Dr. Alfred Bloom’s Futaba Memorial Lecture: Yemyo Imamura’s Legacy

Dr. Michihiro Ama shares insights on Yemyo Imamura (Hawaii Bishop from 1899-1932), who is considered the pioneer of “American Buddhism” and gained acceptance of Shin Buddhism in the United States, promoted Mahayana Buddhism, and helped form a Universal Buddhism in Hawaii. His Buddhist ideas resonated with the democratic principles of the United States and allowed him, together with his congregation, to oppose discriminatory and oppressive policies of the then territory of Hawaii.