Pasadena Buddhist Temple, part of the Jodo Shinshu tradition of Buddhism, has commissioned artist Miki Yokoyama to lead a community mural project aimed at supporting residents affected by the Eaton Fire that struck southern California in January 2025. The initiative, titled the “Hope & Healing” Mural Project, invites community members impacted by the fire to take part in painting a large-scale mural on the temple grounds.
Yokoyama, a self-taught artist, lived in Altadena for 13 years before the Eaton Fire destroyed her family’s home. According to media reports, the fire also consumed nearly all of her art supplies and much of her accumulated body of work. A GoFundMe campaign organized by friends and supporters described the loss as encompassing “countless paintings,” representing years of creative labor. (Pasadena Now)
The mural project began on 1 February and is planned to continue until completion. Painting sessions are held three times a week—Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.—with Yokoyama present at each session to guide participants. The temple has emphasized that the project is designed for broad participation, welcoming neighbors affected by the fire regardless of artistic experience.
The project is unfolding against the backdrop of the temple’s own narrow escape from destruction. Founded in 1948, Pasadena Buddhist Temple has long served as a religious and cultural center for the region’s Japanese American community. During the Eaton Fire, embers ignited beneath the temple’s main hall. Nearby residents noticed smoke while protecting their own homes, and entered the temple grounds to extinguish the fire before it spread further.
Although the buildings were saved, the temple sustained significant smoke damage across multiple structures that required months of remediation work. In the aftermath, approximately 15 temple members lost their homes, according to information shared by the Buddhist Churches of America, the national organization to which the temple belongs. Pasadena Buddhist Temple subsequently raised and distributed nearly US$90,000 in relief funds to affected members, and later launched a separate fundraising effort raising approximately US$100,000 to address its own repair and restoration needs.
Financial support for the mural has been provided by Keiro, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization serving older adults and caregivers in the Japanese American community. Founded in 1961, Keiro operates programs across Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties. Keiro funded the purchase of all materials required for the mural.
Yokoyama was born in 1979 in Fukushima, Japan. Her artistic practice spans painting, mural work, sculptural objects, and live performance. Her work has appeared in public spaces across Los Angeles as well as in Japan.
Temple representatives have described the mural as an opportunity for collective engagement rather than an art exhibition in the conventional sense. The emphasis, they have indicated, is on shared presence and participation among neighbors who experienced loss and displacement as a result of the fire.
Initial painting sessions have already taken place, and the mural remains open to continued community involvement. Pasadena Buddhist Temple is located at 1993 Glen Avenue in Pasadena. A large parking lot is available for participants.
See more
Pasadena Buddhist Temple
Pasadena Temple Commissions Artist Who Lost Her Work in the Eaton Fire to Lead Community Mural (Pasadena Now)
Pasadena Buddhist Temple Mural Project to Provide Healing and Hope (The Rafu Shinpo)
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