Buddhist Festival Float, Royal Visit; Vancouver, BC

From this item, LOI has digitized a textual record.

The image shows a large truck with an open roofed float filled with cherry blossom trees and packed with children; mainly girls. On the back of the float is a sign that reads, "Buddhist Festival". Behind the float is a throng on people on the sidewalk and buildings in behind. In front of the float, two Japanese flags hang from a lamppost.

Komajiro Nishihata was a pioneer who came Vancouver in 1901. He left his home town of Echigawa cho, Shiga ken during the immigration boom. Komajiro's twin sons, Saburo and Jiro were born April 12, 1899 but remained in Echigawa cho, to acquire middle school education in Japan. They lived with an aunt until they graduated and came to Canada together on August 21, 1914 on board the Canada Maru. Immigration laws had tightened and the boys' father sponsored by Komajiro Nishihata from Big Bay near Comox, BC, and lived with him until 1921. Afterwards, the family was reunited and lived together near Port Moody, where Komajiro worked at the Port Moody Sawmill.

The digital copies of the records were acquired by the Landscapes of Injustice Research Collective between 2014 and 2018.

This record was digitized in full.