"Richmond, British Columiba" a Richmond Travel Page by sunnywong

Kaiwo Maru visited Steveston, Richmond from July 13-16th, 2004

The 110.1-metre (361-foot) Japanese naval training ship will be berthing at the south end of No. 3 Road from July 13-16th. A four-masted barque the Kaiwo Maru is the sister ship to the Nippon Maru, which visited Steveston during Tall Ships.
The Kaiwo Maru, sister ship of the Nippon Maru, is coming on Tuesday, July 13. It will be open for viewing on Wednesday, July 14 and Thursday, July 15 from 9:00am to noon. On July 14, the crew will clamber into the ship's towering masts for a breathtaking display of sailing drills from 1:00-4:00pm. Then it will depart on Friday, July 16. The Kaiwo Maru will be docked at the No 3 Road dock (south end).

Link to Japanese Tall Ships Web Site

Steveston was once the largest fishing port on the West Coast boasting over 50 canneries. Now it doesn't have a single working cannery left. It is, however, home to the largest salmon run in North America and to the largest fleet of commercial fishing vessels on Canada's West Coast.

Any day of the week there are throngs of Vancouverites, buying prawns, crab, halibut, cod, and salmon fresh from the boats. Parks Canada recently opened the former Gulf of Georgia Cannery, also known as the Monster Cannery, as a National Historic Site. You may catch old-timers repairing an old wooden seiner in the massive Britannia Heritage Shipyard. Ask about guided walking tours at the Steveston Museum (3811 Moncton Street).

Richmond is home to the second largest Asian community in North America. As one of the most exciting cultural aspects of the city, this Asian influence is epitomized along Alexandra Road, fast becoming a Mecca for Asian flavours with its numerous restaurants, Karaoke bars and family run cafes in the Asia West shopping district.
Located within the area between No. 3 Road to Garden City Road and Alderbridge Way to Sea Island Way in the centre of Richmond, Asia West is a group of shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, shops and karaoke bars all within walking distance from each other. Together, they provide a sensory extravaganza of Asian culture that seems to transport you to Hong Kong in an experience that captures the imagination.

While supermarkets and food courts dish up countless exotic flavours, more than 300 shops and services offer local residents and visitors an assortment of goods from jewellry stores, art galleries and high-tech equipment to the latest designer fashions from Hong Kong, Tokyo and Taipei.

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