[Salinas ochigo: installation of bell tower on tenth anniversary of Salinas Buddhist Church, Salinas , California, November 17, 1934]

Morita (Salinas, Calif.)

Description

1 photographic print : sepia toned.

Portrait of Salinas Buddhist Church congregation on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the church and the installation of the bonsho, or bell tower, Salinas, California, November 17, 1934. Several rows of children, men and women pose in large open area to the side of church and bell tower. Renshi Shojo Ohtana is seated in front in elaborate robes and hold a fan. Buddhist priests in robes and vestments, or okesa, stand behind him and are identified (L-R): Rev. K. Iwao (1st), Rev. J. Kow (2nd), Bishop Kenju Masuyama (6th), Rev. S. Katayama (7th), Rev. H. Shimakawa (11th). They are flanked by children dressed in traditional chigo costume of kimono, hakama, and headdress; girls in high-contrast dark and white costume with elaborate headdress, holding flowers; boys in monotone costume and smaller headdress holding fans. Children are arranged with boys in central group to left of clergy and two groups of girls on either side. Adults dressed in kimono and western clothing stand in rows behind the children. In midst of crowd to right of bell tower, a man stands with his back to viewer on top of platform next to a tripod, perhaps a camera. Utility poles and wooden buildings in background. White writing in Japanese on grassy area in foreground.

Inscription
Written in white on photograph, BC (In Japanese): Hokubei Gasshukoku Kashu Sarinasushi (unreadable) / Senkyuhyakusanjuyonen Juichigatsu jushichinichi satsuei. Written in white on photograph, BRC (In Japanese): Morita Yoshi (unreadable) satsuei. Embossed on photograph, BRC: Morita / Salinas, Calif.

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in this collection must be submitted to the Hirasaki National Resource Center at the Japanese American National Museum (hnrc@janm.org).