Community Projects Recipients Announced

Community & Culture • January 18, 2024

The Japanese Canadian Legacies Society is pleased to announce the results of the Community Projects stream of the Community Fund. Thank you to the groups and organizations from across the country who sent in their applications. The breadth and variety of projects being proposed reminded us why we opened this funding stream.

A very special acknowledgment goes to the Community Projects advisory team made up of Art Miki, Alex Miki, Nicola Koyanagi, Gary Kawaguchi, and Maryka Omatsu. The team helped us revise and sharpen the vision and draft guidelines for this all-encompassing stream, ensuring that it was as accessible as possible.

We also owe deep thanks to the Assessment Team who juried the process and set protocols for evaluation. The team was lead by Alex Miki and Jan Nobuto, joined by Art Miki, Jay Hirabayashi, Nicola Koyanagi, and Maryka Omatsu. 

PHOTO Community Projects Advisory & Assessment Team Clockwise from top left: Jan Nobuto, Art Miki, Alex Miki, Nicole Koyanagi, Gary Kawaguchi, Jay Hirabayashi, Maryka Omatsu

この投稿の日本語版はこちらをクリックしてください。

Category One | Japanese Canadian Organizations

BC Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples Federation     
Project 1: Manning Park Retreat 
Project 2: BC Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples Federation Convention

Central Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Society    
Taiko Start-up Project

Chojukai    
Reunion Tour Project

Edmonton Japanese Community Association    
Youth and Elder engagement and the Dr. Gordon Hirabayashi website

Greater Toronto Chapter, National Association of Japanese Canadians    
Kokoro – Heart, Mind, Spirit Film Festival

Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens’ Association 
Project 1: Japanese Cooking Classes
Project 2: Legacy Year Project

Japanese Canadian Association of Yukon    
15th Anniversary Celebrations

Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre    
Japanese Canadian Generational Conference

Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montreal    
Revitalization and Updating of Archives

Japanese Community Volunteers Association    
Tonari Gumi “My Voice” Project

Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba, Inc    
Culture Workshops and Celebrations Series

Japanese Dementia Support Association    
Laughter Yoga

Kamloops Japanese Canadian Association    
Raiden Taiko 20th Anniversary Celebration

Kita no Taiko Society 
Project 1: Taiko Conference
Project 2: Guest Taiko Instruction

Kokoro Dance Theatre Society    
“Love, Sex, & Death” Butoh Project

Manitoba Buddhist Temple    
Project 1: Manitoba Buddhist Temple History Preservation 
Project 2: Bento Box Project

MH Pacific Media Inc.    
Interviews with Survivors – Research Project on the Survival & Revival of the Japanese Canadian Community

Momiji Health Care Society    
Seniors Active Living Centre Expansion 

Nagata Shachu Japanese Taiko and Music Group    
Tour with Ms. Toki Tatara

Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre 
Project 1: NNMCC Auxiliary Community Gathering
Project 2: Rintaro Hayashi Translation project

Nikkei Place Foundation    
Nikkei Place Visual History Project

Nikkei Research and Education Project (Nikkei Voice)    
Nikkei Voice Website and Digitization Project

Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society    
Seniors’ Obento Lunch Delivery Program

Ottawa Japanese Community Association 
Project 1: Natsu Maturi Event
Project 2: Tonomi/Go Together

Ottawa Japanese Cultural Centre    
Mochitsuki 2023

Powell Street Festival Society     
Project 1: 50th Anniversary Retrospective Exhibition
Project 2: Catalogue Cultural Sensitivity Training to Nourish Japanese Canadian Resilience

Quebec Chapter of the National Association of Japanese Canadians Inc    
Farnham Memorial Project

Shintani Art & Design Inc. (DBA Shintani Gallery)    
unTwisted Perspectives Project

Vancouver Buddhist Temple    
120th Anniversary Luncheon

Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall (VJLS-JH) 
Project 1: The Japanese Cultural Hub Project
Project 2: VJLS History Club Project

Vancouver Sakurakai Mikoshi Society    
Connecting Japan and Canada – International Cultural Exchange 

Vancouver Taiko Society    
Echoes: Celebrating 45 years of Taiko in Canada

Vernon Japanese Cultural Society    
VJCS Film Festival

Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society
VNCS 30th Anniversary Celebration

West Coast Healthy Memory Society    
Smile Brain Program

Category Two | Non-Japanese Canadian Organizations

Abbotsford Judo Club    
Dojo Update 

Asian Heritage Society of Manitoba Inc.    
Exploring Japanese Canadians in Manitoba

Historic Joy Kogawa House Society    
Karakoro Performance Group Production of “Naomi’s Tree”

Nanaimo Judo Club    
New Equipment & Lighting Upgrades

Nelson Izu-shi Friendship Society    
Cultural and Taiko Drumming Workshops

RAW Taiko    
2024 Toronto Taiko Festival

Salt Spring Island Historical Society    
Archives Website Upgrade and Curriculum Development Projects

The Prince Takamado Japan Centre for Teaching and Research, University of Alberta    
The Gordon Hirabayashi Legacy Video Project

Category Three | Unincorporated Japanese Canadian Groups

Canadian Japanese Hockey League    
Hockey Uniform Upgrades

Dana Family Bowling League    
Bowling Team Capacity Building 

East Lillooet Seniors Garden Committee    
Garden Improvements

EJCA Calligraphy Club    
Calligraphy Classes with Master Calligrapher 

Friendly Foragers    
Japanese Foraged Food Research, Expeditions, and Cookbook

Fujikawa Garden Committee    
Fujikawa Garden Project

George Shintani and Samurai Sword Podcast Committee    
Family Sword Podcast Podcast

Japanese Canadian Book Club    
Book club meetings, discussions, and purchase of books.

Japanfestival Sudbury    
2024 Japan Festival Sudbury

Kaminari Wan Taiko    
Taiko Workshops, Repair & Storage

Kamloops Japanese Canadian Museum & Archives    
KJCA Museum and Archives Website Development

Kikiai Collaborative    
ensoku 2024 

Kochi Yosakoi Ambassador KIZUNA International Team    
Bringing Yosakoi Culture to the Community

Kyōdai Arts Collective    
2024 Cross-Canada Meetups

Lakehead Japanese Cultural Association    
LJCA Branding – West Thunder Community Centre

Living Sky Taiko    
Taiko Purchase & Workshops

Mata Ashita    
Mata Ashita: Japanese Canadian Writer’s Circle

New Denver Ikebana Project    
Presentations: History and Beauty of Traditional Ikebana

Vancouver Nisei Baseball Committee     
Preservation, Education, and Cultural Celebration of the Vancouver Nisei Baseball Team

Powell Festival Salmon Barbeque    
2024 Powell Street Festival Salmon Barbeque 

Shochikubai Kai    
ShoChikuBai Talks

Salt Spring Island Japanese Community    
Salt Spring Island Taiko Group 

Steveston Kendo Club    
60th Anniversary Steveston Kendo Club Tournament

Steveston Senior Japanese Group Club    
Meetings & Bento Lunches

Suzuran Odori of Hamilton     
Empowering Isolated Japanese Canadian Communities

Taber Japanese Ladies Group    
Garden Revitalization, Plaques, & Celebratory Gathering

Taiko Stepping Collective    
Taiko and Stepping Collaboration with Montreal Steppers

Toronto Buddhist Church Buyo Group     
Kimono & Accessories Purchase

Toronto Buddhist Church Obon Odori Group    
Obi, Fans, & Yakuta Purchase for Obon 2024

Ten Ten    
Workshopping & Rehearsals of New Works

The Dōjin Japanese Arts Society    
2024 Japanese Arts Salon & Workshop Series

The Kimono Remake Project    
Kimono Storytelling & Cultural Sharing Projects

Tobu Canada Wakayamakenjinkai    
New Year’s Eve Celebration – Honouring Our Elders

Toronto Japanese Garden Club    
HANA-MI Festival 2024

Toronto Next Generation Youth Council    
Community Connections Space

Toronto Shigakenjinkai    
Spring and Fall Social Events & Memorial 

Vancouver Go Club    
Beginning Go Classes & Club Marketing

Vancouver Hiroshima Club    
2024 Spring Luncheon

Vancouver Mikoshi Rakuichi    
Rakuichi’s 20th Anniversary Celebration

Vernon Taiko    
Attendance at the Seattle Taiko Conference

West End Nisei Bowling League    
May 2024 Wind Up Luncheon

Wynford Seniors Club    
Seniors’ Outreach & Japanese Culture Workshops

Yamabiko Taiko    
Ryo Shimamoto Performances & Workshops

The successful recipients listed have yet to finalize their Community Projects grant agreement process. The list is subject to change. Until the agreement is signed, we ask that successful applicants refrain from publicly announcing funding from the JCLS, whether on social media, in press releases, newsletters, etc. 


Japanese Canadian Legacies are initiatives that honour our elders past and present. We are grateful to be doing this work on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish peoples.