Japanese Canadian Artists Directory

Japanese Canadian Artists Directory Japanese Canadian Artists Directory is an online directory of Japanese Canadian artists.

04/22/2026

GEI: The ART Symposium highlight reel is here!
From September 19-21, 2025, approximately 70 Japanese Canadian and Japanese artists gathered at the to bond, collaborate, and celebrate each other. It was a magical weekend!
Video credit: Momo Films

The NAJC's Arts, Culture, and Education Committee is excited to announce the Great Canadian Haiku Project!Haiku, a tradi...
04/16/2026

The NAJC's Arts, Culture, and Education Committee is excited to announce the Great Canadian Haiku Project!
Haiku, a traditional form of Japanese poetry, is written in 3 lines of 17 syllables total, typically broken into lines of 5,7,5 syllables.
With themes exploring the JC experience, identity, food, the environment, appearance, perception, history or culture, write your best haiku and submit it!
Everyone is eligible - kids, too!
Submissions will be presented at the Powell Street Festival, August 1 and 2, 2026, Vancouver BC.

Submit your haiku to [email protected]

[Lillian Michiko Yano 1945-2026]We are saddened to hear of Lilian's passing. She was a valued member of the Japanese Can...
03/06/2026

[Lillian Michiko Yano 1945-2026]
We are saddened to hear of Lilian's passing. She was a valued member of the Japanese Canadian artists community. We wanted to share her Artist Statement from the Japanese Canadian Artists Directory here. Rest in peace, Lilian.
"Who am I? Being both Canadian and Japanese, the nature of my identity has been a troubling issue. On the one hand, I inherited the strong feelings of shame that Japanese Canadians experienced following the repressive actions of the Canadian government in World War II. On the other hand, there is the fact my family members have been loyal Canadians for over 100 years and I have nothing to be ashamed of. Nevertheless, I grew up denying my cultural roots, my first language and my people. In recent years, I have tried to reconcile my dilemma by depicting my family's story in my art. I have attempted to bring past and present together by including myself, as I am now, looking back at the events which happened so long ago and analysing the effects on succeeding generations. Alienation and persecution continue to be suffered by people all over the world. Many people have come to Canada seeking a peaceful existence in a just society. I hope that my work serves as a tribute to my courageous family who came before me, and as a visual warning that the persecution suffered by any family can be repeated, even in the most democratic of countries – even in Canada – if we are not vigilant."

Learn about other Japanese Canadian artists at JapaneseCanadianartists.com


GEI:ART Symposium Opening Reception at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. On September 17, 2025, we presented the Da...
10/17/2025

GEI:ART Symposium Opening Reception at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.
On September 17, 2025, we presented the David Fujino Pioneering Artist Awards. The recipients were Joy Kogawa, Kimiko Koyanagi, Naoko Matsubara, and Nobuo Kubota. Joy and Naoko attended the event to receive their awards in person.
We also heard from Jerrold McGrath and Mark Sakamoto, and enjoyed a performance by Kasha Konaka.

Photos by

Thank you for the unforgettable weekend of connection, love and laughter. See you next time! Photo credit:
10/02/2025

Thank you for the unforgettable weekend of connection, love and laughter.
See you next time!
Photo credit:

【GEI : ART Symposium Opening Reception】Friday, September 19th 2025Japanese Canadian Cultural Center’s Shokokai Court6PM...
09/06/2025

【GEI : ART Symposium Opening Reception】
Friday, September 19th 2025
Japanese Canadian Cultural Center’s Shokokai Court
6PM ET

Tickets are now on sale for the opening reception of the GEI: ART Symposium.
Seats are limited, and registration is only available until September 8!
Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating creativity and community.

Your ticket includes:
• Buffet dinner
• Keynote speaker Mark Sakamoto, author of Forgiveness
• The David Fujino Pioneering Artist Awards Ceremony.
• A live performance by contortionist Kasha Konaka
• Connection with artists and community members

*A reception ticket is included for GEI: ART Symposium attending artists.

Tickets are limited and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, so reserve yours now to secure your place at this inspiring gathering!

Purchase your ticket here: https://bit.ly/geidinner

Questions? Email: [email protected]

[GEI : ART Symposium 2025 Waiting List Now Open]Did you miss your chance to submit an application to attend the GEI : AR...
08/15/2025

[GEI : ART Symposium 2025 Waiting List Now Open]
Did you miss your chance to submit an application to attend the GEI : ART Symposium?
There are limited seats available for additional attendees. The deadline to submit is September 1.
https://bit.ly/GEI25WL
Looking forward to seeing you September 19-21, 2025.

Thank you everyone for attending the “Forgiveness” conversation. The recording is now available on YouTube : https://bit...
07/24/2025

Thank you everyone for attending the “Forgiveness” conversation. The recording is now available on YouTube : https://bit.ly/Forgivenesszoom (link in bio)

Those who attended the event, please fill out the feedback form.




The NAJC’s Arts, Culture, and Education Committee is pleased to present An Evening of Conversation on Forgiveness, in co...
07/11/2025

The NAJC’s Arts, Culture, and Education Committee is pleased to present An Evening of Conversation on Forgiveness, in collaboration with Stratford Festival!

Join us virtually for a special evening with the creative team behind Forgiveness, the powerful Stratford Festival production based on Mark Sakamoto’s award-winning memoir. Hear behind-the-scenes stories, creative insights, and the journey of bringing this deeply moving story to the stage.

Send your questions to Mark, Stafford, or Hiro at [email protected].

This is a free event, but registration is required.

Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Time: 5PM PDT/6PM MDT/7PM CDT/8PM EDT
Registration: bit.ly/NAJCForgiveness

Guests:
Director Stafford Arima (Allegiance, Carrie, Altar Boyz)
Author Mark Sakamoto (Forgiveness, Shizue’s Path)
Playwright/actor Hiro Kanagawa (Shōgun, Kim’s Convenience)

Moderator: Melisa Kamibayashi-Staples
Special thanks to Stratford Festival!

Forgiveness is on until September 27, 2025. Get your tickets here, and explore the many other offerings available!

More info: https://najc.ca/najc-stratford-festival-present-an-evening-of-conversation-on-forgiveness/

【GEI : ART Symposium 2025 Submission of Interest now open! 】(日本語は下をご覧下さい）We are welcoming artists of Japanese descent in...
05/02/2025

【GEI : ART Symposium 2025 Submission of Interest now open! 】(日本語は下をご覧下さい）
We are welcoming artists of Japanese descent in Canada of all artistic practices, regions, generations, and career stages to build a solid national arts community!
The inaugural GEI : ART Symposium was held at the Japanese-inspired Esquimalt Gorge pavilion in 2022. Close to 100 artists came together to celebrate a homecoming to the west coast, and to recognize legacy artists – trailblazers who have set the stage for future generations.
In 2025, we will reignite the spirit of the first symposium. Recognizing the forced dispersal of ancestors who had to relocate east of the Rockies, this year’s symposium will take place at the historically significant Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto.

This artist-run event looks to:
-Create a solid network of artists across the country
-Share our achievements and works in progress
-Inspire and support cross-pollination between artists

Priority will be given to artists who were not able to attend the first GEI : ART Symposium, those who have a current work in progress or one ready for sharing, and those who are selected to contribute to the symposium content.
Accommodations will be reserved on participants’ behalf; however, participants are responsible for the cost. There is limited support available for participants who identify a need for financial or other support to attend.
A registration fee of $150 will be due upon confirmation of participation.
For more information, and to submit an expression of interest, visit: https://najc.ca/gei2025/
Submissions accepted until May 31, 2025.

【GEI : ARTシンポジウム 2025　参加表明の受付開始!】
全国的なアート・コミュニティの構築を目指して、あらゆる芸術活動、地域、世代、キャリア・ステージのカナダの日系アーティストを歓迎します！

アーティストが運営するこのイベントの目的は以下です：
全国のアーティストの強固なネットワークを構築する。
成果や進行中の作品を共有する
アーティスト同士の交流の促進・支援

2022年にBC州で開催された第1回GEI : ARTシンポジウムに参加できなかったアーティスト、現在進行中の作品や共有可能な作品のあるアーティスト、シンポジウムの内容に貢献していただけるアーティストを優先します。
宿泊施設は参加者に代わって予約されますが、費用は参加者の負担となります。参加に際して経済的な支援やその他のサポートが必要であると判断された参加者には、限定的なサポートを用意しています。
参加確定時に150ドルの登録料をお支払いいただきます。
詳細、また参加表明の提出はこちらから：https://najc.ca/gei2025/
締切は2025年5月31日です。


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