Tomekichi Homma Elementary School

Tomekichi Homma Elementary School in 2004. City of Richmond Archives Photograph 2004 43 74.

Located in Steveston near the Britannia Heritage Shipyard, Tomekichi Homma Elementary School (1990- ) was built to serve all the new homes, townhouses, and apartment buildings in the area.

Tomekichi Homma (1865-1945) was an immigrant from Japan who arrived in British Columbia in 1883, making him one of the first Japanese settlers in Richmond.

Tomekichi Homma, circa 1900. Photograph courtesy of Mrs. C. Yasui.

He was involved in the construction of the first Japanese school as well as a fishermen’s hospital. In 1897 he started the first Japanese daily newspaper, the Canada Shinpo.

He helped to organize the Japanese fishermen into their own association and, throughout his lifetime, fought for the right of suffrage for the Asian populations - something that didn’t occur until 1949, five years after his death.

He was interned during World War II and died in the Slocan Valley.