Japanese

The Asian Centre - UBC

The Department of Asian Studies and the Asian Studies Library are housed in the Asian Centre, the shell of which is the former Sanyo Pavilion at Expo '70 in Osaka, Japan. Opened in 1981, the interior was designed by the Japanese-Canadian architect, Donald Matsuba. It is located behind the innovative Choi Building, home of the Institute of Asian Research. The entire complex is the anchor for what are today the best facilities in North America for Asian area studies.

Nitobe Garden

The Nitobe Garden was built in 1959 adjacent to the Asian Centre at the University of British Columbia. It is dedicated to Dr. Inazo Nitobe who was undersecretary of the League of Nations – the only non-European senior official of the League – from the League's founding until 1926. Nitobe represented interests in Japan trying to maintain peaceful relations with the west. In 1933 he attended an international conference in Banff, Alberta on the international crises precipitated by Japan's takeover of Manchuria. Following the conference he gave a lecture at UBC. That was his last public appearance. He died shortly thereafter in Victoria. The Nitobe Garden was built to symbolize the bridge of peace between Canada and Japan.