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Eiko Kadono

かどの えいこ

Kadono Eiko

Aliases: 渡辺 栄子
Pen Names: Eiko Kadono（Used as her professional pen name）

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1935-01-01 （Fukagawa, Tokyo City, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan (now Fukagawa, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan)）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Resident of Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan (recent) → Tokyo (Fukagawa, Koiwa, etc.) — childhood → Brazil (1959–1961) — lived there as an emigrant

Career

Occupations
Children's writer, Picture book author, Non-fiction writer, Essayist, Visiting professor
Active Years
1970-
Affiliations
Visiting Professor, Nihon Fukushi University, Director, Eiko Kadono Children's Literature Museum (Edogawa Ward)
Influenced By
Naotaro Ryuguchi

Education

Waseda University, Faculty of Education
Faculty of Education, Department of English and English Literature / Department of English and English Literature
Degree: 学士
Country: Japan
Member of Naotaro Ryuguchi's seminar while at Waseda University

Awards

Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award (29th)
1982
Work: The Big Thief Burabura
Organization: Sankei Shimbun
Result: 受賞
Robō no Ishi Literary Prize (6th)
1984
Work: Zubon Captain's Tale / My Mama Is Shizuka
Organization: Robō no Ishi Literary Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Obunsha Children's Literature Award
1984
Work: Zubon Captain's Tale
Organization: Obunsha
Result: 受賞
Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award (31st)
1984
Work: Ohai-nasai Erimaki-ni
Organization: Sankei Shimbun
Result: 受賞
Noma Children's Literature Award (23rd)
1985
Work: Kiki's Delivery Service
Organization: Noma Children's Literature Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Shogakukan Literary Award (34th)
1985
Work: Kiki's Delivery Service
Organization: Shogakukan
Result: 受賞
IBBY Honour List
1986
Work: Kiki's Delivery Service
Organization: International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY)
Result: 受賞
Medal with Purple Ribbon
2000
Organization: Government of Japan
Result: 受章
Iwaya Sazanami Literary Prize (34th)
2011
Organization: Iwaya Sazanami Literary Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays (small)
2014
Organization: Government of Japan
Result: 受章
Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award (63rd, Nippon Broadcasting Prize)
2016
Work: Tunnel Forest 1945
Organization: Sankei Shimbun / Nippon Broadcasting System
Result: 受賞（ニッポン放送賞）
Hans Christian Andersen Award (Author)
2018
Organization: International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY)
Result: 受賞
Murasaki Shikibu Literary Prize (33rd)
2023
Work: Iko Traveling 1948 -
Organization: Murasaki Shikibu Literary Prize Committee
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Kiki's Delivery Service

1985 Children's literature (novel)

Thirteen-year-old witch apprentice Kiki leaves home to live in a new town, starts a delivery service and learns about responsibility and growing up through her encounters.

coming of ageindependencefriendshipeveryday magic
Adaptations
  • [Animated film] Kiki's Delivery Service (Studio Ghibli film) / 宮崎駿 (1989)
  • [Live-action film] Kiki's Delivery Service (Live-action film) (2014)
Translations
  • English edition: Kiki's Delivery Service

Luizinho: A Journey to Brazil

1970 Non-fiction / Travelogue

A nonfiction account based on Kadono's experiences during her stay in Brazil; published as her debut work in 1970.

immigration experiencecross-cultural encounterstravel

The Big Thief Burabura

1981 Children's literature

A children's story about the mischievous thief 'Burabura' and his adventures.

humoradventure

Tunnel Forest 1945

Children's literature (historical theme)

A work addressing memories and effects of war; recognized with the Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award (Nippon Broadcasting prize).

warmemoryfamily

Bibliography

  • Who Left the Footprints?
  • Luizinho: A Journey to Brazil
  • The Big Thief Burabura
  • Kiki's Delivery Service
  • New Encyclopedia of Witches
  • Torabed
  • Iko Traveling 1948-
  • The Little Ghosts Acchi / Kocchi / Socchi (series)

Adaptations

  • Kiki's Delivery Service (animated film, 1989, dir. Hayao Miyazaki)
  • Kiki's Delivery Service (live-action film, 2014)

Translations by Author

  • I Was a Baby Once (Kathleen Anholt) — translated by Eiko Kadono
  • I'm Feeling Sleepy (Jane R. Howard) — translated by Eiko Kadono
  • The Song of the Whale (Diane Sheldan) — translated by Eiko Kadono

Translations of Works

  • Kiki's Delivery Service — English translation
  • Kiki's Delivery Service — editions in multiple other languages

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Plain, conversational proseBlend of humor and gentle pathosClose attention to a child's viewpoint
Recurring Motifs
witches and magicjourneys and foreign placesgrowth and independencehome and everyday warmth

Legacy

Eiko Kadono is one of Japan's foremost children's authors; she is internationally known thanks to Kiki's Delivery Service and has received both domestic and international honors, including the Hans Christian Andersen Award. A children's literature museum has been established in Edogawa Ward in her name, and she has contributed significantly to the promotion of children's literature and education.

Museums

  • Eiko Kadono Children's Literature Museum, Edogawa Ward (Kiki's Museum of Literature) Nagisa Park Observatory Hill, Minamikasai 7-chome, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan Opened in 2023

Academic Societies

  • Japanese Society for Children's Literature

In Popular Culture

  • Studio Ghibli's animated film Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) received wide acclaim both in Japan and internationally
  • The live-action film adaptation (2014) and various media have continued to feature her work

Quotes

  • I expected it would become a cuter love story.
    Source: Interview in Weekly Asahi (2019) (2019)
  • I had used 'takkyūbin' without knowing it was a registered trademark, but the issue was eventually resolved.
    Source: Lecture (Founding commemorative lecture of the Human Sciences Society) (2008)

Trivia

  • The word 'takkyūbin' in the title of Kiki's Delivery Service is a registered trademark of Yamato Transport; this caused a dispute at publication which was later resolved.
  • In 1959 she moved to Brazil as an emigrant at her husband's request; that stay later became material for her debut.
  • Her daughter, Mario Kuboshi (Kubo Shimario), is also a writer.