Yuko Deneuville

Hāfu Voices - Living between two worlds in Japan

Education EN ↓ 5 episodes

This podcast is rooted in the lived reality of people known in Japan as “Hāfu”, individuals of mixed heritage whose identities are shaped by movement between cultures, languages, and social expectations. Being “Hāfu" in Japan is a distinct experience, marked by visibility, labeling, and constant negotiation of belonging. Although the word "Hāfu / Half" can feel reductive or painful, it remains the commonly used term in Japan, and this project chooses to engage with it honestly rather than erase it. Led by a host who is herself half Japanese and French, the podcast becomes both a personal and c...

Author

Yuko Deneuville

Episodes

Megumi Nishikura: Hāfu Identity & Dual Citizenship 22.06.2026 50:33

In this episode of Hāfu Voices, Yuko Deneuville sits down with Megumi Nishikura, award-winning filmmaker and co-director of the acclaimed documentary "Hafu: The Mixed-Race Experience in Japan." Born to a Japanese mother and an Irish American father, Megumi shares her personal journey of growing up between cultures in Japan and Asia, moving to the United States as a teenager, and ultimately using f...

Microaggressions & Mixed Identity in Japan | Interview with Aurora Tsai 21.05.2026 45:13

In this episode, Yuko discusses with Aurora Thai, a JSPS Research Fellow at University of Tokyo researching race, language, and identity among mixed heritage individuals in Japan. Together, they explore the complex and deeply personal realities of growing up between cultures. Aurora shares her journey as someone with Taiwanese and American roots, her decision to learn Japanese to reconnect with fa...

Interview Ken Duenwald: Growing Up Half Japanese in America 18.05.2026 1:09:23

In this episode of “Half of Voices,” Yuko Deneuville sits down with Ken Duenwald to explore the realities of growing up hafu, half Japanese and half Caucasian, in the United States. Born and raised in San Francisco and now living in California, Ken shares his personal journey of navigating identity, belonging, language, family expectations, and multicultural life. From growing up surrounded by bot...

Interview de Jun Dupont | Hāfu Voices - Mars 2026 25.03.2026 56:07

Dans cet épisode du Podcast "Hāfu Voices", j'ai reçu un ami très cher, Jun Dupont, Franco-Japonais de 46 ans, qui a grandi en France et navigue depuis toujours entre deux cultures sans jamais se considérer “à moitié” de quoi que ce soit. Jun raconte son parcours d’apprentissage du japonais – entre une mère japonaise qui ne lui a jamais imposé une identité biculturelle stricte, des cours au lycée p...

Between Worlds: Owning your Mixed Identity 17.03.2026 37:44

During this webinar on March 12th, I was able to share about the diversity in Japan, the origins of the term Hāfu (being half Japanese and half from another country) and my own experience growing up as a Hāfu in Japan and then moving to other countries. This webinar marks the launch of my new Podcast Hāfu Voices, where I would like to invite other Hāfu to share their own experiences, wether they c...