Obachan’s Garden is a story of Obachan, a Japanese immigrant from before WWII who lived in Steveston, now a district of Richmond, BC, Canada. It is a very touching and inspires me greatly as part of Canada’s history, and as a human surviving through hard times.
Obachen came to Canada in an arranged marriage, which quickly, she found out, wasn’t to her liking. She refused to marry, and soon after found a husband in a ship builder. Today, the ship building shop still survives in the revived Steveston, across from some very old canneries along the boardwalk, that is still kept in good shape by the heritage society today.
The movie takes us through Obachen’s life, her kids, and their deportation to Saskatchewan during the WWII , into a Japanese Containment Camp, and then finally to the return of Obachan to her original, restored home in Steveston just a few years ago. This is a monumental occasion because it also unites the story of her granddaughter, and her search to know her family history, as well as Obachan traveling to Japan to be re-united with her sister she had left when she came to Canada prior to WWII.
This is a very strong movie, and it’s definitely a recommended watch.
The full movie can be watched from here