Friends, neighbours and community life were important to the Fujikawas. They joined local organizations and social clubs, attended the United Church and dances at Silverhill Hall, and enjoyed outdoor activities from swimming at the ‘Prairie’ (Silvermere Lake) to sleigh rides and tobogganing on the hill. The younger children went to the old Silverdale and Silverhill schools and neighbourhood children often gathered to play at the Fujikawas.
Two farm fields were historically used to play softball in the area after the growing season. One of them was at the Donatelli farm (west of Hwy 7) and the second was the lower section of the Fujikawa farm (along McLean St). A community ball field still exists today, adjacent to the Silverdale Community Hall.
These shared experiences of daily living overcame language and cultural differences, created close friendships, and established a strong sense of belonging and connection in Silverdale.

Tsurukichi purchased 5.2 acres of land in Silverdale for $25 with his business partner, Mr. Eitaro Nishisawa built a small one-room cabin. He and Riwo cleared the land together to establish their farm. They later purchased an additional four acres in 1919 for $185 and eight years later bought Eitaro’s share in the property.
By 1930, a second “long” house was built including two bedrooms and a kitchen around the water well. Over time, rooms were added and other outbuildings were constructed, such as a traditional Japanese bath house and a shack for berry pickers in the summer.
A third house was built by sons Koazi and Tom in 1938. Two other homes were added after World War II. All are still in use today.
Six of the nine Fujikawa children were born on the farm and delivered by their father.

In 1942, the Fujikawa’s were among 22,000 Japanese “enemy aliens” evacuated from their homes and interned under The War Measures Act. Japanese Canadians lost virtually all their properties and possessions to government authorities, including Joe who lost 38 acres in Matsqui.
During this time family members were separated. They were detained in the arena and cattle sheds of Vancouver’s Hastings Park, and then Tashme Internment Camp east of Hope BC. The men were sent to work camps and farms in BC, Alberta and Ontario.
Later, family members were able to leave Tashme and accepted the option of relocating to various locations east of the Rockies. However, shortly before their internment, the Fujikawa family managed to protect their Silverdale farm from dispossession by transferring the ownership to the care of George Broomfield who had recently married Shigeno.

Japanese Canadians were not officially allowed to return to the West Coast until 1949. Nevertheless, Riwo, Koazi and Violet returned early. However, in 1946 Koazi was granted special permission to bring his mother home and Violet returned with her new husband in 1947.
With the farm no longer viable, Koazi, Violet and Al moved north in the early 1950s returning to Mission about 20 years later. Tom lived on the Fujikawa land until 1989.

29 Years of immigration and resettlement.
Tsurukichi and Riwo Fujikawa came from a farming community in Shiga-ken, on the island of Honshu in Japan.
In 1900 Tsurukichi sailed alone to Canada to start a new life of opportunity for himself and his young family. Tsurukichi visited his family in 1906. When he returned to Canada a year later, Riwo was pregnant with their third child.
In 1911 he settled in Silverdale, BC and his wife Riwo followed in 1912 while their three children stayed in Japan with relatives to complete their education.

Piers have been set in the Fraser River during the construction of the CPR trestle bridge across the Fraser River. Photo was taken from the north side of the river.

A view of the Mission Branch Bridge of the Canadian Pacific Railway, taken from the north side of the river.

A train pulls into Mission along the CPR's Mission Branch Line.

A boy stands in front of Alanson's Hardware: Sash & Door.

Cars parked in the snow in front of Rex Cox Menswear and Footwear store. The store survives to this day.

Stores and businesses on First Ave looking east from Welton Street.

A match factory being built on the banks of the Fraser River. Today it's the site of construction supply warehouses.

Buses at the Mission Bus Depot in the 1940s. The depot is built in the new modernist style of the time.