Homes and Dry Goods

On August 15 I had written an entry about panels depicting the history of certain buildings in Japantown. I had found some information on other places on that time so I walked back and got more photos.


This is the Dales House at 414 Alexander Street. It is one of the oldest houses in Vancouver and was built for T.J. Dales in 1889.

Alexander Street was the first part of the city to get piped water and since it was so close to Hastings Mill a residential area of substantial homes quickly followed.

Alexander Street was a major residential street for Japanese pioneers and this house was home to Japanese tenants as early as 1911. In 1927 the house was bought by Isokichi Yamazaki - which is evidence of the growing prosperity of the Japanese community in the twenties. The Japanese were going from being tenants to land owners.

This is an important building due to its size, era, scale and rarity. It is also the last of its kind in Vancouver. I saw the archival photo and the original house was quite different. Originally the house had a high Victorian pediment and turret but those have both been remodelled over the years. (The archival photo was taken in 1890)

Despite the fact that those changes have been made, the house has been raised and covered with asphalt shingles, it is still a testimony to the thriving residential past of Japantown.

There are only two historic buildings left in the 20 block of Powell Street and the Komura Building at 269 Powell Street is one of them. The Japanese Canadian community began and radiated out from here. This building is an example of an early Edwardian corner building built sometime in 1905 for George Stevens.

The building first appeared in the city directories in 1906 as Komura Bros. General Store. Hiyujito Komura went from tenant to building owner in 1911 when he purchased the building.

The Komura Bros. General Store was in operation from 1906 until everything was taken from those of Japanese descent by the government in 1941. There is a mosaic tile in the front which still bears the Komura name.

Morimot and Co. Dry Goods is at 326-328 Powell Street and was built in 1912. The first tenants of this building were a Japanese tea room on street level, Japanese rooms in the upper floors and the Kane Shooting Gallery in the basement.

The rental portion of the building has stayed the same although it has changed names over the years. It has been called the Stanley Rooms then the King Rooms.

The tea room evolved into a dry goods store, run by various Japanese owners. The funny thing is that although this building is known in Morimoto and the name is still visible in one of the entrances, U. Morimoto and Co. only leased this building for two years (1920-1921).


This was also the address for the Canadian Japanese Social Athletic Club in the 1920s.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill,Canadian Japanese Social Athletic Club, Vancouver,U. Morimoto and Co,Kane Shooting Gallery,1920,History,Stanley Roooms

Powell Street Panels

There is a collaborative project between the Powell Street Festival Society and the Japanese Canadian National Museum called Open Doors.

On Powell, Jackson and Alexander Streets there are a series of panels which were beautifully designed by Cindy Mochizuki that tell the stories of different buildings.

From 1922 - 1942 this was the site of the Nakamura Florist. I assume it was much smaller building at that time.

This is a photo of Sunrise Market with the Anglican Church in the background. I have written on Sunrise before but there are a few more things to say about 300 Powell Street. Like in 1920 it was home to Suzuki Fruit and Liquor; the Yamamoto Fruit Store in 1936 as well as Kawaski Confectioner also in 1936 before Sunrise took over in the 1960s.

And next door is 314 Powell Street which from 1931-1942 was the place for one of the area's most popular restaurants - Fuji Chop Suey. In the 1970s the address became part of Sunrise Market.

Ishkawa Store resided here in 1900; Nimi Skokai
from 1918 - 1942 and St. James Community Service began residing here in the 1960. The St. James Community Service is a valued part of the neighbourhood since it offers help for those who tend to be forgotten.

This location once housed the Sun Rooms from 1913 - 1941; S. Shibuya and Co. Clothing from 1919 - 1941 and the Aki Restaurant from 1963 to 1999.

Some notes here. Sono Nakazawa, owner of S. Shibuya and Co. Clothing, sold both men's and women's clothing to those from middle class backgrounds. She was also a valuable asset to those brides who arrived here from Japan. She would dress them in the Western manner and help guide them through the cultural changes of their newly adopted country.

The Aki Restaurant was one of the few businesses to return to post war Powell Street. Now this building is home to H.A.V.E. (Hope Action, Value, Ethics) Cafe which offers a sustainable, culinary program.

This building was built in 1922. In 1930  the Showa Club was here and this club, as well as its owner Etsuji Mori, have an interesting history. The Showa Club was an illegal gambling venue. A watchman would lounge around on the sidewalk outside and at the first sign that the police were coming he would press a warning button. Once that alarm was heard inside the tables would flip over and all the police would find were patrons socializing over tea and cake.

At the corner of Dunlevy and Powell Streets is the Tamara Building (1912) aka World Hotel (1914-1941) aka the New Canadian 1038-1942. This imposing structure was built in 1912 and was home to numerous businesses.

It was designed by architects Townsend and Townsend for Shinkichi Tamura, a Japanese merchant who serves as Canada's first Commissioner of Trade to Japan.

The address of I have for the next set is 393 Powell Street. I couldn't see that exact address and since there were some illicit activities going on I didn't want to get to close. However I am assuming that the address is the above mentioned building since it is 390 Powell.

At 393 in 1906 we would have seen Ebata Japanese Goods and three years later the Canadian News would have been at that address. Jump ahead to the dirty thirties and now it is home to Maple/Victory Rooms and in 1941 Tsuruda Sewing was at 393 Powell Street.

If you have been reading my blog you may recognize this building as the Marr Hotel but that isn't what it was always known by. From 1893 to 1908 it was the Secord House Hotel and from 1909 to 1941 it was the Imperial Hotel. In 1932 Tai Iku Dojo was also here.

I have more photos and things to say inspired by these panels. As well, during the course of my research just now, I found another list to follow. So I will be writing on Japantown again soon.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill,Sunrise Market, Vancouver,Showa Club,Fuji Chop Suey,Tamura Building,History,st. James Community Service