OBON in Victoria – SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2025
ROSS BAY CEMETERY – 1495 Fairfield Road, Victoria, B.C.
Summer will soon be here! And in this very busy season, we will be gathering to mark Obon and look forward to your participation in the day’s activities.
LOCATION: ROSS BAY CEMETERY – Kakehashi Stone and surrounding area
Grave Washing
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Washing of the 152 graves of pioneers of Japanese descent and placement of flowers on the gravestones. We are looking for many volunteers to come and join us. If you are interested in learning more about Japanese-Canadian history this is a valuable opportunity to physically connect with the past. Volunteers meet at the Kakehashi Stone (see map below). We will provide water and some salty snacks.
Flower Donations – We appreciate the donation of flowers for both the laying on the gravestones and for the Kakehashi Stone. Please bring them to the Kakehashi Stone anytime after 9:00am.
2025 marks the 83rd anniversary of the internment and displacement of citizens of Japanese descent from the west coast of British Columbia after which many people did not return to their former homes. This includes former Japanese Canadian residents of the greater Victoria area and because of this, the pioneer graves fell into disrepair. We remember not only the pioneers, their descendants and community, but also the small group that came together years ago to bring about repairs or to replace individual headstones and to raise the Kakehashi Stone in Ross Bay Cemetery and we renew our commitment to honour their legacy.
Heritage Walk and Obon Ceremony
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM – Setup
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM – Guest Welcoming
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Heritage Walk of Japanese Pioneer Graves (Meet near the washrooms at the corner of Memorial Crescent and Dallas Road)
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM – Buddhist Obon Ceremony at Kakehashi Stone. The ceremony will be presided by Reverend Grant Ikuta, resident minister for the Steveston Buddhist Temple and Bishop of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada.
4:00 PM – Bus Tour Group departs and take down begins.
Following the Ceremony, light refreshments will be served – Please join us as we welcome travelers from the Steveston area to the Ross Bay Cemetery joining our Obon observance.
Volunteer Help
As well as the help needed for the Grave Headstone washing, we would appreciate some EXTRA assistance in the setting up and taking down of tents, chairs, tables, signage, decorations, and food services. If you are able to assist with any of these tasks, please contact us (info@vncs.ca) – thank you.
We look forward to meeting you and your family. Please come, wear your Yukata, and share in the friendship at this unique event.
Proudly Supported by the Japanese Friendship Society, the Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society, and the Old Cemeteries Society.
