Inspired by the images from the iconic Dream of Riches Collection, comprised of photos from JC community members and compiled by the late Tamio Wakayama, Onibana Taiko presents an immersive contemplation of our community ancestor’s lives through a live original soundtrack performance utilizing taiko, shamisen, percussion and shigin (Japanese poetry chanting), to a series of selected archival images projected on a large screen. Special thanks to our supporting partner, the Archives at the Nikkei National Museum and Culture Centre and to Mayumi Takasaki for her kind assistance.

Compiled June/July 2024

1. A Portrait of a Group of Sisters; Sisters returning home on ‘Nippon Yusen’ after thirteen years’ schooling in Japan, Vancouver, BC?, 1917, from Gengo Nishimura; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.737

2. A Portrait of Six Men Uprooting a Giant Tree Trunk, circa 1910, from Tsutae Sato. NNMCC #2010.23.2.4.637; Original source – UBC Rare Books and Special Collections

3. A Group Portrait of Mr. Tatsuchi Yoneda and Six Other Men Working in a Tailor Shop; Cumberland, BC, 1909, from Mrs. Kobayakawa; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.637

4. A Portrait of Girls in Kimono in Front of a Float; 364 Alexander St, Vancouver, BC, 1914 – 1915, from Mrs. Kawabata; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.704

5. Outdoor Portrait of Injured WWI Soldiers; England, 1914, from Mrs. Tsuru Okutake; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.553; Original source – Mitsuru Shinpo, translated from Ishi o Mote Owaruru Gotoku, 123

6. A Group Portrait of Women Weeding Strawberries at S Yoshida’s Farm; Steveston, BC, 1916, from F. Nishi; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.697

7. Dr Shimotakahara on a Fishing Wharf; Vancouver, BC, 1930, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre,4.3

8. Outdoor Portrait of a Young Man and Three Young Boys in Front of a Barber Shop Window at 122 Powell Street; Vancouver, BC, 1923, from Nishimura; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.4.234

9. Outdoor Portrait of a Man Standing on a Beach in Front of a Blue Whale, 1924, from Mr. and Mrs. Nagao; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.177

10. A Vancouver Japanese Language School Portrait at 475 Alexander Street; Vancouver, BC, circa 1930; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.768

11. Japanese School students invited to Shirley Temple’s 7th Birthday Party; Hollywood, CA, 1936, from Tsutae Sato; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.732

12. Three Young Men Playing with a Gun and Knife on an Overgrown Patch of Grass, 1920, from Harold Hirose; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.323

13. Japanese Language School Picnic; Lynn Creek, BC, 1922, from Tsutae Sato; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.749

14. Nikkei Picnic; Union Bay, BC, circa 1919, from H. Seki; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.362

15. Amemori, Mr. Tashiro and Mr. Moriyama; Mission, BC, 1925, from Eiji Tashiro; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.355

16. A Group of Girls playing with a Skipping Rope in Front of a Building on Alexander Street; Vancouver, BC, 1939, from Ayame Sakata; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.236

17. Outdoor Portrait of Two Vancouver Japanese School Members; Revelstoke, BC(?), 1936, from Tsutae Sato; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.347

18. A Portrait of a Young Boy Holding a Gun Over His Shoulder, 1939, from Mrs. Shoji; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.760

19. A Portrait of Dr G Shimotakahara Throwing a Snowball and Satoru Watanabe Standing Behind Him; Montreal, Quebec, circa 1942, from Mrs. G. Shimo-Takahara; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.642

20. Young Japanese Canadians on a Train During Repatriation, 1942, from Rintaro Hayashi; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.562

21. Young Japanese Canadians on a Train During Repatriation, 1947, from Rintaro Hayashi; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.578

22. Row of Internment Houses in Summer; Tashme BC; circa 1943, from Tsutae Sato; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.743

23. Tsutae Sato and Hanako Sato Standing in a Turnip Crop Field; College Heights, Alberta, 1942, from Tsutae Sato; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.104

24. A Portrait of Women and Children in an Internment Camp Home; Tashme, BC, 1942; NNMCC# 2010.23.2.4.724; Original Source: Library and Archives Canada

25. Outdoor Portrait of a Group of People in a Field of Sugar Beets with Farming Tools at Tully’s Farm, Manitoba, 1944, from Mrs. T. Hosaki; Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre, 23.2.4.139

26. Shirtless George Baba Harvesting Tobacco with His Hands; Chatham, Ontario, 1947, from Mr. and Mrs. H. Baba; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.152

27. Outdoor Portrait of Three Men with Logging Tools; Hope, British Columbia, 1943, from Tsutae Sato; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.182

28. A Portrait of Steve Enomoto and His Son Randy Enomoto; Minto, BC, 1945, from Ellen Enomoto; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.591

29. Mr H. Fujino, Mr Karl Hansen, Mr H. Fukushima, Mr T. Fukushima, Mr Tosh Fukushima and Mr S. Fukushima Standing in and around the Bed of a Flat Bed Truck; Sea Island, BC, 1942, from Mr. and Mrs. H. Baba; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre 2010.23.2.4.85

30. A Group Portrait of Four Young Women Sitting on a Fence; Kelowna, BC, circa 1947, from Mary Oishi; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.661

31. Tokunaga at Universaty of Western Ontario; London. ON, 1949, from Mrs. Chisato Tokunaga; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.503

32. A Portrait of a Young Woman Posing Against a Tree in the Darkness; New Denver, BC, circa 1945, from Mr. Chiba; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.594

33. Mary Okubo, Marg Osaka, and Kay Baba Posing as Sack-Race Competitors; Montreal, QC, 1954, from H. Baba; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.523

34. Group Portrait of the Nisei Industrial League Softball Champions; Chatham, ON, 1954; from Mr. And Mrs. H. Baba; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.538

35. Float at the St. Jean de Baptiste Parade; Montreal, QC, 1952; from Father J. Claude Labreque; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 23.2.4.26

36. Young Man Jumping Down Stairs with his Tongue Sticking Out, circa 1960, from Mr. E. Kitagawa; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.418

37. Indoor Portrait of the Uptown Glamourettes, 1961, from the women’s group, ‘Dana’ Club; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.340

38. Herb Wakabayashi, Mel Wakabayashi, and Eddie Wright of the Junior Maroons Hockey Club; Chatham, ON, 1963; from Mr. And Mrs. T. Wakabayashi; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.527

39. A Group of People from the Chatham[?] Japanese Canadian Association Picnicking at Aerial Beach; Chatham, Ontario, 1965, from Mr. and Mrs. H. Seki; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.93

40. An Outdoor Portrait of Kasey Kojima on a Sunday School Camping Trip; Magog, Quebec, 1966, from Ray and Kim Nakashima; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.301

41. A Portrait of Tamio Wakayami at the age of Eighteen at Shinboku-kai, Keiro-kai; London, ON?, 1959, from Mrs. Kimi Wakayama; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.733

42. A Portrait of Miki and Ken Stewart Leaving Knox United Church after their Wedding Ceremony; Winnipeg, MB, 1966, from Y. Abe; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.617

43. A Montreal Nisei Fellowship outing in the Laurentiens, circa 1950, from Ray and Kim Nakashima; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.388

44. Mitsu and Fuji Nikaido on their 50th Wedding Anniversary; Bradner, BC, 1968, from Jean Goto; Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 2010.23.2.4.614

45. Tamio Wakayama, Members; Vancouver BC, Stanley Park, 1976

46. Tamio Wakayama, Naomi Shikaze and Mr. Nasu, Mochi-tsuki 1976, Strathcona Community Centre, Vancouver

47. Tamio Wakayama, Tonarigumi, Vancouver 1972; Takeo Yamashiro and Mrs. Kajiwara

48. Tamio Wakayama, Sumo spectators, 1989

49. Tamio Wakayama, Omikoshi 1990

50. Tamio Wakayama, Volunteers, 1978