SPOKANE, Wash. – A new monument dedicated to the Kawaguchi family will be unveiled at 11:00 a.m. on August 22 at Fairmount Memorial Park, the Historical Monuments Committee announced.
Matsutaro Kawaguchi, who emigrated from Japan in 1919, and his wife, Hatsume, endured immense hardships during World War II. They were forcibly removed from their home and sent to internment camps, an experience shared by thousands of Japanese Americans. Despite this, Matsutaro remained optimistic, saying, “Shikata ga nai”—“There’s nothing you can do about it, so make the best of it.”
After the war, the family resettled in Spokane, where they farmed land near Nine Mile Falls. Matsutaro later became a U.S. citizen and developed a passion for bonsai, contributing many of his trees to Spokane’s Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden. His Mugho Pine tree stands as a symbol of Spokane’s friendship with Nishinomiya, Japan.
The monument was built by the Fairmount Memorial Association, in collaboration with the Spokane Regional Law Enforcement Museum, Spokane Historical Monuments Committee, Jonas Babcock Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution and The Westerners, Spokane Corral.
It will serve as a lasting tribute to the Kawaguchi family’s legacy of resilience, artistry and dedication to the community.
