Jun Yusada, caretaker of the Grafton Peace Pagoda, recently spoke with friends about their memories of Hank Hazelton. The land for the pagoda was a 1983 gift of the late Grafton resident Hank Hazelton – who was also an activist in support of Native American rights – who passed away in 1995. Watch this video where Jun san and friends speak about their memories of Hank.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxK6U59sqpI&list=WL&index=4&t=366s
Read More... Jun Yusada, caretaker of the Grafton Peace Pagoda, recently spoke with friends about their memories of Hank Hazelton. The land for the pagoda was a 1983 gift of the late Grafton resident Hank Hazelton – who was also an activist in support of Native American rights – who passed away in 1995. Watch this video where Jun san and friends speak about their memories of Hank.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxK6U59sqpI&list=WL&index=4&t=366s
Read More...
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
Dear visitors to the Grafton Peace Pagoda,
We pray that as you read this post, you and those you love are well. The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the interconnectedness of our world. The Grafton Peace Pagoda is a Japanese Buddhist temple of the Nipponzan Myohoji order, built on Mohican scared land. We are grateful that the Grafton Peace Pagoda can continue to be a sacred place of pilgrimage, and place for people of all faiths and backgrounds to come together and pray for world peace. The temple at The Grafton Peace Pagoda site will now be open for morning prayer from 5AM to 6:30AM. The temple entrance only will be open for viewing the rest of the day, but visitors may not go inside the main temple area. The outside grounds are are open, but the outdoor bathrooms are currently closed. Please review the following new rules during your visit:
– Practice social distancing by keeping at least six (6) feet of distance between yourself and others.
– Wear a face covering.
– Visit in small groups limited to immediate household members.
– Do not bring your pets.
– Avoid unnecessary contact with surfaces.
– If you arrive and crowds are forming, return to visit another day.
– Show respect to the pagoda, the land, the caretakers, and other visitors.
As circumstances are continuously changing, closers and rules for visiting the Grafton Peace Pagoda may need to be updated, so check this website before your visit for any updates. Please take care of yourselves and your community.
Read More...
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
The temple at The Grafton Peace Pagoda site will now be open for morning prayer from 5AM to 6:30AM. The temple entrance only will be open for viewing the rest of the day, but visitors may not go inside the main temple area. Read More...
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
Dear visitors to the Grafton Peace Pagoda,
We pray that as you read this post, you and those you love are well. The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the interconnectedness of our world. The Grafton Peace Pagoda is a Japanese Buddhist temple of the Nipponzan Myohoji order, built on Mohican scared land. We are grateful that the Grafton Peace Pagoda can continue to be a sacred place of pilgrimage, and place for people of all faiths and backgrounds to come together and pray for world peace . However, for everyone's safety, the temple and outdoor bathrooms are currently closed. As of right now, the outside grounds are are open. Please review the following new rules during your visit:
- Practice social distancing by keeping at least six (6) feet of distance between yourself and others.
- Wear a face covering.
- Visit in small groups limited to immediate household members.
- Do not bring your pets.
- Avoid unnecessary contact with surfaces.
- If you arrive and crowds are forming, return to visit another day.
- Show respect to the pagoda, the land, the caretakers, and other visitors.
As circumstances are continuously changing, closers and rules for visiting the Grafton Peace Pagoda may need to be updated, so check this website before your visit for any updates. Please take care of yourselves and your community.
Read More... 
On Oct. 29th, 2017, Dennis Banks, beloved friend of Jun-san Yasuda and the Grafton Peace Pagoda, a renowned Anishanabe activist, teacher and writer, died at the age of 80. He was surrounded in song by his children and grandchildren.
On Saturday Dec. 16th the Leverett Peace Pagoda will host the 49 Days Commemoration of Dennis Banks, starting at 10:30am. It is located at 100 Cave Hill Rd, Leverett, MA. (413) 367-2202
Also, save the date for the 25th Anniversary of the Grafton Peace Pagoda, which will also be the 1 Year Commemoration of Dennis Banks on October 6 or 7, 2018.
We honor the life of this beloved friend with this video memory:
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"Civilization is not to kill human beings;
Not to destroy things not to make war; Civilization is to hold mutual affection and to respect one another."
- most venerable Nichidatsu Fuji
Alex Ciccolo joined the "No More Fukushimas" peace walk around Lake Ontario in July and August 2012. He walked with us as we sought to bring attention to human suffering and environmental degradation around Lake Ontario as a result of the nuclear cycle.
The peace walks which our order has organized all over the world since the end of World War II are deeply rooted in, and inspired by, nonviolent peaceful movements for change as practiced by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Alex walked with us in that spirit of nonviolence. we have not had contact with Alex since 2012.
Our dream is for peace and friendship all over the world. Our planet is suffering, and violence will never be the solution. Our prayer is for people to come together peacefully all over the world and to work nonviolently to make our tiny beautiful planet a place of peace generations to come. Read More...
67th Commemoration Ceremony of Hiroshima-Nagasaki
Grafton Peace Pagoda
Saturday August 11th, 2012
Nuclear Free Future
First Commemoration of Fukushima
"Nuclear power and mankind cannot coexist. We survivors of the atomic bomb have said this all along. And yet, the use of nuclear power was camouflaged as 'peaceful' and continued to progress. You never know when there's going to be a natural disaster. You can never say that there will never be a nuclear accident."
--Sumiteru Taniguchi is director of the Nagasaki Council of A-Bomb Sufferers
The radiation released from Fukushima is 20-30X that of the bombing of Hiroshima with worldwide consequences for all living things.
6:45pm Walk from Grafton Town Square to Peace Pagoda (4.3 miles)
8:30 Program of Peace
John Armbruster-Seismologist, Columbia University Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Cecile Pineda - Author of Devil’s Tango: How I learned the Fukushima Step by Step
The astonishing anatomy of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
Ceremonial Lighting of Lanterns
Interfaith Peace Prayers Native American Prayers
Eric Marczak – Native American Flute
Rain or shine. Please wear weather-appropriate clothes and bring a flashlight and insect repellant. You may also want a blanket.
For information on the ceremony prior to the event please call Heidi (518) 588-7122
Grafton Peace Pagoda 87 Crandall Road Petersburg, NY 12138 (518) 658-9301 Read More...
Early morning on Thursday July 19th five of the walkers of the No More Fukushimas Peace Walk crossed the border into Canada with no problem. The other vehicle with a few walkers and the walkers’ luggage was not able to make it.
The walk is looking for support. Come out and walk for a week, a day, or an hour. March in solidarity with the walkers or come to a potluck dinner, spread the word!
To join the walk call Lauren C. 1 413 320 2856 or Vanessa Z. 1 978 696 1312
What you need: Walking shoes, Water, Sleeping Bag
Here are some recent articles about the walk:
Anti-Nuclear Activists Walk To NMP For Vigilhttp://www.thewhig.com/2012/07/22/border-hold-up-doesnt-halt-peace-walk