The Kizuna Project was formed in the spring of 2024 to document the history of Tucson’s Japanese community by conducting and filming oral histories and the artifacts that accompany them. The project is starting to post its first oral histories. Many more will follow. 

These firsthand stories of Tucson residents cover their experiences and those of their families through World War II to the present. Some of these wartime experiences took place in the incarceration camps and U.S. military, while others took place in Japan. Post-war stories focus on the effort to start businesses and Japanese cultural organizations in Tucson. They testify to the resilience of the Japanese spirit and their desire to contribute to the community. 

These short oral histories do not attempt to cover a person’s entire life, but rather a single feature or defining moment. Through them, we offer a montage that links a family’s past to its present and to the Japanese community as a whole, embodying the meaning of kizuna, bonds forged through trust and support.  

The oral histories and images will be available to schools, libraries and other organizations wanting information about Executive Order 9066, World War II or Tucson history. The Kizuna Project  is an all-volunteer, non-profit, 501(c) organization and follows the protocol of the Oral History Association.

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