If you missed the 2022 Japanese Cultural Fair at the new Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion you are in luck because the good folks (Sam Kirsch and team) at the Robin Hood Inn & Suites sponsored videographers Dale & Justin Baglo to come and film the fair and to compile this wonderful highlights reel. Enjoy!
A big thank you to all the sponsors and volunteers that made this year’s Japanese Cultural Fair a big success! お疲れ様でした！And to all you who made it out to the festival we hope you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed putting it on!
An event like the VNCS Japanese Cultural Fair is only possible when many people work together. Here the VNCS would like to express a big thank you to our Sponsors/Donors. ARIGATOU!
We encourage all those who attended the fair to frequent our sponsors below.
With much thanks from the 2022 Japanese Cultural Fair Planning Team: Amy Kawano, Craig Mercer, Cristina Shore, Debbie Ibaraki, Jo Brooks, JO Caragata, Kana Mercer, Lorin Goshinmon, Maureen Bird, Natsuki Abe, Patti Kagawa, Rebecca Barnard, Susan Ikeda, Susan Kurushima, Tsugio Kurushima, and Yukari Peerless.
ROSS BAY CEMETERY – 1495 Fairfield Road, Victoria, B.C.
Ross Bay Cemetery Map showing Japanese Grave clusters.
Summer has arrived! And in this very busy season, we will be gathering to mark Obon and look forward to your participation in the day’s activities.
The Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society and The Japanese Friendship Society have come together to host this event and highlight the following activities and times in historic Ross Bay Cemetery:<
LOCATION: ROSS BAY CEMETERY – Kakehashi Stone and surrounding area<
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (noon) – Grave Headstone washing of 152 graves of pioneers of Japanese descent and placement of flowers on these gravestones. Your assistance with this task is greatly appreciated.
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Heritage Walk of Japanese Pioneer Graves
3:00 PM – 5:00 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.
Following the Ceremony, light refreshments will be served – Please join us as we welcome travellers 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 – thank you.
Flower Donations – We appreciate the donation of flowers for both the laying on the gravestones and for the Kakehashi Stone.
2022 marks the 80th 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. In this year, we remember not only the pioneers, their descendants and community, but also the small group that came together about thirty years ago to bring about repairs or to replace individual headstones and to raise the Kakehashi Stone in Ross Bay Cemetery.
We look forward to meeting you and your family. Please come, wear your Yukata, and share in the friendship at this unique event.
If you are a survivor or a survivor family member of Mr. Gordon Goichi Nakayama’s abuse you are eligible to apply for healing funds. Counselling support is being offered immediately and we have a counsellor available who is able to help you with your application, whenever required.
Education grants will be collected and reviewed every semester. Education grants are valued at up to $10,000 and can be applied for retroactively to June 15, 2015. If you were undertaking postsecondary education on or after June 15, 2015, and are a survivor or survivor family member then you are eligible to apply for an education grant.
June 25, 2022 11AM PDT
National Outreach Online Meeting
Pre-registration is required to attend our National Outreach Meeting. We will be discussing Healing Fund application forms and our other supports moving forward. Please Join us for this important meeting!
Dr. Harrison will speak on his personal experience with abuse and the lifelong act of healing from this trauma.
For more information his book Safe Space: A True Story of Faith, Betrayal, and the Power of the Force is for anyone who wants to understand how abuse continues to affect victims and their families long after the act.
Japan Fest is back! It will be held on Saturday, July 23 at the Broadmead Village Shopping Centre from 3 to 5 PM, in the courtyard by the fountain. This summer matsuri (Japanese Festival) is a joint collaboration between the Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society and FUDO Japanese Restaurant.
Enjoy Japanese cultural performances by:
Uminari Taiko, Vancouver Island’s premier Japanese drumming ensemble:
Furusato Dancers displaying traditional folk dancing; and
the Soran Youth Dance Ensemble who will present contemporary Japanese dances.
Savour delicious Japanese festival food prepared by FUDO:
Spicy Scallops rolls;
Deep fried korokke (kabocha squash); and
Seaweed salad
There will be a raffle for prizes donated by the merchants of the shopping centre.
Proceeds from this event will help the VNCS support its cultural programs and groups. It will allow the VNCS to fund community initiatives such as the recently opened Gorge Park Pavilion and the restoration of Japanese gravestones at the Ross Bay Cemetery. It will support the VNCS grant program which provides up to $500 in funding to other organizations or individuals who promote Japanese culture.
Come early to secure a good vantage point. If the 2019 turnout is any indication, there will be a good turnout. Japan Fest is free, a safe outdoor event and family friendly. Don’t miss it!
Please join us on July 10, 2022 at the 80th Anniversary of Internment Luncheon taking place at the Hotel Grand Pacific from 1:00 to 4:30. We are gathering to honour the few remaining seniors who experienced first hand the internment, dispossession and forced dispersal of Japanese Canadians during WW II. The theme of gathering is “Okagesamade” – We are who we are because of you. It is because of their strength, perseverance and stoic efforts in overcoming the hardships they endured, that we are here today. The cost of this Anniversary Luncheon will only be $15 (JC survivors are guests at no charge). This highly subsidized price is because of the generous grant we received from the JC Survivor Health & Wellness Fund. Tickets for this event can only be purchased through Eventbrite.
The Grand Opening of the new Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion will take place on June 18, 2022 from 12:00 to 2:00 PM. Come see this beautiful Japanese inspired building which includes a historical display in the lobby which honours the Japanese Canadian history of the Gorge Park. In addition to the ribbon cutting ceremony, there will be tours of the building and the VNCS Heritage Committee will be conducting tours of the Japanese Garden. Also on hand will be representatives from the Landscapes of Injustice Project to give information about the historical display. The Grand Opening is open to the public.
The BC provincial government will be making an important historic announcement with the Japanese Canadian community on May 21, 2022. The announcement is in collaboration with local BC Japanese Canadian communities and the National Association of Japanese Canadians.
The VNCS is organizing a viewing gathering. We believe that this significant historic announcement is an event to be shared together with other members of the Japanese-Canadian community. Please join us at:
University of Victoria David Strong Building, Room C130 Saturday, May 21, 2022 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
