Meet Rev. Yuki Sugahara

Reverend Yuki Sugahara was assigned by Bishop Marvin Harada as our new Rimban* effective Summer 2023.

From July 2011 until June 2017, Rev. Yuki served as minister of the Florin Buddhist Church.

Since June 2017, he has served at the Oregon Buddhist Temple in Portland, Oregon.

Rev. Yuki was originally from the Shimane District, north of Hiroshima; he comes from a family of ministers from both his mother’s and his father’s side in Japan tracing back 15 generations.

*Rimban: Minister in charge of a Betsuin. There are five Betsuins, or central temples, in the Buddhist Churches of America–Fresno, Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, Sacramento, San Jose and Seattle–each headed by a Rimban.

Before becoming a Buddhist minister, Reverend Yuki played in a rock band in Japan. These days he includes his bass guitar in his Dharma talks, entwining words of wisdom with all genres of music.