The Central Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Cultural Society (7 Potatoes) asked for over $740,000 in funding from the City of Nanaimo to complete a pair of local projects. (7 Potatoes on Facebook)

By Jordan Davidson

local Japanese heritage

‘Very significant part of our history:’ Japanese-Canadian society requests financial boost from City

Apr 19, 2025 | 5:55 AM

NANAIMO — Additional funding is being provided to make the legacy of Japanese-Canadians visible on the mid-Island, spearheaded by an ambitious non-profit group based out of Nanaimo.

The Central Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Society, known as 7 Potatoes, asked for over $741,000 in funding to finish off a pair of local cultural projects.

Speaking at the Wednesday, April 16, finance and audit committee meeting on behalf of 7 Potatoes, Tami Hirasawa said there are currently no Japanese historical signs, gathering spaces or cultural centers on the mid-Island, but these projects will change that.

“These two projects in Nanaimo are intended to help everyone. We want to make Nanaimo visible to the next generation, so everyone can enjoy the space and learn to appreciate the lasting legacies of Japanese-Canadians.”

7 Potatoes has already secured $1.35 million in grant money through the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society (JCLS) for three projects, but needs a top-off from the City to get to the finish line.

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$341,000 would be added to the budget for the Japanese-Canadian Memorial Garden and a BC Heritage Sign, to be located at a yet-to-be-determined area along Nanaimo’s waterfront, with a hard completion date of March 2027.

An additional $400,000 would go to the Beban Park Outdoor Performance and Gathering Space, to be located directly outside room six of the Social Centre.

Hirasawa said the Japanese-Canadians living in Nanaimo prior to WW2 made significant economic contributions through herring salteries, before being forcibly uprooted and stripped of their possessions in 1942.

“Both of my parents were born on the coast of B.C., forcibly uprooted, and spent time in sugar beet fields in southern Alberta. We have several survivors of the Japanese-Canadian WW2 experience living here in Nanaimo. Some are here in the audience today. This history of what happened to Japanese-Canadian communities in B.C. is still relatively unknown.”

The JCLS previously awarded $250,000 to 7 Potatoes to renovate room six for Japanese programming and cultural activities, with renovation work expected to be complete in May.

The outdoor addition includes a performing arts space with a stage and seating area that will double as a gathering space for the community.

Mayor Leonard Krog said he was “delighted” to support this motion, saying it’s important to honour the significant contributions Japanese-Canadians have made in B.C. and especially Nanaimo, which was once known as the herring capital.

“My sister-in-law’s parents and her older siblings were interned, and so in terms of my strong personal feelings about this, I am so pleased that we’ve had such an active 7 Potatoes Society here in Nanaimo. This is a very significant part of our history that has been somewhat forgotten, as Ms.Hirasawa has pointed out, but like many things in life, over time, you get to see everything revealed.”

The additional funds would be provided through the strategic infrastructure reserve fund, and the recommendation was approved unanimously by the committee for final Council approval at a future meeting.

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