Math is one of those subjects that, no matter how much you practice, there is always more to learn. The Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre is home to preserving Japanese Canadians’ history and heritage, which includes the abacus, a hand-operated calculating tool used to perform mathematical functions dating back to the 2nd century BC.

Since moving to Vancouver from Kesennuma, Japan in 2004, Norie Ikoma has led the museum’s abacus workshop. She began learning how to use the abacus at the age of four because, at that time, the abacus was “an important part of Japanese culture.”

“Now you don’t need to learn it; there are calculators around the world,” says Ikoma. “But it’s very simple, intuitive and logical.”

Her workshop, Abacus Ikoma, provides lessons on using the abacus for up to 10 students of any age. For Ikoma’s students, who range from three to 65 years old, the abacus can take anywhere from a couple of months to multiple years to master.

“We mix everyone in the same class,” says Ikoma. “Everyone’s starting spot is the same, but the process can look very different.”

As Ikoma embarks on her 20th year teaching at the Nikkei Museum this fall, she recognizes the exceptional qualities the abacus offers her students, such as its ability to enhance mental math skills, foster concentration and provide a unique cultural connection. Despite mastering the abacus after their first year, most of Ikoma’s students have continued attending the workshop to improve their skills, with some even coming to Ikoma for over a decade.

“Seeing that ‘aha’ moment, I like that,” shares Ikoma. “That is why I keep teaching.”

She notes that students who are either neurodivergent or have a learning disability often tend to excel.

“They don’t need to talk, so it’s a good match for kids with dyslexia or autism,” she explains. “The parents also sit in on the class so that they can work together.”

While teaching Canadians about the abacus, a unique piece of her culture, Ikoma has also opened her eyes to what it was like for Japanese Canadians who immigrated before her. The Nikkei Museum’s multi-use space features ongoing exhibitions of Japanese-Canadian history, marked by discrimination, internment and the struggle for acceptance. This has given Ikoma a glimpse into the challenging past.

“We didn’t learn anything in Japan, so this was all new to me,” she recalls. “I was like, ‘how…how could this be?’”

But, like with many exhibits the museum offers, there is a real value to be found in learning more about the abacus.

“A student once told me that the abacus shows you the beauty of precision,” says Ikoma. “It does; it embodies the beauty of math.”

For more information about the workshop, visit: https://centre.nikkeiplace.org/programs/ikoma-abacus