Recently I was speaking with a friend about this blog, and I mentioned the fact that, because I’m not Japanese, and have only lived in BC for a short time, I sometimes feel as though I am not entitled to exploring the topic of Japanese culture in Vancouver. Although I try to be objective with my exploration on Japan’s influence on the city, it is also very important to me to share the experiences and perspectives of the people who are part of the culture that so heavily shapes Vancouver today. After all, as Tourism Vancouver has stated, Japan is a culture that has heavily shaped Vancouver, as “the aesthetic influence of Japanese culture is everywhere, from serene public gardens to the thousands of blooming cherry trees planted throughout the city’s green spaces” (http://www.tourismvancouver.com/vancouver/about-vancouver/5-cultures-that-shape-vancouver/) That is why I chose to interview several Japanese people studying in Canada last week, and also why for this week I would like to include links to two stories by Japanese people, one by a Japanese immigrant and one by a Japanese-Canadian, about what Vancouver’s Japanese culture means to them.