Two Richmondites are being recognized through the BC Book Prize for their work that gives a history of Japanese fishermen and their families.
Richmond’s Jim Tanaka and the late Kotaro Hayashi co-edited the book, Changing Tides: Vanishing Voices of Nikkei along with Burnaby’s Fumio Kanno and New Westminster’s Henry Tanaka. Changing Tides weaves together personal stories of Japanese-Canadian fishermen before the Second World War to today. The stories share tales of hardship, determination, triumph and personal reflection.
Jim Tanaka is known for his volunteerism with Richmond’s Wakayama Kenjin Kai and Steveston Japanese Language School. He is also instrumental in planning Richmond’s Cherry Blossom Festival.
Kotaro Hayashi was a retired fish boat packer captain who collected salmon along B.C.’s coast.
The team was given the Roderick Haig Brown award which is for “the book that contributes the most to the understanding and enjoyment of British Columbia.”
