The first Japanese immigrants arrived in the Tacoma area around 1887 – 1888 to establish businesses as a result of the completion of the transcontinental Northern Pacific Railroad which changed Tacoma from a sawmill village into a boom town.
By 1899 there were about 400 Japanese immigrants in Washington State who worked for businesses, railroad companies and farmers. By 1910 the Japanese population increased to about 1,950 residents in the Tacoma-Pierce County areas and there were about sixty eight Japanese businesses that had become established in Tacoma.
The beginning of the Buddhist movement in Pierce County can be traced to the turn of the twentieth century. Many Buddhist families in the county gathered in different homes to hold occasional services as they were not able to travel several hours to attend the nearest Buddhist Church which was in Seattle. Therefore, in 1910, a respected leader and grocery store owner in Fife, Soroku Kuramoto, originated a plan to invite Rev. Hoshin Fujii of the Seattle Buddhist Church to conduct monthly services in the backroom of his general store. Thus, from 1910 to 1915 Rev. Fujii provided the spiritual guidance and shared the Buddha Dharma with many of the pioneers of the valley.
