HistoryLink Tours

1427 S Main Street

The Seattle Buddhist Church or Seattle Betsuin services began in 1901 but its first church building was constructed in 1908 at 1020 Main Street. That church, along with other Chinese and Japanese businesses, was torn down in 1939 as part of the area redevelopment to construct the 43-acre Yesler Terrace public housing project. The site of the old Temple building is currently vacant as the city goes through a second redevelopment of the area to residential and office high-rise buildings.

While the first temple building was designed by architects Charles W. Saunders and George Willis Lawton, the second temple was designed by Kichio Arai and completed in October 1941. During World War II and the incarceration years, the church was occupied by the U.S. Maritime Commission office until 1945, when it was returned to the community as the Buddhist Temple and has remained in this use since its restoration in 1946. The Temple continues to be a focal point for the community with grounds that are the site of the annual Bon Odori festival and recreational and artistic classes that are offered in the auditorium. Community donations of historic documents, photographs, and ephemera that reflect the history of Japanese American Seattle are held in the Temple Archives.

Walk west on S Main Street to 14th Avenue and turn left. Continue south to the intersection of 14th Avenue S, Rainier Avenue S, and S Jackson Street. Cross 14th Avenue and Rainier Avenue to the corner of Rainier and Jackson.