For almost two decades, she participated as a volunteer in Bunkyo - Brazilian Society of Japanese Culture and Social Welfare, having held, among other functions, the position of President of the Figurative Art subcommittee, President of the Plastic Arts Commission and President of the Organizing Committee of Grande Bunkyo Art Exhibition.

She has received numerous awards, including the Golden Grand Prix of the Great Bunkyo Exhibition of Figurative Painting, in 2002.

It has works in the Collection of the Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo (São Paulo/SP, Brazil); Museum of Japanese-Brazilian Art (São Paulo/SP, Brazil); Hiroshima Prefectual Government (Hiroshima, Japan) and in private collections.

1941 - Elza Kakihara Oda was born in the city of Presidente Prudente, in the interior of São Paulo.

1960 - Came to São Paulo where she completes higher education courses in Drawing and Plastics, Artistic Education and Pedagogy. It is specialized in General and Pedagogical Drawing and in Art History.

She was a designer for the Audiovisual Resources Section of the Technical Support Service of the Department of Human Resources of the Secretary of State for Education.

1997 - Retired as a school principal. Adopting the artistic name: Elza Oda, she started to participate in exhibitions in Brazil and abroad, concentrating her activities in her studio, located in Bairro da Liberdade, where she taught painting for some time.

2000 - Member of ABA - Brazilian Association of Watercolor and Paper Art.