Portland Buddhist Church

{{Short description|Historic building in Portland, Oregon, U.S.}}

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = Portland Buddhist Church

| nrhp_type =

| image = Portland Buddhist Church - Portland Oregon.jpg

| caption = The building's exterior in 2008

| location = 312 NW Tenth Ave, Portland, Oregon

| coordinates = {{coord|45|31|32|N|122|40|47|W|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = USA Portland downtown#Oregon#USA

| built = {{start date and age|1910}}

| architect =

| architecture = Early Commercial

| added = January 21, 2004

| refnum = 03001476{{NRISref|version=2009a}}

}}

The Portland Buddhist Church, located in northwest Portland, Oregon, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.{{cite web|title=Oregon National Register List|publisher=Oregon Parks and Recreation Department|url=http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/NATREG/docs/oregon_nr_list.pdf|page=38|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425031913/https://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/NATREG/docs/oregon_nr_list.pdf|archive-date=April 25, 2018|url-status=dead|date=June 6, 2011|access-date=2023-08-06}} The church was important to the Japanese-American community that once thrived in Northwest Portland.{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/asia/2004/portland.htm |title=Portland Buddhist Church |publisher=National Park Service |accessdate=2023-08-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825235306/https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/asia/2004/portland.htm |archive-date=August 25, 2012 |url-status=dead}}

History

File:Oregon Buddhist Church at N.W. 10th near Everett Honoring Daika Sonyu Ohtani from Japan Portland, Oregon, ca. 1925.jpg

Founded by Rev Shozui Wakabayashi of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Mission of North America in 1903, the Oregon Buddhist Temple was created to serve the growing Japanese American community in Portland. When the building on Tenth Street was completed in 1910, the congregation counted over 500 members.{{cite web |title=History of OBT |url=https://www.oregonbuddhisttemple.com/about-our-temple |website=Oregon Buddhist Temple |access-date=9 September 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Mowe |first1=Sam |title=The Buddhist Traveler in Portland |url=https://tricycle.org/magazine/buddhism-in-portland/ |website=Tricycle Magazine |date=Winter 2021}}

The property held many of the community's belonging as they were incarcerated during World War II. Then Rinban Tansai Terakawa would be sent to Minidoka along with many of the congregation. Sadly, Terakawa would never return, passing away at the camp in 1944. Rev Hojun Sugimoto would return to the church and lead the community in its efforts to rebuild their lives.

The Portland Buddhist Church served the congregation for over 50 years until a new temple was built in Southeast Portland in 1966, and continues to serves the community today.