Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall, National Historic Site

Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall, National Historic Site

バンクーバー日本語学校並びに日系人会館

Founded in 1906 and expanding to this Art Deco building in 1928, this educational institution was the first and largest Japanese language school in Canada before the Second World War.  In 1919, it became a second language school, where children attended language classes after regular public school from Monday to Friday.  Designed by Sharp and Thompson Architects, this building was planned and built by the community in 1928 at a cost of $40,000 to expand the organization’s role to also serve as a community centre – ‘Japanese Hall’.  

After Canada declared war on Japan in 1941, the federal government forcibly relocated over 22,000 Japanese Canadians to a minimum of 100 miles away from the coast to Internment camps in the interior of BC.  Seizing their homes, properties and businesses, the government also closed all 50 existing Japanese language schools in B.C., including this school, which had over 1000 students at the time. Throughout the Internment period, which ended in 1949 community leaders fought to prevent the sale of this building, reclaimed ownership in 1952 and reopened the school in 1953. 

The Hall was one of the only properties returned to Japanese Canadians after the war, and remains a powerful symbol of community resilience. In 2012, a heritage rehabilitation was completed and Children’s World Childcare Centre was launched.  In 2019, the building was designated a National Historic Site. It continues to serve as an education and community hub for Japanese Canadian history, language, culture, childcare and the local community.

Located on the corner of Alexander Street and Jackson Avenue, adjacent to the Historic Powell Street Corridor and Gastown, it is located on a City of Vancouver bike route. 

バンクーバー日本語学校並びに日系人会館

1906年に設立され1928年にこちらのアールデコ調建物に移転した当教育機関は、最古の日本語学校であり、第二次世界大戦前の日本語学校の中ではカナダ最大規模を誇っていました。1941年にカナダが日本に宣戦布告した後、カナダ政府は日本人の子孫を海岸沿いから強制的に移動させ、財産を押収し、50校もの日本語学校を閉鎖しました。この建物も没収されていましたが、日系コミュニティのリーダー達の力により建物の売却を阻止し、1952年に使用権利を取り戻し、1953年には学校を再開しました。戦後、日系カナダ人に返却された希少土地財産の一つであり、コミュニティ復興を力強く象徴し続けています。