Vancouver Japanese Language School-Japanese Hall: 3rd Floor

Beginning with the story of her paternal grandfather Yoshimatsu Shinde, who arrived in Canada in 1893, Fukawa follows her family and community members through five generations from hard luck Japanese life to the establishment of Japanese Canadian communities in BC to their destruction and reestablishment after the devastation of the internment era. It is a story of resilience and tenacity in overcoming the effects of rejections and systemic barriers to becoming survivors and thrivers. 

About the Author: Masako is an award-winning sansei educator and historian of the Japanese Canadian community.  She has published books, articles, and resources for students and teachers in BC schools. She won the Canada-Japan Literary Award from the Canada Council in 2009 and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Vancouver Island University in 2023. She is a grandmother and lives in Burnaby, BC.