Description
1 photographic print : sepia toned. | Portrait of Watsonville Buddhist Church congregation on the occasion of the church's 20th anniversary, California, August 15, 1926. Several rows of children, men and women pose in dirt street in front of the white multi-storey, two-tier roofed church, which appears to be in a residential area; banner hangs from and is tangled in wires strung across roof. The first two rows of the congregation consists of children dressed in traditional chigo costume of kimono, hakama, and elaborate headdress; most wear thick makeup. Adults dressed in western clothing stand in rows behind the children, on the balcony of the second floor of the church and on the porch of the house on the left. A man in black robes and round-rimmed eyeglasses, Reverend R. Saruhashi, stands in front flanked by four young women in kimonos. A flowering tree on portable shrine is located directly behiind him and in front of entry to the church. Standing to the right, two men in Buddhist robes and vestments, or okesa, around their necks, Rev. I Kyogoku and Rev. T. Terakawa. A band of Caucasian musicians with musical instruments, perhaps Salvation Army, stands to right of reverends. Standing to the left of Saruhashi and behind the chigo are four men in Buddhist robes and okesa, Rev. R. Kusuhara (?), Rev. S. Shimizu (?), Rev. K. Masuda (?), and Rev. H. Shimakawa. People look at the large posed group, BLC. Utility poles line street. To the far right, across the street, is a large warehouse with picket fence along perimeter and a sign: Sang Chan Co. Fruit Evaporat (rest of sign covered by pole); several crates are stacked on its loading dock. Cars are parked along street. In the BRC, there are several people who could not fit in the shot, but look at viewer.

Inscription
In BLQ, in Japanese: Watsonville Buddhist Church 20th anniversary celebration. In URQ: Hendrick and Hendrick Photos. Monterey, Calif., Aug. 15, 1926.

panoramic photograph
H: 10 in, W: 46.875 in

Hendrick and Hendrick Photos

Watsonville, Calif., Aug. 15, 1926

(99.201.2)

Buddhist Churches of America Collection

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