Fujinkai
The Japanese Women's Club
Often affiliated with a temple or church, Japanese women created associations called Fujinkai or Women’s Clubs. These associations focused on helping new Japanese immigrants adapt to their new homes and networking with other associations within the Japanese Canadian community.
There are few historical records left from BC’s Fujinkai, and Cumberland is no exception. Our collection has only two photos of the Fujinkai. This one here includes Mrs. Saito. Their family house is the only one that still stands in the former No. 1 Japanese town.
According to his 1921 article, Nakayama Jinshirō held the ‘greatness of women’s power’ as the force that allowed Japanese immigrants to become permanent residents in Canada.
