The Most Beautiful Village in the World (1995)
A signature work portraying life in an Afghan village.
Profile
- Born
- Tokyo, 1946
- Education
- Rikkyo University, Faculty of Sociology
- Abroad / Training
- Studied in the United Kingdom after graduation
- First Selection
- 1979, Japan Fine Arts Exhibition (Nihonga)
- Awards
- 1983 Special Excellence (Ueno Royal Museum), Sankei Shimbun Award, others
- Themes
- Travels in the Middle East and Asia shaped his artistic world
- Non-fiction
- “Why Does War Never End? — What I Saw in Afghanistan”
- Picture Books in Education
- Many titles, including “The Most Beautiful Village in the World,” have been widely used.
Full Timeline
1946
Born in Tokyo in 1946. After graduating from Rikkyo University’s Faculty of Sociology, he went to England to study to become a painter. In 1979, he entered his first piece in the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition and was selected.
1961
: Personal Award at All Japan Student Oil Painting Exhibition
1969
: Graduated from Rikkyo University’s Faculty of Sociology, went to Europe
1971
: Returned via Middle East and Asia
1974
: Participated in the Meharu Exhibition with "West"
1975–77
: Research trips (India, Afghanistan)
1978
: Solo Exhibition (Tokyo Central Gallery)
1979
: Participated in the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition with "Winter Light"
1980
: Awarded at the Miniature Grand Prize Exhibition with "The Way Home"
1981
: Solo Exhibition (Gallery Kaneda)
1982
: Invited to "JAPAN EXHIBITION" in Barcelona, Spain
1983
In 1983, he received a Special Excellence Award from the Ueno Royal Museum. From the early 1970s to the early 1980s, he frequently visited Middle Eastern and Asian countries, and these experiences significantly influenced his work. His picture books, which reflect his desire to share his travel experiences with children, have been highly acclaimed not only in Japan but also worldwide.
1983
: Awarded Special Excellence Award at the Ueno Royal Museum Grand Prize Exhibition; Sankei Newspaper Award
1983
: Participated in the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition with "OLD NEW YORK CITY"
1984
: Solo Exhibition (Gallery Subax), "Outstanding Works Exhibition" in Paris, France
1985
: Research trip (West Africa), solo exhibition (My Imaginary Museum)
1986–87
: Solo Exhibition (Gallery Subax)
1986–88
: Ueno Royal Museum Grand Prize Outstanding Works Exhibition (Sculpture Forest Museum)
1989
: Solo Exhibition (Tokyo Central Gallery)
1990
: Tokyo Illustrated Exhibition (Gyokusui Gallery)
1990
: Exhibition of Artists for the Next Generation (Sculpture Forest Museum)
1990
: Research trip to Afghanistan
1991
: Continued Tokyo Illustrated Exhibition (Tokyo Central Gallery)
1992
: TOKYO-AFGHANISTAN-EXPRESS Exhibition (Gallery Shinjuku Takano)
1994
: New Tokyo Illustrated Exhibition (Tokyo Central Gallery)
1994
: "At 36° North Latitude" Vol.1 (Tokyo Central Museum)
1995
Driven by a desire to share the realities of war-torn Afghanistan, he wrote the non-fiction work, "Why Wars Don’t End – What I Saw in Afghanistan." This book inspired the creation of other works, such as "The Most Beautiful Village in the World" (Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd., 1995), "The Circus Came to My Village" (Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd., 1996), and "Return to the Most Beautiful Village in the World" (Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd., 2003).
1995
The Most Beautiful Village in the World: Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. (December 1995) Size: 220mm x 285mm, 41 pages
1996
The Circus Came to My Village: Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. (November 1996) Size: 220mm x 285mm, 41 pages
1997
: "At 36° North Latitude" Vol.2 (Gallery Shinjuku Takano)
1997
City: Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. (November 1997) Size: 220mm x 285mm, 40 pages
1999
Other works include "Picture Book at 36 Degrees North Latitude" (Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd., 1999), "I Walked with My Brother" (Iwasaki Shoten, 2002), "Claudia’s Prayer" (Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd., 2008), and many more. "The Circus Came to My Village" was selected as a required book for the 43rd National Youth Book Report Competition. Additionally, the "The Most Beautiful Village in the World" and "I Walked with My Brother" series have been included in fourth-grade Japanese textbooks.
1999
My Chopandos: Mitsumura Educational Bookstore (April 1999) Size: 220mm x 290mm
1999
Picture Book at 36 Degrees North Latitude: Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. (August 1999) Size: 245mm x 260mm, 40 pages
1999
Spring Snowstorm: Doshinsha (March 1999) Size: 191mm x 266mm, 36 pages
2000
: "My Landscape Illustrated Exhibition" (Seigetsudo Gallery)
2002
: Research trip to Afghanistan
2002
: Original picture book exhibition "The Most Beautiful Village in the World" (Setagaya Cultural Life Information Center, Lifestyle Workshop)
2002
I Walked with My Brother: Iwasaki Shoten (May 2002) Size: 240mm x 260mm, 36 pages
2003
Return to the Most Beautiful Village in the World: Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. (August 2003) Size: 217mm x 283mm, 41 pages
2004
: Solo Exhibition (Philia Museum)
2004
: Afghanistan Illustrated Exhibition (Seigetsudo Gallery)
2004
Sheep Road: Kosei Publishing Co., Ltd. (November 2004) Size: 247mm x 225mm, 32 pages
2005
I Could See the Sea from My House: Iwasaki Shoten (April 2005) Size: 240mm x 260mm, 37 pages
2005
Tata, the Desert Donkey: Doshinsha (November 2005) Size: 266mm x 191mm, 32 pages
2006
Momotaro: Kumon Publishing Co., Ltd. (November 2006) Size: 148mm x 184mm, 48 pages
2006
How Much Land Does a Man Need: Word of Life Publishing Co., Ltd. (May 2006) Size: 230mm x 250mm, 32 pages
2007
My Brother and I Kept Walking: Iwasaki Shoten (June 2007) Size: 240mm x 260mm, 35 pages
2007
Grandma's Horse: Kodansha (December 2007) Size: 270mm x 390mm, 40 pages
2007
Sakura Town: Kosei Publishing Co., Ltd. (February 2007) Size: 290mm x 260mm, 33 pages
2007
Put Out the Fire Early: Word of Life Publishing Co., Ltd. (November 2007) Size: 220mm x 240mm, 32 pages
2008
Claudia's Prayer: Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. (July 2008) Size: 257mm x 222mm, 35 pages
2009
Friends I Want to Meet: Kosei Publishing Co., Ltd. (November 2009) Size: 220mm x 240mm, 32 pages
2009
Bus Running Through a Seaside Town: Soen Publishing Co., Ltd. (June 2009) Size: 290mm x 260mm, 32 pages
2010
Gemre Came to My Village: Theory Publishing (April 2010) Size: 225mm x 250mm, 48 pages
2011
Hanan's Sheep was Born: Shogakukan (September 2011) Size: 210mm x 240mm, 41 pages
2012
Journey with Father and Son: Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. (March 2012) Size: 241mm x 261mm, 37 pages
2013
Yodogawa Story - The Day the Ship Came: Iwanami Shoten (October 2013) Size: 255mm x 258mm, 48 pages
2013
Bible Story Picture Book Volumes 1-4: Word of Life Publishing Co., Ltd. (September 2013) Size: 225mm x 240mm, 72 pages
2013
Lee Mother's Story: Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. (November 2013) Size: 257mm x 221mm, 32 pages
2013
White City, Warm Snow: Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. (November 2013) Size: 256mm x 236mm, 32 pages
2015
Nagasaki Story - The Day the Ship Leaves: Iwanami Shoten (September 2015) Size: 250mm x 250mm, 40 pages
2016
Taiwan Wind Journey: Lianjing Publishing Co., Ltd. (November 2016) Size: 225mm x 250mm, 40 pages
2017
Chopran's Drifting Record - The Day the Ship Returns: Iwanami Shoten (July 2017) Size: 257mm x 257mm, 60 pages
2019
Picture Book Tokyo: Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. (March 2019) Size: 243mm x 255mm, 44 pages
2024
Time Bell: Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. (June 2024) Size: 243mm x 256mm, 42 pages
Selected Picture Books
The Circus Came to Town (1996)
A story of joy and encounters through a traveling circus.
Toki no Kane (2024)
A tale of a bell that connects generations.
Gallery
Contact
For exhibitions, publications, and talks, please contact the organizer.