By the 1930s, Japanese Canadians made up one out of every five people living in Chemainus.

However, by April 1942, all of these residents were forcibly uprooted and sent to internment camps for the remainder of the Second World War. Not a single family returned after the war. Still, their legacy endures as we remember them. 

On this walking tour, we invite you to journey back in time—to about 1940—as we explore the once-bustling Japanese Canadian neighbourhood that thrived in the heart of Chemainus.

The tour starts at the Chemainus Museum, located beside Waterwheel Park and covers the area between Oak, Maple, Esplanade, and Pine Streets.