Otsuka was born in 1962, in Palo Alto, California. Her father worked as an aerospace engineer, while her mother worked as a lab technician before she gave birth to Otsuka. Both of her parents were of Japanese descent, with her father being an issei and her mother being a nisei.
After graduating from high school, Otsuka attended Yale University, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1984. She later graduated from Columbia University with a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1999.
Otsuka is known for her historical fiction novels dealing with Japanese Americans. Her books are known for calling attention to the plight of Japanese Americans throughout World World War World War II When the Emperor was Divine was the first fiction novel where she discusses Japanese internment camps. With a background as a painter, Julie Otsuka"s attention to detail and great descriptions give the reader vivid imagery of different situations throughout her novels.
At the age of nine, her family moved to Palos Verdes, California.
She has two brothers, one of whom, Michael Otsuka, is currently teaching at the London School of Economics. Her debut novel When the Emperor was Divine dealt with Japanese American internment during World World War World War II lieutenant was published in 2002 by Alfred A. Otsuka lives in New York City.
2004 Guggenheim Fellowship.
2004 Guggenheim Fellowship 2003 Asian American Literary Award, When the Emperor Was Divine 2003 Alex Award, When the Emperor Was Divine 2011 Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists and Novelists association/Faulkner Award for Fiction, The Buddha in the Attic 2011 National Book Award, finalist, The Buddha in the Attic 2011 Los Angeles Times Book Prize, finalist, The Buddha in the Attic 2011 Langum Prize for American Historical Fiction, The Buddha in the Attic 2011 New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle, bestseller, The Buddha in the Attic 2012 American Academy of Arts and Letters "Arts and Letters Award in Literature" 2012 Prix Femina Étranger, The Buddha in the Attic 2014 Albatros Literaturpreis for Wovon wir träumten (The Buddha in the Attic) co-won with German translator Katja Scholtz.
