In 1977, the same year Powell Street Festival welcomed hosted our first festival, Shig Hirai (1937 – 2025) alongside his wife Akemi founded Fujiya, a beloved Japanese grocery store. For now five decades, these two institutions grew side by side, each strengthening the Japanese Canadian community. Shig himself was a devoted festival-goer, a passionate supporter, and a man whose life truly mirrored the spirit of this celebration. 

We are deeply honoured to share that the Hirai family has made an extraordinarily generous gift of over $250,000 to the Powell Street Festival Society directed toward our campaign, Our Next 50 Years. This monumental contribution marks a defining step in our long-term vision of sustaining the Powell Street Festival for generations to come. We are profoundly grateful to the Hirai family for their trust, their generosity, and their enduring commitment to this community. 

Of all the festival had to offer, sumo held a special place in Shig’s heart. In recognition of that passion, we are proud to dedicate our sumo tournament in his name ensuring his spirit is celebrated each and every year through the Shig Hirai Sumo Tournament. His legacy will live on in every match, every festival, and every future gathering of this community. 

Thank you to Shig and the Hirai Family.