Rev. Blayne Higa is the minister of the Kona Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in Kealakekua on the Big Island of Hawaii and serves as Director of the Buddhist Study Center in Honolulu. He holds a Master of Divinity from the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, California with a focus on Shin Buddhist ministry and chaplaincy. He has contributed to Tricycle, Lion’s Roar, and Buddhadharma, and frequently speaks and leads seminars at Buddhist communities throughout Hawaii and across the country. 
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Rev. Blayne received Tokudo ordination and Kyoshi certification from the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha in Kyoto, Japan. He is the Chair of the Committee on Social Concerns and Ministerial Training Committee for the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. He was also a co-planner for the 2022 Future of American Buddhism Conference.
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Before entering ministry, he had careers in state government and non-profit sector for over seventeen years. He holds a Master of Public Administration and a certificate in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He received a BA from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. Committed to civic engagement, Rev. Blayne serves on the boards of the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii and Vibrant Hawaii. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of The Interfaith Alliance Hawaii. You can learn more about his work at www.blaynehiga.com.