Inquiry Post #3
This week for my inquiry post I decided to visit the Esquimalt Gorge Park and Pavilion Japanese Garden and cultural center.
The garden is rich with the history of Japanese Canadians who lived in Victoria before the World Wars. The park itself was once a popular amusement park in the early 1900s complete with an authentic Japanese Tea House. After the internment of Japanese Canadians during World War II the Garden was taken over by the government and the possessions of Japanese Canadians were dispersed to affluent members of the community.
In 2017 members of the Japanese Canadian community and the Landscapes of Injustice Project teamed up to commemorate the Japanese Tea Garden and helped establish a beautiful cultural center. Completed in 2022 the center is a growing hub for the community. I was fortunate enough to participate in a traditional tea ceremony as part of a history class at UVic. While there we learned the important role that the park has had in the community. If you find yourself in the centre I would suggest taking the time to read about the piano in the entry way. Its story is a tale of mystery and is worth the read.
BC History Magazine – The piano
The garden is one of my favourite spots in Victoria. I would highly recommend exploring the park and bringing your dog!
Wonderful pictures, Sasha. I feel melancholy seeing them. They remind me that most of the time I spent in Victoria in my lifetime was ‘chill’. While I get the same feeling every time I am on the Island, Victoria seems to slow me down even more.
I look forward to reading the piano story (posted here https://www.landscapesofinjustice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/BC-History-55.1-Spring-Michael-Abe.pdf).