Many Rivers, One Ocean Scholarship
Shinnyo-en founder Master Shinjo Ito possessed a deep sense of appreciation for Hawai’i that led him to return nearly every year from 1970 till a few years before his passing in 1989. Because of his belief in Hawai’i as being a spiritually significant place, he chose Hawai’i to be the location of the first Shinnyo-en temple outside of Japan.
In keeping with Master Shinjo’s wish to hold a ceremony in Hawaiʻi where all spirits, without distinction of origin or background, could be honored and remembered, first generation successor Her Holiness Shinso Ito began Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi in 1999. The theme of this annual ceremony that draws tens of thousands to Ala Moana Beach from around the world in harmony and remembrance is Many Rivers, One Ocean.
In 2024, Her Holiness Shinso Ito established the Many Rivers, One Ocean Scholarship Program to commemorate the 50th year of Shinnyo-en in Hawai’i. Students from Japan are awarded financial support to study, live, and learn in Hawaiʻi, a place full of experiences that can foster a more global perspective on caring for people and the earth.