Anzai was born on August 11, 1927, in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, where her father was a banker. She accompanied her father when he was assigned to Germany from 1927 to 1932, and to Qingdao and Tianjin in China from 1932 to 1942, where she was exposed to folk tales and literature from both European and Asian traditions.
Anzai was born on August 11, 1927, in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, the daughter of a banker. She traveled with her father when he was posted to Germany from 1927 to 1932, and later to Qingdao and Tianjin in China from 1932 to 1942, where she encountered folk tales and literature that blended European and Asian influences.