Nikkei Voice
6 Garamond Court M3C 1Z5 Toronto, ON, Canada

In artist Randall Okita's new project, The Book of Distance, he introduces viewers to a great hero of his life, his grandfather, Yonezo Okita. Through virtual reality storytelling, Okita takes viewers through a visual and interactive journey of his grandfather's past, starting in 1935 Hiroshima, Japan, across the sea to Canada, to the strawberry farm where he started a family and to the sugar beet farm during the war where he tried to keep that family together. For more: http://wp.me/p4pH38-3h8

The Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba unveiled a historical mural that tells the story of Japanese Canadians in Manitoba. Artist Cindy Mochizuki packed the mural with details, wanting to create a piece that could invite in a person unfamiliar with the history and spark questions. For more: http://wp.me/p4pH38-3hF

Lessons for a mountain town: The inaka and the boogie man Columnist Caroline Ishii shares what she has learned about loneliness and being alone and becoming your own best friend while living in the Japanese countryside during a global pandemic. For more: http://wp.me/p4pH38-3gw

At age 25, Kimiko Tobimatsu's life was upended when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. During treatment, Tobimatsu craved connection with people going through similar experiences as her, as a young, queer, mixed-race woman. Tobimatsu set out to create the book she would have liked to see during her cancer treatment and challenges the dominant cancer narrative in her new graphic novel, Kimiko Does Cancer. For more: http://wp.me/p4pH38-3hk

Columnist Frank Moritsugu explores how eating a bowl of rice with fresh tofu sparks food memories during his time in the Canadian Army as an interpreter-translator, attached to a British Secret Service operation during the Second World War. For more: http://wp.me/p4pH38-3hh

Momentum is growing for Trudeau to get on the right side of history. Please join this important event with Hiroshima survivor Setsuko Thurlow and MPs calling on Trudeau to sign the Nuclear Ban Treaty. Find out more and register at: www.foreignpolicy.ca/nuclearban

To prove their loyalty to Canada, two generations of Nikkei fought in the World Wars to gain rights for their community. They did this while facing constant prejudice and discrimination in Canada. The first generation, the Issei, served in the First World War. The second generation, the Nisei, served in Second World War, as well as the wars in Korean and Vietnam. As this Remembrance Day marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, we honour and remember the ...sacrifices made by Canadians for our country and community. For more: http://wp.me/p4pH38-2Oj

As Vancouver got quieter during the pandemic, the stillness became a way for Japanese Canadian artist Eri Ishii to reset her priorities, and focus on her painting. She found solace walking in nature and reassurance in the greens and colours, and has been capturing that in her artwork. Ishii will be participating virtually in the 24th Annual Eastside Culture Crawl in Vancouver, where over 250 artists showcase their work and open their studios to the public for two weekends, from Nov. 12 to 15 and Nov. 19 to 22. For more: http://wp.me/p4pH38-3gU