona Memorial. Profoundly moved by this experience, he was inspired with the wish to hold a lantern floating where people could share their hopes for peace. His successor, Her Holiness Shinso Ito, further inspired by the tale of the Southern women, carried out his wish in the form of Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi on Memorial Day, 1999.
For its first three years, Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi was held at Keʻehi Lagoon on the south shore of Oʻahu. In 2002, the ceremony was moved a few miles down the coast to Ala Moana Beach.
From 2020 to 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the ceremony was observed as a pre-recorded TV and Internet broadcast with a focus on generating feelings of hope and connection. A smaller, in-person walk-through experience was also available on the Shinnyo-en Hawaii temple grounds in Honolulu.
In 2023, the ceremony returned to Ala Moana Beach, and Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024.
As the sun sets over Waikiki, visitors are treated to an array of traditional ceremonies honoring both Buddhist and Hawaiian traditions, with each ceremony carrying historic significance. You can watch the most recent lantern floating ceremony from 2023 for a peek at what to expect.
A few example ceremonies that will take place include:
You don't have to be a Buddhist to attend. The ceremony is intended to unite the hope of everyone who participates and draws visitors from around the globe. In fact, at the most recent ceremony in 2023, more than 50,000 people attended and lit more than 7,000 lanterns, making it one of the world's largest Memorial Day observations.
Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported last May:
A crowd of over 40,000 people gathered for the Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawai'i ceremony as 6,000 lanterns were set afloat in remembrance of loved ones at Ala Moana Regional Park on Memorial Day. The ceremony marked the 25th anniversary of the event with the theme 'Many Rivers, One Ocean.'
This year, the Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi ceremony will be held on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, 2025 at Ala Moana Beach.
The Shinnyo teachings are infused with a sense of warmth and humanity thanks to founding Masters Shinjo and Tomoji, who never wavered from their spiritual calling to serve and care for others even through hardship and profound personal loss. From the beginning, Shinjo and Tomoji taught in a way that would allow ordinary people to use Buddhist spiritual practices in their everyday lives to foster wisdom, compassion, and an abiding belief in their own capacity for goodness.
Today, Shinnyo‑en is led by their daughter, Her Holiness Shinso Ito, one of the few women in the world to lead a Buddhist denomination. Her Holiness Shinso has carried forward and expanded on her parents' work for the twenty-first century.
Her Holiness Shinso Ito is recognized for her lifelong commitment as a Buddhist leader with an honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka.
If you would like to float a lantern in person at the ceremony, you may receive one first-come first-served from the Lantern Request Tent, free of charge, on the day of the event. Please see the Individual Lanterns page for details.
Can I bring my own homemade lantern to float?
Please do not float your own homemade lanterns during the event.
The lanterns used for the Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi ceremony are tested for flammability in all weather conditions. Homemade lanterns may create a safety hazard for the other participants and for our volunteers who retrieve your lanterns from the water.
Additionally, our lanterns were specifically designed to stop against special lines strung across the water, to ensure they will not float out to sea. Other lantern designs may float into the open ocean and become an environmental concern. Any homemade lanterns we manage to retrieve will not be returned to their original owners.
If you are unable to receive one of our lanterns at the Lantern Request Tent on the day of the event, you can still write a remembrance that will be included on the Collective Remembrance Lanterns floated by volunteers. Learn more on the Collective Remembrance Lantern page.
I would like to participate, but I cannot be there to float a lantern. What can I do?
There are many ways to participate without attending in person. Please see the Take Part page for details.
How much does it cost to participate?
There is no cost to participate. Everyone is welcome to attend, place a remembrance on a lantern, or float a lantern, free of charge.
Any voluntary donations received at the beach on the day of the ceremony will be gifted to the City & County of Honolulu for the beautification of Ala Moana Beach Park.
May I make a donation to Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi? Where will my donation go?
There is no cost to participate in the Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi ceremony.
Any voluntary donations received at the beach on the day of the event are gifted to the City & County of Honolulu for the maintenance and beautification of Ala Moana Beach Park.
If you would like to make a donation to support Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi activities, please see the Dedicate a Donation page. You may optionally include the name of someone you would like to dedicate your donation to.
Will it be on TV or streamed online? Will it be archived for viewing?
The ceremony will be broadcast live on KHON2 and khon2.com from 6:30-7:30 p.m. HST (UTC-10). We will also be streaming live on this website and on our Youtube channel.
How can I get a lantern?
If you would like to float a lantern in person at the ceremony, you may receive one first-come first-served from the Lantern Request Tent, free of charge, on the day of the event. Please see the Individual Lanterns page for details.
Where can I park for the event?
Parking information for the 2025 ceremony will be available soon. Please check back here or on our Instagram and Facebook.
Will there be any accommodations made for those with physical disabilities?
Details about this year's accommodations will be available soon. Please check back here or on our Instagram and Facebook.
Do I need to volunteer in order to float a lantern?
No. Those volunteering on the event day do not float their own lantern.
How many lanterns will be floated?
This year, there will be 6,000 lanterns.
Can I bring my own homemade lantern to float?
Please do not float your own homemade lanterns during the event.
The lanterns used for the Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi ceremony are tested for flammability in all weather conditions. Homemade lanterns may create a safety hazard for the other participants and for our volunteers who retrieve your lanterns from the water.
Additionally, our lanterns were specifically designed to stop against special lines strung across the water, to ensure they will not float out to sea. Other lantern designs may float into the open ocean and become an environmental concern. Any homemade lanterns we manage to retrieve will not be returned to their original owners.
If you are unable to receive one of our lanterns at the Lantern Request Tent on the day of the event, you can still write a remembrance that will be included on the Collective Remembrance Lanterns floated by volunteers. Learn more on the Collective Remembrance Lantern page.
I would like to participate, but I cannot be there to float a lantern. What can I do?
There are many ways to participate without attending in person. Please see the Take Part page for details.
How much does it cost to participate?
There is no cost to participate. Everyone is welcome to attend, place a remembrance on a lantern, or float a lantern, free of charge.
Any voluntary donations received at the beach on the day of the ceremony will be gifted to the City & County of Honolulu for the beautification of Ala Moana Beach Park.
May I make a donation to Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi? Where will my donation go?
There is no cost to participate in the Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi ceremony.
Any voluntary donations received at the beach on the day of the event are gifted to the City & County of Honolulu for the maintenance and beautification of Ala Moana Beach Park.
If you would like to make a donation to support Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi activities, please see the Dedicate a Donation page. You may optionally include the name of someone you would like to dedicate your donation to.
Will it be on TV or streamed online? Will it be archived for viewing?
The ceremony will be broadcast live on KHON2 and khon2.com from 6:30-7:30 p.m. HST (UTC-10). We will also be streaming live on this website and on our Youtube channel.
If you are unable to join us live, you will be able to view the ceremony in its entirety on our website and YouTube after the event.
How else can I get involved?
Everyone is welcome to be a part of our volunteer ʻohana. Learn more on our Volunteer page
What are the different kinds of lanterns?
Guiding Lanterns are the large lanterns you see carried by assistants during the ceremony itself. These special lanterns carry prayers on behalf of all of us, and are dedicated to all who have ever existed. We have been supported by an unfathomable number of beings who have come before us, from generations of ancestors to animals and plants that sustained all life on our planet since its creation. Floating the six Guiding Lanterns ensures that spirits of all will be remembered in the Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi ceremony. Some examples of prayers on the Guiding Lanterns are 'Victims of Natural Disasters,' 'Victims of Man-made Disasters,' 'All Tangible and Intangible Life in All Realms Past, Present, and Future,' and 'Casualties of Violence Since Settler Colonialism in Hawaii.'
Collective Remembrance Lanterns are the original wooden-framed lanterns that were made by Shinnyo practitioners in the early years of the event and are refurbished each year. They are floated by volunteers from canoes or the shore. Each of these lanterns carry multiple remembrances, submitted ahead of time from around the world or from those who are unable to, or choose not to, float an Individual Lantern.
Individual Lanterns are distributed at the event to those who would like to personally place a lantern into the water during the ceremony. They are available at no cost, one per family or group. There are three blank sides on these lanterns, for writing remembrances on.
Who makes the lanterns?
The original wooden-framed Collective Remembrance Lanterns were made by Shinnyo practitioners in the early years of the event. In the spring, Shinnyo practitioners, individual public volunteers and groups from schools, businesses and organizations contribute their efforts to carefully prepare these and the Individual Lanterns for the event day.
What happens to the lanterns after the ceremony?
Volunteers in canoes make every effort to retrieve each lantern from the water after the ceremony ends. The lanterns are cleaned and stored for refurbishment in future years. Remembrances and prayers are removed and handled in a proper and spiritually respectful way.
Are lanterns available for purchase?
The lanterns are not available for purchase as they are made specifically to carry the remembrances and prayers at the Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi ceremony and are refurbished for reuse each year. Thank you for your understanding.
Does Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi sell any souvenirs?
No, Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi is a ceremony and does not profit monetarily from any activities or saleable merchandise.
Is there food or beverage available for sale?
Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi does not sell any food or beverage. Our primary focus continues to be the safety of ceremonial participants and providing a meaningful event open to all. We appreciate your understanding and kokua by coming prepared with your own food and non-alcoholic beverages.
Food and beverages are available for purchase at the fixed concession stands located on the mauka side of Ala Moana Beach Drive which are contracted by the City & County of Honolulu's Dept. of Parks and Recreation. Please be aware that any food or beverage being sold by vendors, stationary or mobile, other than at the fixed concession stands, is unsanctioned and not in compliance with City & County regulations.
Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi assumes no responsibility for any damages that may occur through consumption of any food or beverage sold at Ala Moana Beach Park.
Aloha,
Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawai'i, the annual Memorial Day ceremony that brings together communities from around the world in honor of fallen service members and loved ones, announced its return to Ala Moana Beach on Monday, May 26, 2025. Celebrating its 27th year with the theme of Many Rivers, One Ocean, the ceremony is the largest Memorial Day event in the U.S. and hopes to connect the community by offering a space, physical and emotional, for residents and visitors to experience a sense of comfort, connection, and healing.
Please see a copy of the news release attached and below. Images credited to Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawai'i can be downloaded at this link.
Mahalo,
Krislyn
SHINNYO LANTERN FLOATING HAWAI'I RETURNS TO ALA MOANA BEACH THIS MEMORIAL DAY, MAY 26The largest Memorial Day event in the U.S. honors fallen service members and loved ones with 6,000 candle-lit lanterns bearing remembrances, prayers, and affirmations
HONOLULU, HAWAI'I – Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawai'i, the annual Memorial Day ceremony that brings together communities from around the world in honor of fallen service members and loved ones, announced its return to Ala Moana Beach on Monday, May 26, 2025. Celebrating its 27th year with the theme of Many Rivers, One Ocean, the ceremony is the largest Memorial Day event in the U.S. and hopes to connect the community by offering a space, physical and emotional, for residents and visitors to experience a sense of comfort, connection, and healing.
'Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawai'i invites individuals, families, and communities of every background to unite in a shared spirit of gratitude, reflection, and hope,' said Rev. Craig Yamamoto, community relations liaison of Shinnyo-en Hawaii. 'We are honored to continue this meaningful tradition, fostering connection where renewal and unity embrace all.'
Individual lanterns will be available on a first-come, first served basis at Ala Moana Beach on May 26, with no pre-reservation option. A total of 6,000 candle-lit lanterns bearing remembrances, prayers and affirmations to perpetuate the goodness of those being remembered will be set afloat at Ala Moana Beach at sunset. Lanterns are collected at the end of the ceremony by volunteers to be refurbished for next year. Those interested in volunteering can visit LanternFloatingHawaii.com for more information.
Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawai'i is a free event officiated by Shinnyo-en, an international Buddhist community with Japanese roots, and presented by its locally-based, social-contributing arm Nā Lei Aloha Foundation. The annual ceremony draws people from various ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds in a gathering that aims to create a moment of collective remembrance, harmony and international friendship. The ceremony will also be broadcast on KHON2 and streamed on Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawai'i's