Inouye Park Heritage Unveiling
Join us for the unveiling of a new heritage feature honouring Surrey's early Japanese Canadian community
Date/Time: Nov 7 2026, 10:30 am to 12:00 am
Surrey, Inouye Park9158 134 Street
Tickets
Cost: Free
More than a mailbox
Join us in Inouye Park as we unveil a new heritage feature recognizing the experiences and contributions of early Japanese Canadian residents in Surrey. The new feature includes the artwork “Konjou” by artist Kellen Hatanaka and interpretive features that share the story of Zennosuke Inouye.
The unveiling marks the first of a three-point public heritage project that also includes a commemorative feature in RA Nicholson Park, and a permanent large-scale photo display at the Strawberry Hill Hall. Together they highlight the significant contributions of early Japanese Canadians in Surrey, as well as the injustice of their dispossession and internment during and after World War II.
Logo for the JCLS
We gratefully acknowledge support from the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society
About the artwork: Konjou
Meaning perseverance in Japanese, “Konjou” honours the history and legacy of Zennosuke Inouye in the form of a mailbox. After being interned, Mr. Inouye fought to reclaim his property through a personal letter writing campaign. The mailbox symbolizes home and land ownership and represents the rural farming community that existed in the Strawberry Hill area.
Accompanying the mailbox is a Japanese rock garden, honouring the history of Japanese Canadians utilizing stones to create monuments inspired by Japanese garden design.
About the artist: Kellen Hatanaka
A Japanese Canadian multidisciplinary artist, Kellen Hatanaka works in a variety of mediums, including painting, sculpture and public art. His work considers race, tradition, and heritage as he explores personal and collective identity and the nuances of the Japanese Canadian experience through sport, design, history and culture.
Who was Zennosuke Inouye?
Zennosuke Inouye and his family owned a successful farm in Strawberry Hill until, in 1942, the Canadian government forced all people of Japanese ancestry to leave the west coast. They later sold Japanese Canadian possessions without permission from the owners. After writing dozens of letters to government officials reminding them of his service to Canada in WW1, the government returned his land to him in 1949. Of the 60 interned families in the area, the Inouye's were the only one to have their land returned.
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