The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 marked the turning point in the lives of the Nikkei in Canada. In response to public pressure rooted in anti-Asian racism, the federal government ordered the forced uprooting of close to 21,500 Japanese Canadians living within the restricted area, 100 miles along the west coast of B.C., and confiscated their property by October 31, 1942. The majority of the Nikkei were forcibly removed from their homes and detained in internment sites in the province, while others were sent to road and prisoner-of-war camps, industrial project sites, and sugar beet farms across the country. (Photo credit UBC Library, Japanese Photograph Collection, Access Identifier: JCPC_29_010)
Located in southern B.C. and today identifies itself as the smallest city in Canada, Greenwood was the first of ten internment sites in the province where approximately 1,200 Nikkei were relocated during World War II. (Photo credit Yuasa family collection)
On June 7, 1964, Prime Minister Pearson referred to the internment of Canadians of Japanese descent as “a black mark on traditional Canadian fairness and devotion to principles of human rights.” It was not until September 22, 1988 that Prime Minister Mulroney acknowledged the federal government’s wrongful treatment of the Nikkei and reached a redress settlement with the Japanese Canadian community. On May 7, 2012, the Province of British Columbia issued a formal apology to the Japanese Canadian community for the internment of approximately 22,000 Nikkei during and after World War II. A decade later on May 21, 2022, B.C. Premier John Horgan announced a $100 million funding initiative in recognition of the injustices committed by the province during the war. The resilience of the first immigrants of Japanese ancestry and their children paved the way for future generations to enjoy the rights and freedoms shared by all Canadian citizens. (Photo by William Milliot on Unsplash )
The Nikkei Legacy Park celebrated its transformation with a 15th century Japanese rock garden at the grand opening of the Nikkei Memorial Garden on July 20, 2025. (Photo credit Ciel Sander)
Photo credit Chuck Tasaka
Grand Opening: Greenwood Nikkei Memorial Garden
Join us as we celebrate this memorable event.
Date: Sunday, July 20, 2025
Location: Nikkei Legacy Park
Schedule: 10:00 am – Okinawa Southern Wave Music and Dance Society will be performing 10:30 – Speeches 11:00 – Ribbon-cutting ceremony
After operating on a 'Kool Aid' budget for the past ten years, the Nikkei Legacy Park has been transformed with a 15th century Japanese style rock garden.
The 'new' Greenwood Nikkei Memorial Garden is dedicated to some 1,200 Japanese-Canadians who were sent to this once thriving copper smelter mining community that fell on hard times after World War I. On April 26, 1942, Greenwood became the first Nikkei internment site, thanks to the vision and courage of Mayor W.E. McArthur Sr. who accepted the exiles and the Franciscan Sisters and Friars who accepted full responsibility for the welfare of the Japanese Canadians and the safety of the town folks. The City of Greenwood once again became a bustling community with over half of the businesses being owned or operated by Japanese Canadians. The first internment site morphed into a community where everyone co-existed in harmony.
The Greenwood Nikkei Memorial Garden came to fruition mainly due to the generous funding from the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society and the Heritage Site group and the full support and unbelievable in-kind service from the City of Greenwood. The Greenwood Public Works crew and the Kunon and Japonica Landscaping companies did an amazing job in completing project.
Everyone is welcome to the other activities in Greenwood this weekend.
July 19 Founders Day July 20 8:30 a.m. Greenwood Volunteer Fire Department Pancake Breakfast (by donation).