Discover Nikkei Logo

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/journal/2025/5/30/urasaki-dreamin/

Reconnecting to Lost Japan: Urasaki Dreamin'

comments

“Community building and community development is an important aspect of everything I do.”

—Sansei Bryce Kanbara, 2021, on being awarded Canada’s Governor General Award for Outstanding Contribution in Visual and Media Arts. 

Bryce Tatsuro Kanbara Has a Dream...

The Hamilton, Ontario-born Sansei is a painter, sculptor, printmaker, gallery owner, and proprietor and curator of you me gallery (2003), a champion of the Japanese Canadian (JC) cause for more than fifty years, and is now putting his energies towards the creation of a retreat in Urasaki, Japan, close to Hiroshima, in what was once the Kanbara family home. It’s been vacant since the passing of his two aunts in the 1990s.

The Kanbara family ancestral home.

In Japan’s rapidly aging society, millions of homes (akiya, empty or vacant homes) have been abandoned, mostly in rural areas. Some enterprising Japanese, non-Japanese, and gaijin Nikkei are turning some of these homes into bed and breakfasts and businesses, repurposing vacant homes in creative and innovative ways that are helping to repopulate and reinvigorate areas. 

For Canadian Nikkei who may no longer have any relatives in Japan to open that door of self-discovery, Bryce and his sister, Carlene Sayoko Mercer, are in the process of creating—rebuilding, if you will—a small but significant aspect of the JC community that was lost during the internment, for the generations who've hesitated to dig deeper and embrace “being Japanese.” This is a poignant reminder that my own Nisei parents never returned to B.C. after World War II, and never considered visiting Japan even when I lived there. They’d be surprised by how open and diverse Reiwa Japan (2019- ) is compared to the Taisho (1912-1926), Showa (1926-1989), and Heisei (1989-2019) notions of Japan they grew up with. 

Like the remarkable America Mura/Miomura in Mihama, Wakayama, from where many Japanese immigrated to British Columbia and settled in Steveston, one can’t help but imagine something similar being created in the Urasaki/Onomichi area of Hiroshima that shares a similar history.

The village of Urasaki in the Hiroshima prefecture.

Today, the Canada Museum in Miomura preserves historical artifacts and migration resources for future generations. Some features of the museum are a B.C. totem pole created by Squamish Nation master carver Darren Yelton (ancestral name: K’na’kweltn) and a statue of Gihei Kuno, erected in the museum’s courtyard on May 11, 2021.

Leading by Example, 50 Years and Counting

Bryce, 78, has been a leader in the Japanese Canadian community for generations. He was involved in the 1970s JC centennial celebrations and the redress movement and is a founding member and first administrator of Hamilton Artists Inc.. He’s served in numerous curatorial positions, including at the Burlington Art Centre, Art Gallery of Hamilton, Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant, and as curator/chair of the Arts Committee at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto. He has also served as Executive Director of the Toronto Chapter of the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC), National Executive Member of the NAJC, and Chair of the NAJC Endowment Fund Committee, among many other positions. 

Kanbara’s work as a visual artist/curator and his involvement in community art and public art projects are “discrete activities that merge into the mainstream of his art practice.” Kanbara is also the proprietor of a storefront gallery, which he views as an intervention project that addresses the divide between art and the general public. 

Of his personal artwork, Bryce says: “I like when I can combine two or more of the following: Japanese Canadian-ness, abstract expressionism, Hamilton, literature, a sense of communality. The community projects (which have included members of Muslim, Hindu, Aboriginal, Japanese Canadian communities) incorporate the voices and talents of others, which seems antithetical to the creation of my personal work, yet equally represent what I do.”

The passion project of Bryce and sister Carlene is a great dream that they want to share with the global Nikkei community. When they started their GoFundMe campaign last year, the response came from Canada and the USA: All for one and one for all!

*

Norm Ibuki (NI): Going back as far as you can, can you go into some detail about what you know about the house? What’s your family's connection with the Shinto shrine there?

Bryce Kanbara (BK): I’m embarrassed about my limited knowledge about the past life of the house and the lives of my ancestral family. Yes, the house is on a hilltop beside a shrine. My blurry understanding of its history is that the house was like a manse, a residence for the attendant Shinto priests. The family crest, which is a pine tree (matsu), appears prominently on the end tiles along the eaves of the shrine’s roof. 

My grandfather Motoo-san was the first to break from this traditional family role at the shrine and come to Canada, where he purchased a confectionary store in Vancouver, on the corner of Main and Cordova, started a family, and worked as a railway porter. He accumulated modest wealth, which allowed him to return to Urasaki frequently and display his success by sponsoring a prestigious pair of stone monuments at the top of the shrine steps and the construction of a wooden family shrine at the rear of the main building.

The confectionary shop owned by Bryce Kanbara's grandfather in Vancouver, c. 1936

My grandfather died in the 1960s (I recall that my father held a memorial service in the living room of our home in Hamilton). When my two aunts, Hisako and Tomiko, the last residents in the house, died in quick succession in 1992, I accompanied my parents to visit relatives, gravesites, and attempt to deal with the house, which had passed to my father as the eldest surviving relative. It was my first trip to Japan.

My inability to speak and write Japanese had kept Japan at more than arm’s length. For me and many older Sansei, Japan—if we thought about it at all—was illusory, a hovering, fragile spectre of homeland. American Sansei David Murata’s book, Turning Japanese: Memoirs of a Sansei, provided a vicarious connection to Japan and articulated our ambivalence about our roots.      

NI: Is that the home where your dad was raised? 

BK: My father, Tameo, was actually born in Vancouver in 1914, but he was sent to Urasaki along with his younger brother, Kenjiro, for their schooling. They returned to Vancouver after completing high school. Japanese was always my father’s first language. The photo shows Motoo-san, his blind mother in front, and his two sons in school uniforms. I don’t know who the girls are. (They’re not my aunts who were then still in Vancouver.) 

c. 1930.

NI: Can you please go into some detail about the Kanbara family history in British Columbia before the internment?

BK: My mother, Fumiko Shimoda, was born in Port Moody, B.C. and moved to Vancouver after high school to work at the Holly Lodge grocery store on Davie St.. Her family purchased the store in the late 1930s when the owners, the Kumagawas, moved to Japan. She and two of her younger, teenage siblings, Emiko and Mitsugu, ran the store until the internment.

NI: So when did your parents return to Urasaki? Were your aunts still living there? 

BK: When my parents visited Japan in 1979 after my father retired from factory work at International Harvester in Hamilton, it was the first time for him in about fifty years and the very first time for my mother. When I accompanied them to Urasaki in 1992 after the passing of my aunts, we went into the uninhabited house and saw my aunts’ things as they had left them—clothes, dress-making patterns, trinkets, photos—scattered about and tucked away in drawers and closets: evidence of the lives of two relatives I had never met.  

NI: During the internment years, your dad was rounded up and put into a POW camp as he was part of the Nisei Mass Evacuation Group (NMEG), which we hear very little about. Can you talk a bit about what you know about his experience? 

BK: My father had become close friends with his future brother-in-law Yukio Shimoda in Vancouver when the uprooting began. They initiated a protest action by printing and distributing pamphlets. They urged JCs to disobey government orders that called for the break-up of families. The NMEG became a spreading resistance movement that the government attempted to suppress by imprisoning activists and supporters. Yukio Shimoda and my dad were captured together in the home of a friend in Vancouver and then sent to Angler, where they remained for four years. 

NI: What did he tell you about those lost years when you were growing up? Was he ever charged with anything? Did he ever receive a government apology?   

BK: The Sansei generation was over-protected from learning about the internment. Like most Nisei, my father looked ahead, worked hard to support his family. But when redress was achieved, I think he felt vindicated for his decisions and actions during the war. 

NI: What do you know about the history of Urasaki? I’m surprised that Onomichi, another area where quite a few JCs are from, is so close by.

BK: Urasaki is a small village (cho) that is part of Onomichi city (shi) in Hiroshima prefecture (ken). I know little about Onomichi—other than that it is reputed to be an important locale for films by Ozu and a destination for viewing cherry blossoms in April. And I learned recently that the well-known Sansei Canadian filmmaker Linda Ohama lives part of the year there. I look forward to meeting up with her there.

NI: I like this Ozu connection. Can you give us a visual description of the village? What is your impression of the local people? 

BK: The longtime residents of the village are aging, and many have given up tending their rice plots. Our neighbour Yoshifumi has admirably taken on the task of planting and harvesting over thirty plots, which keeps them productive and saves them from becoming abandoned eyesores. Villagers walk up the shrine steps or drive up a narrow back lane to bow, clap, and pray. (Some of them have also been seen/heard using the forecourt to practice golf chip-shots and playing catch with baseballs.)

Shrine in Urasaki

You can find all the food you need at Only One grocery store, a 10-minute walk downhill, and everything else in the neighbouring town of Matsunaga, a leisurely, 30-minute bicycle ride along the seawall. From the house, you can see and hear the middle school children in the playground in the distance and the ship-building yard across the bay, towards Onomichi.    

* * * * *

URASAKI PROJECT UPDATE

NI: So, can you talk a bit about why you chose to make this GoFundMe push now? 

BK: Neither my sister nor I had been to Urasaki for several years, when last April, her family’s visit coincided with mine. The prospect of making major repairs, combined with our attraction to quixotic projects, precipitated our appeal for help. Over the years, many people have visited and stayed there. We’re hoping it will continue to be a worthwhile resource for Nikkei. 

NI: How complicated has it been navigating the Japanese system to get to this point in the project?

Bryce Kanbara, Yumi Schoenhofer, and good samaritan neighbour Yoshifumi in Urasaki

BK: It’s a long-distance project; my sister and I do not read or write Japanese, so we’ve heavily relied on the kindness of our Urasaki neighbours, Yoshifumi and Yasuko Kambara (distant relatives, I believe), and Yumi Schoenhofer in Ottawa, who have provided indispensable liaison and translation help. The transfer of ownership involved the services of a shoho shoshi (public scrivener) in Hiroshima, registering my father’s death, and updating the family koseki through the Japanese Consulate in Toronto… and providing numerous notarized documents to submit to the Japanese authorities. 

NI: Who is doing the renovations/construction work, and what are you aiming to create there?

BK: When I asked the Toronto Sansei architect/artist Ken Fukushima for advice about the house reno, he said that he’s thinking more and more these days of architecture as “shelter” and that most important was an environmentally friendly design conducive to thinking and creating... I’m trusting a local contractor, Baba-san, to do repairs to make the house habitable, stable, and maintainable. “Shikari-shite hoshi!” I said to him clumsily.

So, I don’t really expect upgrades that will elevate living conditions much above those my two elderly aunts endured for most of their lives. There’s electricity, but no central heating or cooling. I’m still using my aunts’ fridge, electric rice cooker, small microwave and toaster ovens. Propane tanks feed the kitchen water heater and the ofuro. I purchased a compost toilet recently to augment the outhouse toilet.

NI: Once completed, what is your overall vision for this property e.g., long-term stays for artists?

BK: I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of inviting the local people of Urasaki to join in on some kind of mutually beneficial relationship. Other than at times of necessity and opportunity through my neighbour Yoshifumi, I’ve not involved myself much. I’ve never been there long enough. 

Construction on Urasaki House in April. Courtesy of Carlene Mercer.

Last summer, I attended a Japan Foundation presentation by Atsuko Hashimoto, a professor in the geography/tourism department at Brock University. She spoke about the causes and background of the bursting of the economic bubble in Japan, how it led to social problems, shrinking populations, abandoned villages and homes, and about how the akiya problem is being counteracted by attempts to spur communal and commercial projects to attract visitors, tourists, and investment. They’re called kominka projects—regional rejuvenation through tourism.

So, there are many possible avenues to pursue. I’m thinking the best one would be for Urasaki House to become a village resource as well, to involve local residents in a plan to share use of the space in return for their keeping an interest in the well-being of the property as an investment in the healthy life of the village. It’s ironic that Fukuyama City, which is just 10 km from Urasaki, is twinned with Hamilton, Ontario, where I live. But the relationship between the two municipalities is almost non-existent and little known. 

NI: How else can the greater Nikkei community help at this point?

BK: I’d like the project to spark JCs and JAs to reflect on their roots, that even though we’re acculturated Canadians and Americans, there’s potential for deepening our lives by looking back and going back. 

That said, I have learned of a growing number of JCs who have recently been to Japan or are planning visits. Why is this? Perhaps it’s because we’ve gone through the collective process of coming to terms with our more immediate experience as a community in Canada and can/must now explore our individual histories in Japan. Can our stories intersect there? 

In 2001, one of the first JC visitors at Urasaki was artist Lynda Nakashima from Vancouver. She quickly overcame initial anxieties about staying there by herself with minimum Japanese language ability and fashioned her weeks-long sojourn into a transformative experience.

One afternoon, on her way back to Canada, she found herself in a cafe in Tokyo. She heard the people at the next table speaking English and mentioning Canada. She spoke to them about her stay in Urasaki and mentioned my name, which one of them knew! Chiyoko Slavnics was a musician/composer from Toronto (who now lives in Berlin) and the daughter of artist Aiko Suzuki, sister of scientist and environmental activist Dr. David Suzuki. 

As they spoke further about their Canadian connections, it was revealed that Lynda was raised in Toronto as well, and that she briefly lived on Howland Ave—the street Chiyoko grew up on. Then, Lynda remembered seeing a little Asian girl swinging from an iron railing in front of the house across the street. The two had unknowingly crossed paths when they were children.  When I related this story to Toronto artist Akira Yoshikawa, he said, “That’s what happens in Japan!” 

NI: Do you want to hear from other Nikkei in the US and around the world about their connection and interest in your Urasaki project?  

BK: Yes!

NI: When might the house be ready to receive visitors?

BK: Urasaki House is a work in progress fueled by goodwill and community support.  I don’t imagine that the offer of a rustic environment (which was normal, nonetheless, for my elderly aunts) would appeal to everyone. But it’s there. 

Construction and renovations on Urasaki House are underway! Courtesy of Carlene Mercer.

NI: You’re on your way to Urasaki in April. What do you expect to accomplish? 

BK: I would like to make it a place where I can settle in, take it all in, and gradually make improvements.

NI: At this point, what can the worldwide Nikkei community do to help make it a reality?

BK: Community support has been truly heartening and always welcome. 

NI: Do you have anything else to add?

BK: Hope to see you in Urasaki!

Urasaki Addendum

Carlene, on her arrival in Urasaki in April, remarked: “It’s really nice to be here again... the sun is shining but it’s windy and cool today. I know Dad is happy, smiling, and I feel his presence.”

As for progress on the reno, Bryce reports: “I like the blend of old and new materials and building methods. It’s sobering to see nail-gun coils amid old dismantled beams with hand cut notched joints.”

Courtesy of Carlene Mercer.

* * * * *

If you’d like to support the “Help Sustain Kanbara Homestead in Japan” project, you can do so at Go Fund Me

For more information, contact either Bryce or Carlene at bkanbara@gmail.com

 

See Bryce’s talk on being awarded Canada’s Governor General Award for Outstanding Contribution in Visual and Media Arts on YouTube.

 

© 2025 Norm Masaji Ibuki

arts Bryce Kanbara Canada family histories genealogy generations Hamilton (Ontario) Hiroshima Prefecture Japan Japanese Canadian art Japanese Canadians Onomichi Ontario Sansei
About the Author

Writer Norm Masaji Ibuki lives in Oakville, Ontario. He has written extensively about the Canadian Nikkei community since the early 1990s. He wrote a monthly series of articles (1995-2004) for the Nikkei Voice newspaper (Toronto) which chronicled his experiences while in Sendai, Japan. Norm now teaches elementary school and continues to write for various publications. 

Updated August 2014

Explore more stories! Learn more about Nikkei around the world by searching our vast archive. Explore the Journal

We’re looking for stories like yours!

Submit your article, essay, fiction, or poetry to be included in our archive of global Nikkei stories.
Learn More

New Site Design

See exciting new changes to Discover Nikkei. Find out what’s new and what’s coming soon!
Learn More

Discover Nikkei Updates

DISCOVER NIKKEI PROGRAM
July 12 • Burnaby, British Columbia
Join us for a book talk, reception, and panel discussion on Japanese Canadian history. The panel discussion will also be live-streamed via Zoom!
NIKKEI CHRONICLES #14
Nikkei Family 2: Remembering Roots, Leaving Legacies
Baachan, grandpa, tía, irmão… what does Nikkei family mean to you? Submit your story!
SUPPORT THE PROJECT
Discover Nikkei’s 20 for 20 campaign celebrates our first 20 years and jumpstarts our next 20. Learn more and donate!