Yoshiko Kanazawa Shares Wartime Journey at Menlo Park Library

Docent from Japanese American Museum of San Jose to recount family's experience as Japanese Americans during WWII

Apr. 4, 2026 at 4:52pm

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Yoshiko Kanazawa, a docent at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, will be speaking at the Menlo Park Library on Wednesday, April 8th from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. Kanazawa will recall her family's wartime experience through a child's eyes, describing her life as a Japanese American before, during, and after World War II, including being forced to relocate to the Gila River incarceration camp in Arizona.

Why it matters

Kanazawa's talk aims to share an important historical story and ensure that the injustices faced by Japanese Americans during WWII are not forgotten. Her firsthand account provides a personal perspective on this dark chapter of American history.

The details

Born in 1935, Yoshiko Kanazawa was raised in Pasadena, California as the daughter of Denjiro and Teruha Nakahiro, two Issei (first-generation Japanese immigrants). In her talk, she will describe her family's experience before, during, and after World War II, including their forced relocation to the Gila River incarceration camp in Arizona.

  • Yoshiko Kanazawa's talk will take place on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.

The players

Yoshiko Kanazawa

A docent at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose who will be sharing her family's wartime experience as Japanese Americans.

Denjiro and Teruha Nakahiro

Yoshiko Kanazawa's parents, who were Issei (first-generation Japanese immigrants) from Shikoku, Japan.

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What they’re saying

“I feel we need to tell this story and make sure we do not repeat that part of history.”

— Yoshiko Kanazawa

What’s next

This free event at the Menlo Park Library is supported by funding from the Friends of the Menlo Park Library.

The takeaway

Yoshiko Kanazawa's firsthand account of her family's wartime experience as Japanese Americans provides a personal and powerful perspective on a dark chapter in US history, underscoring the importance of sharing these stories to prevent such injustices from being repeated.