Tonari Gumi Newsletter August 2025
- administration6102
- Aug 1
- 7 min read
Table of Contents
Social Club × Powell Street Festival:
Celebrating Our Shared Roots
On July 5th, Tonari Gumi’s Social Club hosted a special collaboration event with the Powell Street Festival Society, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two organizations since 1977.
That same year—the Japanese Canadian Centennial—the Powell Street Festival was initiated by a member of Tonari Gumi, inspired by traditional Japanese matsuri. PSF was created to celebrate the history and culture of Japanese Canadians in the Powell Street area.
We were honored to welcome Emiko Morita, former Executive Director of PSF, who gave an engaging talk about the history and spirit of the festival. Participants enjoyed a delicious lunch of Hiyashi Chuka (cold noodles)—the perfect summer treat—followed by a lively and heartwarming discussion.
Mayu Takasaki, a long-time and dedicated volunteer since the early days of both Tonari Gumi and PSF, joined the discussion and shared many funny and touching stories from over the years. Her energy and humor brought lots of smiles and laughter to the room.
We truly appreciated the opportunity to spend such a meaningful and joyful time together. Thank you, Emiko and Mayu!
Don’t miss the 49th Powell Street Festival on August 2nd and 3rd! Come and enjoy the lively atmosphere filled with delicious food, music, cultural performances, and fun activities for all ages. And don’t forget—Hiyashi Chuka (cold noodles) will be available at the Tonari Gumi Food Booth!
Please Visit the TG Booth at the Powell Street Festival!
Tonari Gumi will once again be participating in the Powell Street Festival on August 2nd and 3rd at Oppenheimer Park! This beloved Japanese Canadian community event is something we always look forward to and we’re excited to make this year’s participation extra special.
This year, we’re expanding our menu with some fun new items! We’re happy to introduce Onigirazu (rice sandwiches), savory buns, and cute donut balls that look like takoyaki. Of course, we’ll also have traditional favorites like Inari sushi, Hiyashi Chuka (cold noodles), and Mochi Manju. Come enjoy a taste of Japanese summer with us—delicious treats perfect for the festive atmosphere!
Our Community Booth will feature a variety of items, including used kimonos, rummage goods, and handcrafted items made by our talented craft team. It’s a great chance to find something special while supporting our community efforts.
We look forward to seeing you at the festival and sharing the fun and festivities. Please come visit us with your friends and family—don’t miss this wonderful event!
Tonari Gumi Member Outing
On a refreshing summer day in July, we visited the CEED Neighbourhood House in Maple Ridge to view an exhibition titled Seikou-Udoku by Cindy Mochizuki.
We were also fortunate to receive a detailed explanation—delivered in Japanese—about the history of Japanese Canadians in Maple Ridge from Mr. Cowley, Executive Director of the CEED Society.
His warm welcome and thoughtful presentation provided us with a valuable opportunity to deepen our understanding of the community’s past.
Following our visit to CEED, we also toured the Maple Ridge Museum, where exhibits on local history were on display. Among them were exhibits highlighting the experiences and contributions of Japanese Canadian communities, giving us a chance to reflect on the diverse history of the region.
Community Services Resource Information
Extreme Heat
High heat can be life-threatening, and the greatest danger is high indoor temperatures during extreme heat events (“heat waves”). But heat-related health impacts are preventable. Learn the signs of heat-related illness, and ways to prepare for hot weather to keep yourself, your family, friends, and neighbors safe. For more information from VCH, click here.
Summer Cooling at Tonari Gumi
The Tonari Gumi facility will be available as a cooling station during July and August.
Even when programs are not in session, you are welcome to use the library or the 3rd-floor lounge. For information on other cooling centers within the City of Vancouver, please click here.
July Tonari Gumi Life Seminar “What is Dementia?”
The July seminar titled “What is Dementia?” was held with English presentation and Japanese interpretation, featuring a guest speaker from the Alzheimer Society of BC.
The session focused on understanding dementia as a medical condition, and on helping caregivers recognize changes in language and behavior as the disease progresses. One participant commented, “Thank you very much for the seminar on dementia. It was very informative and helpful. The speaker’s explanation was excellent. The photo of a healthy brain and a brain affected by Alzheimer’s was very impactful.”
This seminar series delivers an important message: you are not alone—whether you are living with the disease or supporting someone who is. Two more sessions are planned between the end of this year and 2026.
The seminar video is available on the Tonari Gumi YouTube channel. Unfortunately, the slides are difficult to see in the video. If you would like to follow along with the slides while watching the video, please contact us at services@tonarigumi.ca.
Tonari Gumi offers six online Family Caregivers Peer Support Meetings each month. English-language meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month, while Japanese-language meetings take place on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays and Fridays. For more information, please visit the Tonari Gumi website.
The Life Seminar will take a break in August and restarts in September. Please check our website for updates!
Tonari Gumi Life Seminar
Tonari Gumi Life Seminar will take a break in August and restarts in September. Please check our website for an update!
Sep 9 TBC: English & Japanese - in person
Preparing your Greensleeves – First Response Form for yourself and your loved ones
Presenter: Wataru Hyodo, BC Emergency Medical Services Paramedic
Nov 24: English – in person
Understanding Seniors’ Depression Awareness and Support
Presenter: Masako Sakuma-Anderson, BC Registered Clinical Social Worker
Nov 25: English with Japanese support - Hybrid
Understanding and Adapting to Communication Changes Along the Dementia Journey
Presenter: The Support and Education Coordinator, Alzheimer Society of BC
Steveston Salmon Festival Culture Show
Tonari Gumi participated in the Steveston community’s Culture Show, an event that celebrates Japanese Canadian heritage.
Tonari Gumi’s YCC craft members sold their handmade creations at a colourful booth filled with items reflecting Japanese culture. Many visitors stopped by and we enjoyed warm conversations throughout the day.
It was also a pleasure to welcome returning customers from last year, reminding us of the strong connections we've built. A Culture Show representative kindly commented, “It was a beautiful booth. We hope you’ll join us again next year.”
Satomi Kuronuma
Financial, Communications, and IT Manager
My journey with Tonari Gumi began in 2021, as the world was gradually emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2016, my family and I moved from Australia to Vancouver, and the following year, I gave birth to twins. After several busy years devoted to parenting, I found myself looking for ways to reconnect with the community and support the Japanese Canadian network. That desire led me to start volunteering with Tonari Gumi.
In 2024, I joined the organization as a Community Services Staff member, and as of June 2025, I have taken on the new role of Financial, Communications, and IT Manager.
Moving forward, I hope to serve as a bridge between Japanese traditions and Canadian culture—honoring the values of the past while embracing the present—to help support and enrich the lives of those in our community.
🎶 Wishlist – Handbells: 🎶 🎶 Help Us Bring Music to Life 🎶
Thanks to the warm support of our community, we’ve already received some generous donations toward launching a new Handbell Music Activity at Tonari Gumi—thank you so much!
We’re planning to use colorful, easy-to-play handbells that are perfect for group music-making, especially for seniors and people with limited mobility. Handbell music promotes focus, coordination, and connection—and most importantly, it’s fun!
To make this project a reality, we still need a bit more help from our community.
💖 Our Wishlist:
We hope to purchase 2 or 3 sets of the following handbells:
🎵 EMUS 20-Note Junior Handbells with Push Buttons – JHB-620
Price: $209.98 per set
🎵 EMUS 20-Note Junior Handbells with Push Buttons (Gold Edition) – JHBG-20
Price: $194.98 per set
If you’d like to contribute toward a handbell set, every donation makes a difference.
To support this initiative, please contact us at programs@tonarigumi.ca or visit us in person at Tonari Gumi. Let’s fill our space with joyful sound and community spirit!
With gratitude,
Tonari Gumi
Volunteer Opportunities
Join Us This Summer!
We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help with our upcoming events and activities. Your support is invaluable to us and we appreciate any time you can give. Here are the volunteer opportunities we have available:
After Powell Festival Clean-up & Summer Cleanup Volunteers
Dates: August 5, 6, 7 & 8
Details: Assist with post-festival cleanup to ensure our spaces are tidy and ready for next year & help us keep our rooms and facility clean and ready for the next term.
Mail-Out Assistance Volunteers
Dates: August 15 & August 18
Details: Assist with preparing and mailing out materials for our programs.
Volunteer Appreciation Party-Prep Volunteers
Dates: September 4 & September 5
Details: Help us get ready for our Volunteer Appreciation Party by assisting with setup and decorations.
Volunteer Appreciation Party-Help Volunteers
Date: September 6
Details: Join us in celebrating our amazing volunteers by helping out during the event.
If you are available and interested in any of these opportunities, please reach out to Rie at programs@tonarigumi.ca. Your help makes a big difference and we look forward to working together to make these events a success.
Rie-Volunteer Coordinator
Email: programs@tonarigumi.ca
Tel: 604-687-2172 Ext. 106
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