ホーム 著者 からの投稿 Naomi Mishima

Naomi Mishima

Naomi Mishima
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祝*成人式2025~新成人の皆さまへ

ご成人、おめでとうございます。 心よりお祝い申しあげます。
東漸寺では、ご成人になられた皆さまのご健康とご健闘を願いまして、合同の法要を行います。
是非、ご家族お揃いでお越しくださいませ。

東漸寺

成人式合同法要:日時 1月19日(日曜日) お経読開始:午後1時半
住所:209 Jackson street Coquitlam,B.C. Canada V3K 4C1

早めにいらして本堂でお待ちください。
お名前のお読み上げをご希望の方は、事前にフルネームをお知らせください。

●日本の成人年齢が、2022年4月から18歳に引き下げられました。

東漸寺では、グローバルスタンダードに合わせまして、18歳、19歳、20歳の皆さまに対応させていただきます。
(日本での成人年齢につきましては参照をご覧ください。)

●合同の法要になります。お布施はお心入りとして$30〜donatiionをお願いしております。

表面に「お布施」裏面にお名前とご住所を書いて現金でご持参ください。
(お名前の読み上げをご希望の方は、受付にてお知らせください。$50~donatiionをお願いしております)

●和の学校@東漸寺では、着物レンタル、着付サービス及び写真撮影をさせていただきます。料金は別途となります。

お見積をご希望の方は、ともこまでお問い合わせくださいませ。 お問い合わせ、お申し込みは コナともこ 

和の学校@東漸寺 tands410@gmail.com 
ホームページ https://wanogakkou.jimdofree.com/

<Tozenji Temple>東漸寺関係

Japanese culutre school 和の学校@東漸寺Homepage https://wanogakkou.jimdofree.com

Japanese culutre school  和の学校@東漸寺Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wa_no_gakkou_tozenji

Japanese culutre school  和の学校@東漸寺Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069272582016

Tozenji東漸寺Homepage https://tozenjibc.ca

  <Kona Kimono Service>着物関係

コナ着物サービス
(小長谷朋子ピーターズ)

*着付教室*着物レンタル*着付け&和装ヘアーメイク*

e-mail tands410@gmail.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tomoko.kona.98

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/konatomoko/?hl

Kimono column (Sorry only Japanese language)
毎月、季節と着物について綴っております。

https://www.japancanadatoday.ca/category/column/kona-kimono-story

ラインやメッセンジャーでも受け付けております。
LINE(ラインは修理中です)
朋子ライン QRコード.jpg
MESSENGER  
Tomoko Kona or Tomoko Konagaya Peters

《参照》
日本文化研究ブログ
【2024年】成人式はいつ・何をする?年齢は何歳?行かないと後悔する? – 日本文化研究ブログ https://jpnculture.net/seijinshiki/

JALTA主催第25回お話発表会のお知らせ

JALTA 日本語教育振興会は第25回お話発表会を行います。
JALTA所属の日本語学校から代表者が集まり日本語でスピーチを行います。
どうぞ応援にお越しください。そして温かい励ましの拍手を参加者に贈ってください。


日時:2月9日 日曜日  午後1時から
場所:バンクーバー日本語学校並びに日系人会館ホール
487 Alexander St. Vancouver, BC
入場:無料

自力整体 2025年1月~4月

ご自身の身体と向き合う時間、身体と対話する時間、そんな時間を持つことが、病気の予防・治療効果につながります

『最新の自力整体をお届け致します』

★日系センター対面Real教室   単発参加・初心者参加も大いに歓迎 !

◎金曜日クラス 1月10日(金) ・24日(金) AM10:30~11:30

19日(日)日曜日90分ゆっくりクラス AM11:30~13:00

◎金曜日クラス  2月7日(金) ・21日(金) AM10:30~11:30

16日(日)日曜日90分ゆっくりクラス AM11:30~13:00 

◎金曜日クラス 3月7日(金) ・21日(金)  AM10:30~11:30

16日(日)日曜日90分ゆっくりクラス AM11:30~13:00 

◎金曜日クラス 4月11(金) ・25日(金) AM10:30~11:30

20日(日)日曜日90分ゆっくりクラス AM11:30~13:00  

★Web教室 (好評配信中❢❢❢)  サンプル動画あります

(月)・(木)の夕方クラス

(木)・(土)の朝のクラス

(週1回、1回90分 休憩時間5分込み)

★Zoom配信ではなく、Web苦手な方も簡単❢ さらに効果的★

詳細・お問い合わせはお気軽に、、、
☎ 604‐448-8854
jirikiseitai.canada@gmail.com 
Webサイト https://jirikiseitai-canada.jimdofree.com/

「笑いヨガ」で初笑い ~笑いながら全身を鍛えよう~

謹んで新春をお祝い申し上げます。旧年中は、「日本語認知症サポート協会」の講演会等にご参加いただき、誠にありがとうございました。

今年のお正月も、ご家族やご友人と共に、楽しくお過ごしになられた事と思いますが、お腹の底から笑いましたか?

私たちは、大人になり歳を重ねるほど、笑わなくなります。子供は、1日におよそ400回も笑うのに、大人は10回から20回。その回数は、歳を重ねるほど減っていくそうです。

笑いを体操にした「笑いヨガ」。2025年も、これまで通り「オンライン de Café」にて続けていきます。免疫力の向上、血行促進、脳の働きの活性化、自律神経のバランス調整、リラックス効果、ストレス解消など、「笑いヨガ」には様々な健康効果がありますが、とにかく楽しく笑い、幸先良く一年をスタートしましょう。

奮ってご参加ください。

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  詳細  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

「オンライン de Café
「笑いヨガ」で初笑い ~笑いながら全身を鍛えよう~

日時:  

カナダ: 2025年1月23日(木) 午後8時から午後9時

日本: 2025年1月24日(金) 午後1時から午後2時

会場:Zoom参加費: 無料

参加申し込み:https://forms.gle/r5qcGcs672hH3JKo7

申し込み締め切り:2025年1月21日(火)

お問い合わせ:orangecafevancouver@gmail.com

主催:日本語認知症サポート協会(Japanese Dementia Support Association)

*お申し込みいただいた方には、開催日前日までに、当日の参加方法をご案内いたします。

「カナダ“乗り鉄”の旅」第20回 異色の「トランプ」案件!?心温まるVIA鉄道カナダの命名劇

カナダの首都オタワ駅に停車中の、トロントと結ぶVIA鉄道カナダの列車(2024年2月21日、大塚圭一郎撮影)
カナダの首都オタワ駅に停車中の、トロントと結ぶVIA鉄道カナダの列車(2024年2月21日、大塚圭一郎撮影)

大塚圭一郎

 アメリカの前大統領の要職にありながら数多くの暴言を吐いて国民を「分断」させ、2020年の大統領選での敗北を受け入れずに連邦議会議事堂の襲撃事件を扇動したとして刑事被告人になったドナルド・トランプ氏が今月20日に復帰する。隣国カナダが「アメリカの51番目の州になるのは素晴らしいアイデアだ」と併合への意欲を示したり、地元先住民のたっての希望で改名されたアメリカ西部アラスカ州の北米大陸最高峰デナリ(標高6190メートル)を旧称の「マッキンリー」に戻す意向を表明したりと、相手の自尊心を平然と傷付ける傲岸不遜な姿勢にはただあきれるしかない。しかし、同じ「トランプ」つながりでも、VIA鉄道カナダの手にかかるとこれほどまでに心温まる命名劇へと一変する―。

【VIA鉄道カナダ】カナダの都市間旅客列車を運行する国営企業。本社は東部ケベック州モントリオール。現在は貨物鉄道に特化しているカナディアン・ナショナル鉄道(CN)とカナディアン・パシフィック・カンザス・シティー(CPKC)が切り離した旅客鉄道事業を引き継ぎ、1977年に発足した。カナダ10州のうち東部ニューファンドランド・ラブラドル州、プリンスエドワードアイランド州を除く8州を走る。慢性的な赤字で、2023年12月期決算の本業の損益を示す営業損益は5億1220万カナダドル(約562億円)の赤字だった。VIA鉄道カナダは貨物鉄道が保有する線路を借りて列車を走らせているため、優先される貨物列車のあおりを受けて遅れることが多い。

側線の名称が「チェルシー」に改名

 VIA鉄道の旅客収入の約8割を稼ぎ出している主力区間が「ケベックシティー―ウィンザー回廊」だ。カナダ東部のオンタリオ州のウィンザー、国内最大都市のトロント、首都オタワ、ケベック州モントリオール、ケベックシティーなどをつないでおり、VIA鉄道としては比較的多くの列車が走るため利便性が高い。

ブロックビルの駅名標(2024年2月21日、大塚圭一郎撮影)
ブロックビルの駅名標(2024年2月21日、大塚圭一郎撮影)

 とりわけトロント―オタワ間とトロント―モントリオール間の列車は中核で、これらの一部が停車するのがブロックビル駅(オンタリオ州)だ。駅の近くにあり、列車が待避する際に使われる側線の名称が2022年12月、近くの通りにちなんだ「スチュワート」から「チェルシー」へ改名された。側線の脇には、白地に黒い文字で「VIA Chelsea」と記した看板が立てられた。

 「チェルシー」は近くに住む女性、チェルシー・カデューさんの名前に由来する。カナダ放送協会(CBC)などによると、難病のスタージ・ウェーバー症候群を患っているチェルシーさんは治療を受けるためにトロントまで列車に乗っていた。それがきっかけに鉄道好きとなり、2010年ごろから父親に連れられてブロックビル駅の周辺を訪れ、VIA鉄道の列車を引っ張るディーゼル機関車を運転する機関士らとあいさつするのがほぼ日課となった。

ブロックビル駅前の様子(2024年2月21日、大塚圭一郎撮影)
ブロックビル駅前の様子(2024年2月21日、大塚圭一郎撮影)

 チェルシーさんが決まって持ち歩いているのがトランプだ。機関士にトランプの中からお気に入りのカードを選んでもらうと、チェルシーさんはそれを暗記した。そして機関士が列車を動かしてやって来た次の機会には、お気に入りのカードを高く掲げてあいさつするようになった。

 例えば「ジャック(J)とスペード」のカードが好きな機関士が運転する列車が近づいてきた場合、チェルシーさんは「Jとスペード」のカードを機関車の方に見せる。すると、自分の好きなカードを覚えてもらった機関士は喜び、警笛を鳴らして応じるという光景が日常化した。

列車無線から日々名前が

 難病を患っても前向きな気持ちを忘れず、笑顔で出迎え続けてきたチェルシーさんにVIA鉄道の機関士らは「特別な贈り物」を用意することを会社側に提案した。それが側線の改名で、会社側はこのアイデアを受け入れた。

 側線に命名されると、列車無線でも「チェルシーに入線」などと名前を日々呼ばれることになる。機関士らの善意を理解した会社側に対し、携わった機関士からは「これは大変なことで、会社側の決断に敬意を表する」との声が出た。

 2022年12月21日に現地で新たな看板の除幕式が開かれた。VIA鉄道のマイケル・ブランクリー鉄道事業担当副社長は「私たちは地域社会と周囲の人々の生活に良い影響を与えることを目指している」と説明し、機関士らとチェルシーさんとの交流はその模範例になっているとの認識を示した。

 一足早いクリスマスプレゼントを受け取った形のチェルシーさんは「ありがとう」と謝意を表明。「素晴らしい機関士の皆さんと会い、話していると本当にうれしくなる」と強調し、トランプを携えて機関士らの出迎えを続けると語った。

 機関士のマイク・オリファントさんは、チェルシーさんの姿を見ることが「私の行程のハイライトになっている」と笑みを浮かべた。そして「チェルシーさんは常にハッピーで、前向きなエネルギーであふれている。率直に言って、世界にはチェルシーさんのような人がもっと必要なんだ」と力説した。

アメリカでは元国務長官の名前を埋葬!?

 翻ってアメリカでは2024年4月に共和党所属の下院議員7人が、全日本空輸(ANA)の羽田空港と結ぶ直行便も発着している首都ワシントン近郊のワシントン・ダレス国際空港(バージニア州)を「ドナルド・J・トランプ国際空港」へ改名する法案を出した。

アメリカの首都ワシントンの近郊にあるワシントン・ダレス国際空港の旅客ターミナル(2024年2月20日、大塚圭一郎撮影)
アメリカの首都ワシントンの近郊にあるワシントン・ダレス国際空港の旅客ターミナル(2024年2月20日、大塚圭一郎撮影)

 ダレス空港はアイゼンハワー政権で国務長官を務めた故ジョン・ダレス氏の功績をたたえて名付けられている。ダレス氏に対する敬意の象徴を葬り、価値があるとは到底思えないトランプ氏のために“強奪”しようというのだから開いた口がふさがらない。トランプ氏の歓心を買おうとして法案を出した茶坊主議員も、改名案について「とても光栄だ」と交流サイト(SNS)に臆面もなく書き込んだトランプ氏も何と恥知らずで、何と浅ましく、何と卑しいことかと怒りを通り越してあきれるほかない。

 VIA鉄道のブロックビル駅の近くに設置された「VIA Chelsea」の看板は、「トランプ」つながりであってもダレス空港の改名法案とは対極的な真の友情と思いやり、そして心からの敬意が込められている。

 「アメリカ第一主義」を掲げて他国からの輸入品に高い関税を課すと脅し、経済力を行使してカナダを併合するという暴言でカナダ人の顔に泥を塗るトランプ氏が世界最大の経済大国のリーダーに返り咲く世界は「分断」が進み、閉塞感が高まるのではないかと深く憂慮せざるを得ない。

 そんな闇が浮き彫りになればなるほど、看板に記されたチェルシーさんの名前は輝きをさらに増していくことになりそうだ。そして、「世界にはチェルシーさんのような人がもっと必要なんだ」というオリファントさんのメッセージを世界に問いかけていくことになるのではないだろうか。

【筆者より】新年あけましておめでとうございます。本年も「カナダ“乗り鉄”の旅」をご愛読賜りますよう、どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。本稿に示された視点や見解は筆者個人のものであり、所属する組織や日加トゥデイを代表するものではありません。

共同通信社元ワシントン支局次長で「VIAクラブ日本支部」会員の大塚圭一郎氏が贈る、カナダにまつわる鉄道の魅力を紹介するコラム「カナダ “乗り鉄” の旅」。第1回からすべてのコラムは以下よりご覧いただけます。
カナダ “乗り鉄” の旅

大塚圭一郎(おおつか・けいいちろう)
共同通信社経済部次長・「VIAクラブ日本支部」会員

1973年、東京都生まれ。97年に国立東京外国語大学外国語学部フランス語学科を卒業し、社団法人(現一般社団法人)共同通信社に入社。2013~16年にニューヨーク支局特派員、20~24年にワシントン支局次長を歴任し、アメリカに通算10年間住んだ。24年9月から現職。国内外の運輸・旅行・観光分野や国際経済などの記事を多く執筆しており、VIA鉄道カナダの公式愛好家団体「VIAクラブ日本支部」会員として鉄道も積極的に利用しながらカナダ10州を全て訪れた。

 優れた鉄道旅行を選ぶ賞「鉄旅(てつたび)オブザイヤー」(http://www.tetsutabi-award.net/)の審査員を2013年度から務めている。共同通信と全国の新聞でつくるニュースサイト「47NEWS(よんななニュース)」や「Yahoo!ニュース」などに掲載されている連載『鉄道なにコレ!?』と鉄道コラム「汐留鉄道倶楽部」(https://www.47news.jp/column/railroad_club)を執筆し、「共同通信ポッドキャスト」(https://digital.kyodonews.jp/kyodopodcast/railway.html)に出演。
 本コラム「カナダ“乗り鉄”の旅」や、旅行サイト「Risvel(リスヴェル)」のコラム「“鉄分”サプリの旅」(https://www.risvel.com/column_list.php?cnid=22)も連載中。
 共著書に『わたしの居場所』(現代人文社)、『平成をあるく』(柘植書房新社)などがある。東京外大の同窓会、一般社団法人東京外語会(https://www.gaigokai.or.jp/)の広報委員で元理事。

“Stories of Japanese Canadians: Memories for the Future Generation” Ms. Kikuko Tasaka

Ms. Kikuko Tasaka/キクコ・タサカさん
Ms. Kikuko Tasaka/キクコ・タサカさん

“Valuing the Japanese Canadian Community”

Ms. Kikuko Tasaka

Born in 1939, Steveston, British Columbia
Moved to Greenwood in 1942, back to Vancouver in 1958
Paternal grandfather originally from Ehime Prefecture, maternal grandfather originally from Mio, Wakayama Prefecture

Life in Greenwood

The Tasaka family relocated from Steveston to Greenwood in 1942. Before the internment, Ms. Tasaka’s father was a barber in Steveston. “We had a big and nice building, but we were relocated shortly after it was built,” she said. Ms. Tasaka was three years old at the time.

Greenwood, located in the central-southern part of British Columbia, near the American border, and about 400 kilometres east of Vancouver, was one of the government-supported internment sites. Unlike other camps, Greenwood welcomed Japanese Canadians who were forcibly relocated from Vancouver. Franciscan Friar Benedict Quigley and Franciscan Sisters played significant roles in supporting the Japanese Canadian community there.

Greenwood

“I didn’t have any bad experiences at all in Greenwood,” Ms. Tasaka recalled. She noted that carpenters arrived in Greenwood ahead of the internees to build essential items like beds, tables, chairs, and even Japanese-style baths to prepare for their arrival.

However, there were challenges. “The place was cold in winter in the first year because Vancouver was warm. Greenwood was deep in the mountains, so it was really cold,” she remembered. To cope, they used discarded military blankets and uniforms they purchased. “That’s how we managed because we had nothing.”

Despite the initial hardships, Ms. Tasaka found life in Greenwood enjoyable. School began promptly, run by Franciscan nuns. “That school was very good. It went up to Grade 8, and they even taught us skills like typing for jobs,” she said.

The community also organized Japanese festivals. “People wore kimonos, and there was dancing. The Japanese Canadian community also put on plays, and it was really fun,” she added. They formed a strong community because the town accepted Japanese Canadians. “The hakujin (white) residents of Greenwood were happy to have Japanese Canadian people come. They were pleased because the Japanese shared their culture, taught various things, and organized festivals. Everyone was glad.”

Even after the internment ended, Ms. Tasaka’s parents chose not to leave Greenwood. “They were happy, saying there was no town as good as Greenwood,” she said.

Overcoming Discrimination in Vancouver

After living in Greenwood for about 15 years, Ms. Tasaka returned to Vancouver. She recalls that many people left Greenwood around the age of 18 to look for work. “There were no jobs in Greenwood,” she explained. She was one of them.

By then, it was the late 1950s. Although the internment officially ended in 1949 and Japanese Canadians were free to move as they pleased, Ms. Tasaka says she will never forget the discrimination she faced upon returning to Vancouver. “The people here looked down on us. Not everyone—there were good people, too—but we all had to endure it. We had no choice but to endure it. The discrimination was really tough. It was painful to feel discriminated against. Some people were terrible, but there was nothing we could do.”

She believes the widespread discrimination contributed to why many Nisei (second-generation Japanese Canadians) stopped using the Japanese language. “When everyone came back to Vancouver, they didn’t want to speak Japanese. They tried to use English as much as possible,” she said. “Because of the discrimination, they didn’t want to show they were Japanese. At the time, we had no choice.” Now, when she speaks with other Nisei, she senses some regret in their voices as they say, “I wish I had kept speaking Japanese.”

As Sansei (third-generation Japanese Canadian), Ms. Tasaka speaks fluent Japanese. She attributes this to her upbringing in Greenwood, where they spoke Japanese at home and within the community. “Our parents couldn’t speak English, so we used Japanese,” she adds. In Greenwood’s large Japanese Canadian community, she didn’t feel discrimination there. “But when we returned to Vancouver, society was different, and we couldn’t use Japanese.”

Despite the challenges, she and her peers formed their own community in Vancouver. They gathered occasionally and enjoyed dance parties and festivals. “It wasn’t so bad, despite the discrimination,” she said. “We endured and did our best.” She added that they are still friends after 60 years.

Valuing the Japanese Canadian Community

“I still think of myself as Japanese, no matter where I am—even though I’m already a third-generation Japanese Canadian,” Ms. Tasaka said. Her paternal grandfather immigrated from Ehime Prefecture in 1890. He ran a business on Salt Springs Island, near the southern part of Vancouver Island. Her father was born there. Her maternal grandfather came from Mio, a village in Wakayama Prefecture. “Our parents passed us so many good aspects of Japanese culture. I never want to lose that.”

Ms. Tasaka, who often interacts with people visiting from Japan, shared, “I don’t know how to put it…in English, I’d say they are ‘kind’ and ‘considerate.’” Although she was born and raised in Canada and engages with other Canadians, she admitted, “I don’t know why, but I feel more comfortable with Japanese people. Maybe I shouldn’t say that, but it’s true,” she added with a laugh.

She volunteers at the Tonari Gumi, a Japanese-language volunteer organization founded in the 1970s to help issei (first-generation) and nisei seniors who struggled with English. Today, Tonari Gumi continues to provide Japanese-language services, mainly for seniors.

“I wanted to do today’s interview in Japanese,” she said. One reason is to inspire the Nisei, who often lack confidence in speaking Japanese. Another reason is to share the experiences of the Issei and Nisei, who endured hardship during the internment, directly with people from Japan who may be unfamiliar with their stories.

“Sometimes, people don’t understand the struggles (the) Issei and Nisei faced. I want immigrants from Japan to know what the Issei went through,” she explained. She hopes people in Japan take note and learn what happened to Japanese Canadians during and after the war.

(Text: Naomi Mishima)

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“Stories of Japanese Canadians: Memories for the Future Generation” Mr. Ed Hayashi

Mr. Ed Hayashi/エド・ハヤシさん
Mr. Ed Hayashi/エド・ハヤシさん

“Embracing Our Japanese Heritage”

Mr. Ed Hayashi

Born in April 1937, Steveston, Richmond, British Columbia
Moved to Taber, Alberta in 1942, stayed until 1950
Retired carpenter
Parents originally from Shiga Prefecture

From Steveston to Southern Alberta

Mr. Ed Hayashi and his family left Steveston in 1942. Their destination was Taber, in southern Alberta. Mr. Hayashi says he doesn’t remember much about living in Steveston or moving to Alberta.

Taber, Alberta

“I don’t remember because I was quite young at that time. So, I don’t remember leaving BC,” he said.

In Taber, his parents worked on a sugar beet farm. Why Alberta? Many of the government-supported internment camps were in BC, but Mr. Hayashi explained, “At that time, my parents had four kids. We were all one year apart.” He was the oldest, with three younger siblings. ” My parents want us to live together. And that’s why I think they chose to move to Taber, Alberta.” Sugar beet farms needed workers, and families who chose to relocate to the farms were allowed to move together.

However, the living conditions were not much better than in the internment camps. He recalled, “We lived in a company house. It was a shack. Now, those days were very cold and no insulation, no electricity.” The only source of heat was a coal stove. “It’s a stove where you have to put coal in and then heat the house. That’s all we had for heat. I remember very cold days, my mother used to have a rock, and put it on the stove and heat the rock up. And then use old blankets around the rock. And, put it beside the bed so we can keep our feet warm.”

He remembers that the water boiling on the stove would freeze over by the next morning. “That’s how cold it was,” he said. In winter, temperatures in Taber averaged around minus 10 degrees but could drop as low as minus 40. Despite those conditions, the six family members lived in a small shack without electricity or insulation. Even so, he added, “It’s a good experience of this,” with no trace of hardship on his face.

Heating wasn’t the only challenge. “There wasn’t much food,” he recalled. “We ate what we grow. I think we grew things that (would) last during the winter. My dad used to go maybe once a week shopping then. Everybody’s grocery there.” The nearest town for grocery shopping was 2 to 3 miles (about 3 to 6 kilometres) away, and his father would make the trip in an old truck. “We ate what we got. We’re not very fussed about food. We ate what was on the table. So that’s how we lived.”

A Childhood Without Feeling Discrimination

Even during the internment period, Mr. Hayashi attended school. He went from Grades 1 to 3, along with his younger siblings. They got to school by horse-drawn buggy. “I remember going to school on a horsing buggy those days,” he smiled. Although living conditions were harsh, as a child, “We enjoyed some of the things we played on the field.”

He even had a white friend. “We were small. We didn’t know too much about the war, you know? So, we had a good time, I guess in some ways,” he added.

He also attended Sunday school. “When we were small, we went to Sunday school,” he remembered. “Every Sunday, there used to be a lady that came to pick us up on her car. And take us to Sunday school in Taber, Alberta. So, we look forward to going to Sunday school. So, we learn more about Jesus Christ.”

Looking back on his school days, he doesn’t recall experiencing any particular discrimination against Japanese Canadians. “We were kids so I guess we didn’t have that much discrimination,” he reflected.

Back to Vancouver

In April 1949, after the Canadian government lifted the restriction, and Japanese Canadians were finally allowed to move freely in the country. The Hayashi family lived in Taber until 1950, when they returned to Vancouver. Mr. Hayashi’s father, who wanted to return to fishing, found a job at the Great Northern Cannery in West Vancouver.

“When we came back, in fact, we didn’t have no money to come back,” he said “So, my dad had to borrow money from his aunt to come back from Alberta to Vancouver.” His father repaid the borrowed money by working as a fisherman. Mr. Hayashi recalls that his parents faced hardships, both in Alberta and after returning to Vancouver.

In West Vancouver, they lived in a company house. He remembers that other Japanese Canadian families also lived there. At that time, Mr. Hayashi was 12 years old and attended school in West Vancouver. He and his siblings were the only Japanese Canadians attending from the cannery. All his classmates were white, but even so, he said he didn’t particularly feel any discrimination.

Later, he left school and attended a carpentry training program for a year. After completing three years of apprenticeship, he started working as a carpenter. During that time, he felt discrimination against Japanese Canadian carpenters. Since being a union member was essential for finding work, he joined in 1957. He recalls that it was a challenging time to find carpentry jobs. Although he had Japanese Canadian friends among his fellow carpenters, they never spoke about the internment period.

On the Canadian Government’s Internment Policy for Japanese Canadians

Mr. Hayashi did not directly participate in the “Redress Movement.” He remembers that well-educated individuals led the movement around 1988 and that he received $21,000 as part of the redress settlement.

When asked about the Canadian government’s internment policies toward Japanese Canadians, he said, “That’s a shame.” He added, ” I think Japanese Canadians lost everything. They lost their house. They lost your fishboat to where they work to make a living. They lost a lot, a lot of things that we never got back.”

He then shares a story about a tour he took to Salt Spring Island, organized by Tonari Gumi (Japanese Community Volunteers Association). He speaks about a Japanese man who had arrived in the late nineteenth century. “Tonari Gumi had a trip to Salt Spring Island on a tour, not very long ago and I went on that tour. And this Japanese man from Japan had 500 acres he bought. Now it’s worth a lot of money. And he never got a penny back. Isn’t that a shame?”

In the late nineteenth century saw Japanese immigrants settled on Salt Spring Island, making living through fishing and farming. But Mr. Hayashi added, “(They) lost everything. So that’s a shame.” Before the war, the Hayashi family lived in a company house, so they didn’t own a house that could be confiscated. However, their fishing boat was taken, and even after the internment ended, it was never returned.

Embracing Our Japanese Heritage

Mr. Hayashi’s first trip to Japan was in 1985, at the age of 47. He went to work as a carpenter. In Vancouver, he met a Japanese man named Mr. Suzuki, who was looking for someone to build a house in Japan. “I could speak a little Japanese,” he laughed, recalling how he was asked, “Would you be interested in building a house in Nishinomiya?”

He continued, “I start thinking myself, I’m living right now in Vancouver and got a good opportunity to go to Japan. A free trip and you get money coming from Japan. So, my job here closed down. I went to Japan. The free trip and make money at the same time and see Japan, what an opportunity.” He stayed for three months, and the house he built still stands in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture.

When asked about his first impression of Japan, he said, “Japanese people are very polite, you know, very polite people. And very nice and they try to help. I’m Japanese-Canadian. I don’t speak too good of Japanese. I got along.”

His connection with Japan continues to this day. He currently volunteers at “Tonari Gumi”, a Japanese Canadian volunteer organization in Vancouver founded in 1974. Its purpose is to assist the first-generation Japanese immigrants who, after being released from internment, were already seniors and spoke Japanese as their native language.

“I like to volunteer. I help seniors. I still help seniors. I’m senior myself. But, I’m still pretty active,” he chuckled.

He learned his Japanese from his parents. “I learned from my parents. We were talking at home so I picked it up.” It has been further polished through his work with Tonari Gumi. He added, “They speak mostly (Japanese). So, I picked it up and then I kind of get better. Every time I go out, I speak, you know, I can hear them speaking and I can understand what they are talking about.” Throughout the interview, Japanese phrases slip into his conversation.

As for Japanese culture, Mr. Hayashi believes it’s something to be preserved. “I think we should keep our culture. It’s very important that we’re still Japanese. We have culture. I think we should keep it up.” This includes the attitudes associated with being Japanese. “The Japanese people are very polite”, he continued. “And most of them are honest people. I’m saying most. And I like to keep it that way. We’re well known for good people, honest people, and hard-working people.”

Working hard is a value he inherited from his parents. He worked diligently as a carpenter, raised a family, owned a home, and considered his life a successful one. He often reflects on the hardships his parents endured, both in Alberta and after returning to Vancouver.

He has also shared the story of the internment period with his children. “They know what we went through. I talked to them.” He believes it is important to pass on the history of what happened to Japanese Canadians. Regardless of what he and his family went through, he said, “I’m still very proud to be a Japanese Canadian. I’m happy where I am.”

(Text: Naomi Mishima)

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“Stories of Japanese Canadians: Memories for the Future Generation” Dr. Akira Horii

Dr. Akira Horii/堀井昭さん
Dr. Akira Horii/堀井昭さん

“Discrimination Happens Anytime, Anywhere”

Dr. Akira Horii

Born in October 1931, Vancouver, British Columbia
Moved to East Lillooet, British Columbia in 1942, returned to Vancouver in 1949
Retired medical doctor
Parents from Wakayama Prefecture

A Time Without Discrimination Against Japanese Canadians at School

“My childhood was spent in Vancouver, and back then, I didn’t know what discrimination was,” Dr. Horii began. Like many other Japanese Canadians living in Vancouver, he attended Strathcona Elementary School.

At the school, British-origin students were known for a sense of superiority, often used derogatory terms for their Chinese, Italian, and Jewish classmates. However, “I never heard anyone call us ‘Japs,’” he recalled. He estimates that about 50% of the students were Nisei, or second-generation Japanese Canadians.

During that time, World War II had started in Europe. A teacher at the school taught students how to knit socks and make quilts for children suffering in Britain. “Before the (Asia-Pacific) war, I was just a happy kid. I didn’t even know what discrimination was,” he reflected.

The Attack on Pearl Harbor That Changed Everything

Dr. Horii’s carefree childhood was shattered on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese military attacked on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. “The world changed. It turned upside down for Japanese Canadians.” he said. On the same day, Canada declared war on Japan.

Dr. Horii was 10 years old at that time. After the attack, everything changed suddenly. “All of a sudden, we had to quit school. Until Pearl Harbor, I was in Grade 5 in Lord Strathcona Elementary and Grade 5 at the Vancouver Japanese Language School on Alexander Street,” he said. Around 630 Japanese Canadian students were forced to leave Strathcona Elementary, cutting its enrollment in half.

He recounts the events that transpired within the Japanese Canadian community. The Canadian government mandated that all Japanese Canadians, regardless of citizenship, relocate from British Columbia’s coastal areas to locations at least 100 miles (160 kilometres) inland. Homes, cars, businesses, fishing boats, properties and other possessions were confiscated, including the fishing boat owned by Mr. Horii’s father. Able-bodied men aged 18 to 45 were forced into road labour camps at one of three sites in BC: Hope-Princeton, Revelstoke-Sicamous, or Blue River-Yellowhead. Those who refused road camp work were sent to prisoner-of-war camps in Ontario.

The Canadian government established ten internment camps in BC: Tashme, Greenwood, Slocan City, Lemon Creek, Popoff, Bay Farm, Rosebery, New Denver, Sandon, and Kaslo. Sandon, a remote valley town with harsh winters, housed a significant Buddhist population. Many internees later relocated to New Denver. “These ten sites were government-supported internment camps,” he explained.

On January 14, 1942, the Canadian government designated Japanese Canadians as “enemy aliens,” and by February of that year, the forced relocation to internment camps had begun. Since the ten designated camps were not ready, many people were initially sent to Vancouver’s Hastings Park, where they lived in horse stalls that reeked of urine and feces. “I’ve heard that some people stayed there as late as September or October,” he said.

In addition to government-supported camps, there were also “self-supporting sites” where people lived without government assistance. Four such communities existed in BC: East Lillooet, Bridge River, Minto City, and McGillivray Falls. These sites received no government aid, requiring residents to be self-sufficient. However, families were allowed to stay together in these locations.

Life in East Lillooet

Dr. Horii began, “My parents decided to move to a self-supporting internment site.” They traveled by ship from Coal Harbour to Squamish, where they transferred to the Pacific Great Eastern Railway (PGE), now known as BC Rail. He recalls that Squamish was the southernmost terminal of the PGE at the time. After the transfer, they arrived in Lillooet the following morning. “I got up in the morning, and, we were surrounded by mountains,” he said. “I thought, “I thought, ‘Oh, gee. This is where we’re going to live.’ And I thought maybe it won’t be so bad living in this little town called Lillooet.”

East Lillooet

However, he added, “to my surprise,” they were taken further by truck, crossing the Fraser River to a place called East Lillooet, about four miles (6.5 kilometres) away.

In the spring, his father and other men in the group began constructing tar-paper shacks. His mother, meanwhile, was busy caring for Dr. Horii and his four younger siblings. “There was no drinking water, no electricity, and no jobs because of discrimination,” he explained, as Japanese Canadians were even prohibited from entering the town of Lillooet.

Despite these hardships, families found ways to survive. Drinking water was purchased, and they built a filtration system to use water from the Fraser River for household needs. They grew vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and even burdock root (gobo). They raised chickens for eggs and sometimes bought salmon from Indigenous people. “My mother canned the salmon,” he added. Each family also built a bathhouse, allowing them to live self-sufficiently.

Many of the men relocated to East Lillooet had been fishermen, and there were few opportunities to earn a living. “The saviour for us was Tokutaro Tsuyuki, a farmer from Haney (Maple Ridge),” he said. Tsuyuki recognized that the hot, dry climate of the Lillooet region was ideal for growing tomatoes. The community began cultivating tomatoes collectively. Initially, the harvest was shipped to New Westminster, but they eventually established a tomato canning factory in the town. “That’s how we managed to survive in East Lillooet for seven years,” he added.

Life was difficult, but the men built a small elementary school for the children. “Since there weren’t any teachers, anyone who had graduated high school became a teacher for the younger kids,” he said. However, teenagers already in high school when they moved to East Lillooet couldn’t graduate initially because they weren’t allowed to attend the town’s high school.

By 1946, they were permitted to enroll in Lillooet’s high school. Dr. Horii attended, cycling the four miles to and from school daily. “In the coldest day of winter, the road was covered in ice, and when we get to the high school in town, our mouths will be covered in an ice, frost,” he recalled.

While attending high school, he worked part-time to help support his family, taking jobs at the town newspaper, on his father’s tomato farm, and at the canning factory. “It was only natural for the Japanese eldest son to help the family,” he said.

During his senior year, he returned to Vancouver to attend the UBC High School Conference with a Canadian classmate. Even as a school representative, he was required to obtain a police permit. “To come back to my birthplace Vancouver, I had to get RCMP permit. Because I’m not allowed on the coast,” he added. One evening, while walking on East Hastings Street after seeing a movie, a police officer stopped him. “I think he realized I was Japanese,” he recalled.  When asked what he was doing there, he showed the officer his permit. “I’ve got a special permit to come to Vancouver,” he said. In December 1948, Vancouver was still unwelcoming to Japanese Canadians.

In 1949, Dr. Horii graduated from Lillooet High School.

Graduating from UBC Medical School While Working as a Fisherman

On April 1, 1949, the internment policy ended, allowing Japanese Canadians to move freely. That same year, Dr. Horii graduated from high school and enrolled at the University of British Columbia (UBC). “My parents allowed me to go to university,” he said. However, he was keenly aware of the financial burden. “I stayed in a dormitory,” he added, “but to save the 10-cent streetcar fare, I hitchhiked to campus.”

He took six courses per term, even though the standard load was five. “As a freshman from rural Lillooet, I was pretty naive,” he admitted with a laugh. His demanding schedule included chemistry, physics, and biology labs. “When I finished my first year and passed the exams,” he said, “I was amazed that I did okay.’”

Despite this success, he took a leave of absence after his first year to help his father. “My father really wanted to return to fishing,” he explained. Beginning in 1950, Dr. Horii worked as a fisherman, joining his father in salmon fishing near Prince Rupert in northern British Columbia. For two years, he embraced the fisherman’s life, handing over his earnings his parents. As the eldest son, he felt it was his duty to support his family. By 1951, the family had returned to Vancouver.

After two years away, he resumed his studies at UBC in 1952, again taking six courses per term. During summers, he continued working as a fisherman to assist his father, which he did until 1957.

In 1955, he graduated from UBC and, on a friend’s suggestion, applied to medical school. “To my surprise, I was accepted,” he smiled. During medical school, he faced a life-threatening subphrenic abscess. Thanks to the intervention of a university medical professor, his life was saved, but he lost a year of studies. Undeterred, he graduated in 1960.

Two weeks later, he married, and the couple embarked on a honeymoon road trip across northern United States in a Volkswagen, heading to Toronto. There, he completed a one-year internship at Toronto Western Hospital.

A First-Generation Japanese Canadian’s Story

Before the internment, Vancouver was home to a vibrant Japanese community. As the eldest son, Dr. Horii admits he was sometimes spoiled. He fondly remembers visiting a small confectionery shop on Powell Street near the Vancouver Buddhist Temple. “I used to get anpan (sweet red bean buns) there,” he said. “The shop was run by a couple named Matsumoto.” The Horii family grew close to the Matsumotos, but they lost contact after the internment began.

In 1961, when he began practicing as a doctor, the Matsumotos became his patients. It was then he learned that Mr. Matsumoto had been a Canadian war veteran in World War I. “I saw a photograph of him in uniform—tall, handsome, and strong,” he explained. “His name was Kingo Matsumoto.”

During World War I, 222 Japanese Canadians served in the Canadian military despite facing severe discrimination in British Columbia. Many had to travel to Alberta to enlist, as they were barred from joining in BC. Of those who served, 54 lost their lives. A memorial for these fallen soldiers, built by the Japanese Canadian community, now stands in Vancouver’s Stanley Park.

Japanese Canadians who served in World War I were eventually granted Canadian citizenship. “At first, the Canadian government refused, but in 1931, they relented. It was the first time citizenship was granted to people of Asian descent,” he explained. However, this recognition was short-lived. “When war with Japan broke out in December 1941, Mr. Matsumoto was labelled an ‘enemy alien,’ stripped of his citizenship, and interned,” he added.

Like other Japanese Canadian veterans of World War I, Mr. Matsumoto endured unjust treatment. Having inhaled poison gas while fighting in Europe, he suffered from lung disease. “It’s ironic, isn’t it?” Dr. Horii said, reflecting on the bitter irony on how the Canadian government treated men who risked their lives for this country with such cold disregard.

On Japanese Canadian Internment and Discrimination

“More towards the end of my working career, I got interested in talking about the internment and racism,” said Dr. Horii. Known professionally as Dr. Aki Horii, he built a reputation as a physician fluent in Japanese, caring for many first-generation Japanese Canadian patients. Now, he speaks to elementary and high schools, universities, and colleges, sharing his experiences and shedding light on the realities of discrimination.

Mr. Horii explains that the Canadian government’s discriminatory actions against Japanese Canadians were fueled by the prejudiced statements and attitudes of politicians. Discrimination was openly endorsed by members of the federal government, the BC provincial government, and Vancouver city officials, with federal MPs wielding significant influence.

To illustrate the depth of prejudice, he cites discriminatory remarks made by politicians and published in the Vancouver Sun:

“Japs must never be allowed to return to British Columbia.”

“The government’s plan is to get these people (Japanese Canadians) out of BC as quickly as possible. I will spend every remaining moment as a public official ensuring this happens, so they will never come back here.”

“Not a single Jap should be allowed between the Rockies and the Pacific.”

Dr. Horii also references a 2015 Vancouver Sun article that examined the events of 1942. The article explained how the attack on Pearl Harbor was used as a pretext to forcibly remove Japanese Canadians from the BC coast. For decades, BC had opposed immigrants from Asia, but federal government had resisted taking sweeping measures. However, under the guise of wartime necessity, Japanese Canadians were forcibly relocated inland. The article highlighted that the war provided a convenient opportunity to resolve a long-standing “problem.”

“That tells you all that saying the editorial that they used the military, the war Japan, as an excuse to get rid of all the Japanese Canadians from the province of British Columbia,” Dr. Horii stated emphatically. The mistreatment continued even after the war ended on August 15, 1945. That year, the Canadian government gave Japanese Canadians living in BC an ultimatum: relocate east of the Rockies or face deportation to Japan. Approximately 4,000 chose deportation, while many others moved to Alberta or Saskatchewan.

Dr. Horii underscores that discrimination can occur anytime and anywhere, leaving deep and lasting scars. He shares a personal story: “At a doctors’ meeting, one physician repeatedly used the term ‘Jap’ during the conversation. I couldn’t sleep for a month afterward.” At the next meeting, he confronted the doctor, who apologized.

“Discrimination often arises in the most unexpected places,” he reflected quietly. “This is what I tell students when I share my story.”

(Text: Naomi Mishima)

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ベテランになっても学び続けます!

 2024年の12月はあっという間に過ぎ去り、気づけば新年を迎えていました。仕事に追われてコラムの締切をすっかり逃してしまった私ですが、それでも温かく受け入れてくださった日加トゥデイの三島様に感謝申し上げます。読者の皆様、2025年もどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。

 さて、2024年を振り返ると、私にとっては学びの多い一年でもありました。カナダで薬剤師として16年間に渡り同じ薬局に勤めてきた私が、ブリティッシュコロンビア大学(UBC)のFlexPharmDプログラムの一環として、2件の薬局での実習をする機会があったのです。

 「なぜベテラン薬剤師が実習生?」と思う方もいらっしゃるかもしれません。実際、私自身も「学位取得のためとはいえ、今さら他の薬局に行って新たに学ぶことがあるのだろうか?」と半信半疑でした。しかし、実際に体験してみると、なかなかどうして面白いではありませんか。

 まず1件目のノースバンクーバーにある食料品店内の薬局では若手薬剤師たちの薬学的管理スキルが印象的でした。最近の若い薬剤師の多くはPharmD(Doctor of Pharmacy:私が現在目指している学位)であり、薬物治療に関する実践的な教育をみっちりと受けています。彼らが学生時代に一生懸命取り組んだのと同様に、私は実習中に薬学的ケアプラン(薬学的管理を行うための詳細な計画書で、薬剤師が患者の薬物療法を最適化するために使用するもの)の作成に取り組みましたが、これがなかなか大変でした。患者さんの疾患の概要や薬物選択の根拠を詳細に書き出し、治療上の問題点を洗い出して解決策を提示する一連のプロセスを文章化するのは、予想以上に時間と労力が必要でした。

 今から17年前に、カナダで薬剤免許を取得するためにUBCのブリッジングプログラムに在籍していた頃、同様のケアプランの作成を少しかじったことはありましたが、最近のバージョンは要求レベルが高くなっており、とてもびっくりしました。

 また、この薬局では、薬学的ケアプランと直接的に関連するメディケーションレビューに力を入れていました。メディケーションレビューとは、複数の慢性疾患の治療薬を服用している患者さんを対象に、薬物治療に関する問題の有無をチェックするサービスです。このサービスは患者さんにとって無料ですが、薬局には州政府からのクリニカルサービスフィーが支払われます。そのため、薬局によってはメディケーションレビューに大きく力を入れているところもあります。

 このようなビジネスモデルの賛否はともかく、メディケーションレビューは正しく実施されれば、患者さんと薬剤師の双方にとって非常に有益です。たとえば、適切な薬が適量で処方されているか、薬を正しく服用できているか、副作用がないか、薬の効果が十分に現れているかといった点を確認することで、患者さんの薬物治療の効果と患者さんの健康状態を総合的にチェックすることができるのです。問題が見つかった場合には、処方医師へフィードバックを行うことで、薬物治療の質を向上させることができます。

 現実的には、このようなメディケーションレビューを、まとまった時間をとって体系的に行っている薬局は限られています。私の勤務するロンドンドラッグスでは、時間や人員の制約があるため、メディケーションレビューの件数は少ないのが現状で、同様の相談やリクエストが寄せられた際には、重要なポイントを簡潔に絞って対応する形をとっています。ただ、せっかく実習で身につけたスキルを使わないのはもったいないので、メディケーションレビューの件数を増やすように努力をしているところで、これは私の2025年の大きな目標です。

 2件目にお世話になったのは、ポートコキットラムにあるメディカルクリニックに隣接したこじんまりとした薬局でした。薬局に足を踏み入れた瞬間、「こんなに小さな薬局で実習をするなんて!」と戸惑いましたが、その後すぐに新たな事実を知ることになります。

 この薬局は通常の処方せん対応だけでなく、精神疾患を抱える患者さんが生活する複数のグループホームを担当していたのです。このような特化型サービスを提供する薬局では、単なる薬の配達にとどまらず、患者さんの生活全般を支える重要な役割を担っています。定期的に入居者と面談を行い、薬が正しく服用されているか、副作用や健康上の問題がないかを丁寧に確認します。薬の服用が困難な場合には、患者さんの状況に応じた服薬スケジュールを提案・調整することもあります。さらに、多くの薬を服用する患者さんが多いため、相互作用や副作用のリスクを慎重に管理する必要があります。このようなアプローチは、患者さんのQOL(生活の質)の向上に大きく寄与するだけでなく、医療費の削減にもつながるとされています。また、ホームの入居者と信頼関係を築き、意思疎通を図るためには高度なコミュニケーション能力が求められましたが、これは非常に貴重な経験となりました。

 ちなみに、コーストメンタルヘルス(Coast Mental Health、ウェブサイト:https://www.coastmentalhealth.com/)は、バンクーバーを拠点とする非営利団体で、精神疾患を抱える人々が適切な住まいや支援サービス、雇用や教育の機会を得ることで、地域社会での自立を支援しています。同団体は、コミュニティーホームやサポートハウジングプログラム、The Transitional Cottage Programなどの施設を運営しており、利用者自身もピアサポートやボランティア活動を通じて団体の運営に貢献しています。また、Coast Mental Health Foundationは資金調達を行い、利用者のために多様な自立支援プログラムを展開しています。精神疾患は遺伝や環境要因が絡む複雑な問題ですが、適切な支援を受ければ自立した生活が可能であることを実証しており、その活動は薬剤師として非常に勉強になったのは言うまでもありません。

 2025年にはいくつかの実習を予定しており、さらなる成長を目指して引き続き努力を重ねてまいります。また、本コラムに関するご質問やリクエストがございましたら、ぜひ日加トゥデイ編集部までお気軽にご連絡ください。

佐藤厚

*薬や薬局に関する一般的な質問・疑問等があれば、いつでも編集部にご連絡ください。編集部連絡先: contact@japancanadatoday.ca

佐藤厚(さとう・あつし)
新潟県出身。薬剤師(日本・カナダ)。 2008年よりLondon Drugsで薬局薬剤師。国際渡航医学会の医療職認定を取得し、トラベルクリニック担当。 糖尿病指導士。禁煙指導士。現在、UBCのFlex PharmDプログラムの学生として、学位取得に励む日々を送っている。 趣味はテニスとスキー(腰痛と要相談)

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