Discover the History ofWWII Incarceration

120,000 Japanese Americans were unjustly incarcerated during World War II. Learn about this unprecedented denial of civil liberties and why it still matters today.

Explore Personal Stories

Learn about Japanese American history and the legacy of WWII incarceration by exploring personal stories from those who lived through it.

Promote Equity Today

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. Join us in putting the lessons of Japanese American WWII incarceration into action today.

Densho Catalyst: History, Essays, & Opinion

Dive into hidden histories and learn why these stories matter today with the latest essays and opinions from Densho and other community voices.

Six kibei siblings in Japan. They are standing in a row, one wearing dark colored hakama and haori, another in a western suit, and the four younger siblings in school uniforms.

The Kibei Story Is “The Biggest Unexplored Episode In The History Of Japanese Americans.” Here’s Where To Learn More About It.

A recent episode of NPR’s Code Switch explores an often forgotten chapter of Japanese American history: the Kibei story. Kibei were Japanese Americans who were born in the US to...
Japanese Americans reading in the library at Tanforan Assembly Center.

Counting Down Our Top 5 Most-Read Densho Encyclopedia Articles

Since launching the Densho Encyclopedia in 2012, we’ve published 1,500 articles on Japanese American history written by expert scholars and public historians — making it the go-to resource for many...
A Japanese American teen performing a flag salute during an Independence Day parade at Tule Lake. She has a big smile and is holding a baton and leading the parade.

Ask a Historian: Why Do Some Survivors Say Camp Was “Fun”?

Densho Content Director Brian Niiya responds to a question from a descendant of the camps who wonders why his Nisei father often shared “happy” memories of the wartime incarceration.

Introducing Naomi Ostwald Kawamura

Densho is excited to share that Naomi Ostwald Kawamura will be our next Executive Director! Naomi brings a rare combination of experience in education, museums, nonprofit leadership, and a passion for Japanese American history and memory work.

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Campu: A Podcast

Campu weaves together the voices of survivors to spin narratives out of the seemingly mundane things that gave shape to the incarceration experience: rocks, fences, food, paper. Follow along as hosts Hana and Noah Maruyama move far beyond the standard Japanese American incarceration 101 and into more intimate and lesser-known corners of this history.

Listen Today

Encyclopedia

Thousands of articles about the history of the Japanese American WWII exclusion and incarceration experience. Here are a few to get you started:

Taneyuki Dan Harada

Taneyuki Dan Harada (1923-2020) was an oil painter born June 17, 1923, who as a young man, studied painting at the Tanforan and Topaz art schools, along with other incarcerated artists.

442nd Regimental Combat Team

The 442nd RCT, comprised entirely of Japanese Americans, was the most decorated unit in U.S. military history for its size and length of service.

Takahashi v. Fish and Game Commission

The 1948 U.S Supreme Court upheld the constitutional right of a Japanese immigrant in California to receive a state-issued fishing license.