About the Calgary Kotobuki Society
The story of the Calgary Kotobuki Society is one of vision, dedication, and community spirit. Over the decades, our organization has evolved from a small grassroots club into a thriving cornerstone for Japanese-Canadian seniors.
Our History: Building a Community
The Foundation (1987)
The seeds of the Society were planted by a dedicated core group consisting of Jerry Nagata, Barney Aihoshi, Amy Okazaki, Casey Yoneda, Mas Kawanami, and Cecile Inamasu. Together, they laid out the initial plans for a specialized seniors club affectionately referred to as Kotobuki-Kai.
The First Executive: In 1987, the club established its first formal leadership team with Jerry Nagata serving as President, Amy Okazaki as First Secretary, and Cecile Inamasu as First Treasurer.
Our First Home: Annual membership dues were set at just $50 to cover the rental of our very first location—the basement of the Calgary Buddhist Church.
1988 (A Second Home): Seeking safer and more accommodating facilities, Kotobuki-Kai moved its operations, renting at Maccabees Hall.
(1993 – Present)
- 1994 (Financial Security): A major milestone was achieved when the Society’s Casino License application was approved.
1996 (A New Building): New space opened at our current location at the Nikkei Cultural and Seniors Centre at 2236 – 29 Street SW. Following extensive renovations and structural additions to better serve our seniors, a formal Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was celebrated in 1996, cementing our place in the community. The property is owned by the Calgary Japanese Community Association (CJCA
Looking to the Future: The Legacy Project
Today, the Calgary Kotobuki Society continues to honor its founders by providing an active, joyful environment for our elders. As a long-standing tenant of the Nikkei Centre, and community partner alongside the CJCA, we are actively supporting the Legacy Project—a state-of-the-art building redevelopment that will ensure our seniors have a modern, fully accessible, and vibrant facility to call home for generations to come.