2021 Obon Grave Washing a huge success!

Volunteers at the 2021 Grave Washing.

Thank you so much to all of the wonderful volunteers who were able to come and make this year’s grave washing an amazing success. Although the forecast was for quite warm weather, as is typical at Ross Bay Cemetery, it was quite windy and cool. We had a great group of around 25 volunteers clean all of the graves of early the Japanese pioneers and Japanese-Canadians buried there. In addition so many flowers were donated that we even had some left over. Arigatou gozaimashita!

Membership Renewal Reminder

HAVE YOU RENEWED YOUR MEMBERSHIP YET?

Have you renewed your VNCS membership yet? ($10 for individual, $15 for family)
There are 3 ways to renew your membership:

  • e-transfer to vncstreasurer@shaw.ca  (Please make sure you write your name clearly) and please send your name/details to in a separate email so we can keep the database up to date.
  • Online with PayPal  at here or
  • Mail a cheque payable to Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society to 4401 Tremblay Drive, Victoria BC, V8N 4W6

会員の更新はお済みですか？

VNCSの会費は個人会員$10、家族会員$15です。更新の方法は3つ：

Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society宛ての小切手を4401 Tremblay Drive, Victoria BC, V8N 4W6 まで郵送してください。

Annual Obon Tour of Ross Bay Cemetery

Annual Obon Tour of Ross Bay Cemetery

Sunday, August 15, 2021
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM PDT

The VNCS Heritage Committee will hold the annual Obon walking tour of Japanese gravesites in Ross Bay Cemetery in person, sharing the stories of several of the 152 pioneers interred.

Meet at Ross Bay Cemetery entrance at the corner of Stannard Avenue and Fairfield Road. COVID-19 precaution measures will be in place.

Cost:
VNCS members: Free
Old Cemeteries Society members: $2
General: $5
No registration required.

For more information, email here.

VNCS Japanese Language Class 2021 (Adult ONLINE)

Dear VNCS members and friends:

VNCS is pleased to announce that the Adult Beginner & Intermediate ONLINE Japanese Courses will commence in September. The details are as follows:

Lesson Dates:
September 20, 27; October 4, 18, 25; November 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (10 Mondays)

Lesson Times: 
Beginner class: 7:00pm-8:00pm (office hours: 6:30pm-7:00pm)
Intermediate class: 8:05pm-9:05pm (office hours: 9:05pm-9:35pm)

Number of Students Expected: 7 – 20 (in each class on a first come basis)
Age of Students: 19 years old and up

Textbook:
Easy Japanese やさしい日本語 Conversation, NHK world Japan, 2019 *
Easy Japanese やさしい日本語 Grammar, NHK world Japan, 2015*

*These are free online materials.
                                                                                                           

Fees:                 $75 for VNCS members and $95 for non-members
Instructor:       Dr. Hiroko Noro, Associate Professor Emerita, University of Victoria
Registration:   Please email Mieko Fedrau for more information and registration form.
We hope to see many of you in our Zoom class!

Ganbatte!　　　　　

2021 Japanese Cultural Fair Survey

It is again time to plan for our annual Japanese Cultural Fair. Last year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and community safety restrictions, we could not hold an in-person fair, but instead held an online cultural fair broadcast from the Belfry Theatre.

With the BC Restart Plan well underway we would like to gauge past and potential fair attendee’s interest in the VNCS pursuing an in-person fair or whether we should stay virtual for one more year, or even potentially postpone the fair till the Spring of 2022. YOUR VOICE IS IMPORTANT and we would love to hear from you to help us in our planning!

Please complete our short, anonymous  survey by Sunday, July 25. You can also send your feedback to info@vncs.ca. Arigatou!!!

BC REDRESS – News from the JC Survivors Health & Wellness Fund

Seated – Mary Kimoto; standing – Ellen Kimoto Crowe-Swords and Project Manager Eiko Eby.

NEWS FROM THE JC SURVIVORS
HEALTH & WELLNESS FUND

OUTREACH
Our team has been contacting many survivors, small groups, and community organizations, across the country to get a sense of the needs of our seniors’ populations.  We have learned that there are a number of active survivors involved in wellness activities run by sub-groups of community organizations.  We have also learned there are a large number of frail survivors trying to live safely who are supported  by family and friends for the activities of daily living. Some of these seniors have no supports. This group is largely underserved and there is a need for more community supports and health care services for these frail seniors.

CRITERIA
Nikkei Seniors is pleased to announce the release of the Grant Information, with criteria, for the Japanese Canadian Survivors Health & Wellness Fund (JCSHWF). jcwellness.org

There are three categories of eligibility: Organizations, Small Groups, and Underserved Individuals. Organizations may apply for up to two grants. Small groups and the underserved may apply for one grant only.

The maximum awards are up to $10,000 per application for organizations, $3000 for small groups, and $750 for underserved individuals.

Check out jcwellness.org for updated information.

INFORMATION SESSIONS FOR THE JC SURVIVORS HEALTH & WELLNESS FUND

Four (4) General Zoom sessions are scheduled to explain and repeat the Grant Information and answer questions. More meetings will be added as necessary.

The scheduled JCSHWF – General Grant Information Sessions are on Zoom. You must register in advance for the meetings and the registration links are listed below.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

GRANT INFO MEETING

Monday, July 5 10am PST

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qd-qppjsrH9X81RP_3GKMrhxwGrwHzhtu

GRANT INFO MEETING

Monday, July 5 5:30pm PST

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwscOuoqzkiE9ChbKqLKUlzPZrYNakY-14V 

GRANT INFO MEETING

Sunday, July 11 3pm PST

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pd-mqrj4tHty4ho3sMVA5-WbfFOr9FaVQ 

GRANT INFO MEETING

Saturday, July 17 10am PST

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMldOqhpj0jEty4_nglIMM3lzmVGJ9T7GQV

Outreach will continue throughout this period. Please share this information with your loved ones.

For additional Grant Information, visit our website at jcwellness.org

Continue reading BC REDRESS – News from the JC Survivors Health & Wellness Fund

Virtual Hanami Celebration

In celebration of Asian Heritage Month, the VNCS will be holding a virtual event over Zoom:

Sunday, May 30, 2021

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM PDT

Recording of the Virtual Hanami Celebration
 

Questions?

If you have anything you’d like to ask our presenters, send your questions to info@vncs.ca prior to or during the presentations. We will do our best to have them answered during the event.

 

Ikebana Lesson

Michiko Seguev– originally from Tokyo, she started to have a strong interest in Ikebana in her early childhood as she accompanied her mother to her (Mother’s) Ikebana lessons at Ohara School. Later on at her work in an advertising agency, her passion for Ikebana was rekindled when she had a chance to arrange flowers for work.  She resumed studying Ikebana under Sōraku at Sōgetsu School and obtained a teaching certificate. She has been teaching Ikebana since her arrival in Victoria and providing VNCS Ikebana classes for more than 15 years.

 

Sake Tasting

Shino Yamashiro – Shino is a sake specialist, certified as an International kikisake-shi by SSI (Sake Service Institute in Japan) and a menu developer at “E:ne raw food + sake bar”, where more than 50 selections of sake are served and is the very first “sake bar“ in Victoria. Shino was very much inspired and fell in love with the unique world of sake 4 years ago. Shino found that many local guests love wine and also have a great curiosity towards sake when she introduced them to all the breadth and complexity that sake has to offer. Introducing sake and making it more approachable to people became her passion. She wants to encourage people to enjoy sake “as is” or by pairing with varieties of food, not just Japanese food. Shino hopes that a sake menu becomes more and more popular at restaurants.

 

Shino will be sampling two types of sake during her presentation:

Nigori – Hakutsuru Sayuri (300ml, $9.49)

Sparkling – Yoshi No Gawa Awayuki (300ml, 13.99)

Pick up one or both bottles ahead of time and taste along with her from the comfort of your home! Check for local availability using the “Where to buy” button in the BC Liquor Store links provided.

 

Support the Community

We encourage you to help support our community however you are able, perhaps by ordering take-out from your favourite local restaurants, making a donation to the VNCS, or simply attending as we celebrate Asian heritage and culture this May.