This treasure from our collection is well-suited to the holidays as many people are starting to prepare baked goods and meals for family and friends.
These grinding stones made from granite belonged to the Tanaka family and were used for their Tofu-Ya business. The Tanaka family sold tofu on Powell Street from the 1930s until 1942.
To make tofu, the family would begin by washing and soaking soy beans overnight. In the early morning, they boiled the beans until soft and these stones would be used to grind the beans into curd. The curd was then mixed with water and strained through a fine cloth, with the liquid collected in a barrel. Nigari, or bittern, is a salt solution that was added to the barrel to set the mixture into a gel. Using a colander, the curd was separated from the whey and the curds would be placed in cloth-lined wooden boxes with a large weight on top to press the curds and remove more of the whey. Once ready, the tofu was cut into squares to sell to customers.
In 1942, the Tanaka family was forcibly relocated to East Lillooet, BC and forced to leave their business behind. They were able to bring some of their tofu making equipment with them to East Lillooet and continued making tofu for family and neighbours.
We have many items in our collection, from recipes and photographs to cookbooks and kitchen utensils, that provide insights into the cooking habits of different generations over the years and the meals they may have prepared for their own holiday celebrations.
Several cooking items from our collection are currently on display in our Haq and History exhibit until January 25, 2025. Originally developed by the South Asian Studies Institute and the Royal British Columbia Museum, the exhibit explores the histories and cultural contributions of South Asian Canadian immigrants in British Columbia, and shares recent research on the intersection of South Asian and Japanese Canadian communities in Paldi on Vancouver Island. These objects offer an example of what everyday life may have looked like for Japanese Canadians living in Paldi.
Explore more from the Tanaka Family Collection and more cooking items at nikkeimuseum.org.
Top image: Grinding Stones, Tanaka Family Collection, Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 1997.8.10a-b, circa 1920s
Below image: Items on display as part of the Haq and History exhibit.
