Vancouver Japanese Language School

Vancouver Japanese Language School バンクーバー日本語学校
Vancouver Japanese Language School
Location
Vancouver, BC Canada
Coordinates	49°17′03″N 123°05′38″W / 49.2841°N 123.0938°WCoordinates: 49°17′03″N 123°05′38″W / 49.2841°N 123.0938°W
Information
Established	12 January 1906
Website	www.vjls-jh.com

Vancouver Japanese Language School (バンクーバー日本語学校 Vancouver Nihongo Gakko) is a language school located in Japantown, Vancouver, BC. Founded in 1906 as Vancouver Kyoritsu Nihon Kokumin Gakko (晩香坡共立日本國民學校 Vancouver Japanese Citizens' School), Vancouver Japanese Language School is the oldest Japanese language school in Canada.

History

The construction of the school was funded by a Japanese diplomat Marquis Komura Jutarō GCB GCMG GCVO and the school opened on January 12, 1906, teaching general subjects to the Japanese-Canadians in the area as a full-time Japanese school following the Japanese curriculum. General subjects were dropped in 1919 in favour for the Japanese-Canadians to learn both English and Japanese, and the Citizens' School became the Japanese Language School.^[1]

As the Pacific War broke out on December 7, 1941, the school was forced to be closed and Japanese-Canadians were relocated following year as part of Japanese-Canadian internment. The school was not re-opened until 1952 in a temporary location.^[1]

The existing building located on 475 Alexander Street in Vancouver is designated as a heritage building by the City of Vancouver as a symbol of Japanese-Canadian community and the interment.^[2]

See also

• Japantown, Vancouver
• Japanese Canadians
• Japanese-Canadian internment

References

1. Francis Motohisa Niiro, Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall, Nikkei Images, Spring 2006, Vol. 11(1), p.7-8
2. Vancouver Heritage Register, City of Vancouver

External links

• Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall