Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre

Our mission is to honour, preserve, and share Japanese culture and Japanese Canadian history and heritage for a better Canada.

Officially opened on September 22, 2000, the Centre houses a Japanese Canadian cultural centre, the Nikkei National Museum, a community centre serving the neighbourhood, and a Japanese Canadian garden.

Our mandate is to promote a better understanding and appreciation by all Canadians of Japanese Canadian culture and heritage; and an awareness by all Canadians of the contribution of Japanese Canadians to Canadian society, through public programs, exhibits, services, publications, public use of the facilities and special events.

Visit our museum gallery for Japanese Canadian historical exhibits as well as contemporary art, and Japanese arts and culture.

Our second floor hallways guide you through the timeline of Japanese Canadian history in English and Japanese, and is accessible whenever the centre is open.

The Nikkei National Museum gift store stocks a wide range of hand-picked items from local and international artists and craftspeople, including pottery, clothing, children’s toys, origami and small gift items. Specialized items include Asahi baseball team t-shirts and caps. We also carry the largest selection of Nikkei books in Western Canada, including history, fiction and children’s books. Check out the Museum publications.

The Nikkei Place complex is home to community organizations and businesses that operate and have offices at Nikkei Centre and Robert Nimi Nikkei Home: Gladstone Japanese Language School, Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens’ Association, Hi Genki Japanese Restaurant, and Suzuya Japanese Market.