Okinawa Japan Temple

On 7 April 2019, during the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Russell M. Nelson announced plans to construct Japan's fourth temple, the Okinawa Japan Temple. The Okinawa Japan Temple will be the fourth Latter-day Saint temple in that country. The three Latter-day Saint temples currently in operation in Japan are the Fukuoka Japan Temple (2000), the Sapporo Japan Temple (2016), and the Tokyo Japan Temple (1980) (currently under renovation).

On 25 May 2020, the location of the Okinawa Japan Temple was announced. The temple will be a two-story building of approximately 10,000 square feet and will be constructed in Okinawa City near the Kadena Air Base, adjacent to the meetinghouse for the Okinawa Ward. It will be located on a half-acre site at 7-11, Matsumoto, Okinawa Shi, in Okinawa-ken, Japan. A temple patron waiting area will also be added to an adjacent existing meetinghouse. Its location just off the Okinawa Expressway will make the temple easily accessible from locations throughout the island. Also on 25 May 2020, an official exterior rendering of the Okinawa Japan Temple was released.

The Church has had a presence in Japan since 1901. With a population of 127 million people, Japan is home to nearly 130,000 Latter-day Saints spread throughout 25 stakes and about 250 congregations in the Asian island nation.

Okinawa is located in the East China Sea between Taiwan and mainland Japan. Okinawa Island is the largest of the Ryukyu Islands—an archipelago that stretches from Kyushu, the island where the Fukuoka Japan Temple is located, to Taiwan, the island where the Taipei Taiwan Temple is located. One stake and one military district operate in Okinawa, which is famous for having some of the longest living people in the world.

Groundbreaking Ceremony Is Held for the Okinawa Japan Temple

A groundbreaking ceremony for the Okinawa Japan Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held on Saturday, 5 December 2020. This signifies that construction has officially begun on the fourth temple of the Church on Japanese soil.

Elder Takashi Wada, a General Authority Seventy serving as Asia North Area president, presided at the groundbreaking and offered the dedicatory prayer.

Due to local government COVID-19 restrictions only A small group of Latter-day Saint leaders and invited guests attended the ceremony. In his remarks, Elder Wada said, "Despite the small gathering, we are extremely grateful as we meet to consecrate this island for the building of a holy temple this day."

In the dedicatory prayer, Elder Wada asked the Lord to watch over the people on the island and that all may "recognize the eternal significance of this sacred project."

He prayed, "We pray that we, and all those who pass near this site, will feel thy presence. May the inspiring vista bless the entire community, including those not of our faith, and become a cherished landmark for all who live or visit here."

On Sunday, 6 December 2020, about 500 people from the Okinawa Japan Stake and the Okinawa Japan Military District virtually attended a devotional focusing on the purpose and blessings of temples.

Open House

On 17 April 2023, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released the open house and dedication dates for the Okinawa Japan Temple. The public open house began on Saturday, September 23, and continued through Saturday, October 7, excluding Sundays. During the open house, nearly 8,000 people toured the sacred building.

Before the public open house, a media day was held on Thursday, September 21. Invited guests toured the Okinawa Japan Temple on Friday, September 22.

Dedication

Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Okinawa Japan Temple on Sunday, November 12, in two sessions, at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The two dedicatory sessions—one in English and one in Japanese—were broadcast to all congregations in the Okinawa Japan Temple district. “Every member was able to attend a session in the language of their heart,” said Elder Stevenson.

The temple is the fourth in Japan and the 186th worldwide.

A land of deep spirituality and ancestral connection, Japan is a temple-going society with “some of the most active temple-going, temple-attending, temple-worshipping Latter-day Saints in the whole world,” said Elder Stevenson.[1]

At the time of the dedication, the Okinawa temple district includes 5,500 Latter-day Saints in 12 congregations—including members of the Japanese-speaking Okinawa Japan Stake and the English-speaking Okinawa Japan Military District who will worship in the temple together. “To have the history that is part of both of those groups come together in a temple . . . is really quite a remarkable thing,” said Elder Stevenson.

Elder Stevenson and his wife, Sister Lesa Stevenson, were joined by Elder Kevin R. Duncan, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Temple Department, Sister Nancy Duncan, Elder Takashi Wada, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s Asia North Area, and his wife, Naomi Wada.

Picture Gallery of Okinawa Japan Temple

Okinawa Japan Temple entrance
Recommend desk of the Okinawa Japan Temple
Baptistry of the Okinawa Japan Temple
Stairwell in the Okinawa Japan Temple
Newel post in the Okinawa Japan Temple
The instruction room in the Okinawa Japan Temple
Celestial room in the Okinawa Japan Temple
A view of the celestial room in the Okinawa Japan Temple
Sealing room in the Okinawa Japan Temple
The floral band alludes to the traditional karamon (gate) found on important Japanese gateways on the exterior of in the Okinawa Japan Temple
Okinawa Japan Temple floral band
Garden behind the Okinawa Japan Temple
Okinawa Japan Temple at night