Noma Children's Literature Newcomer Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 1 (1963) award
Rieko Nakagawa
なかがわ りえこ
Nakagawa Rieko
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1935-09-29 （Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan）
- Died
- 2024-10-14 age 89
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Sapporo, Hokkaido (childhood) → Suginami, Tokyo → Fukushima City, Fukushima → Setagaya, Tokyo (residence/work)
Career
- Occupations
- Children's author, Lyricist, Nursery teacher, Writer
- Active Years
- 1962-2024
- Influenced By
- Grimm Brothers, Kaneda Kiichi, Momoko Ishii, Kikuchi Kan, Helen Bannerman
- Influenced
- Hayao Miyazaki
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nursery School (now Metropolitan Advanced Childcare School) | — | — | — | — | Japan |
| Jissen Joshi Gakuen High School | — | — | — | — | Japan |
Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nursery School (now Metropolitan Advanced Childcare School)
Country:
Japan
Completed nursery teacher training
Jissen Joshi Gakuen High School
Country:
Japan
High school graduate
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Minister of Health and Welfare Award | Iyaiya-en | — | Ministry of Health and Welfare (then) | 受賞 |
| 1962 | Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award | Iyaiya-en | — | Sankei Shimbun | 受賞 |
| 1962 | Noma Children's Literature Recommended Works Award | Iyaiya-en | — | Noma Cultural Foundation (then) | 受賞 |
| 1962 | NHK Children's Literature Encouragement Award | Iyaiya-en | — | NHK | 受賞 |
| 1980 | Mainichi Publishing Culture Award | The Puppy Roku Came | — | Mainichi Shimbun | 受賞 |
| 2013 | Kikuchi Kan Prize | — | — | Kikuchi Kan Foundation / awarding bodies | 受賞 |
Minister of Health and Welfare Award
1962
Work:
Iyaiya-en
Organization:
Ministry of Health and Welfare (then)
Result:
受賞
Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award
1962
Work:
Iyaiya-en
Organization:
Sankei Shimbun
Result:
受賞
Noma Children's Literature Recommended Works Award
1962
Work:
Iyaiya-en
Organization:
Noma Cultural Foundation (then)
Result:
受賞
NHK Children's Literature Encouragement Award
1962
Work:
Iyaiya-en
Organization:
NHK
Result:
受賞
Mainichi Publishing Culture Award
1980
Work:
The Puppy Roku Came
Organization:
Mainichi Shimbun
Result:
受賞
Kikuchi Kan Prize
2013
Organization:
Kikuchi Kan Foundation / awarding bodies
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Mainichi Publishing Culture Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 34 (1980) award
Kikuchi Kan Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 61 (2007) award
Works
Major Works
Iyaiya-en
1962 Children's literatureA children's book depicting life in a nursery school; a collection of episodes based on the author's experience as a nursery teacher.
PlayEveryday discoveriesFriendship
The Sky-Colored Seed
1964 Children's literatureA lyrical, slightly fantastical children's story presented as a picture book in collaboration with illustrators.
NatureImagination
Guri and Gura
1967 Picture book / Children's literatureThe first in a beloved picture-book series about two field mice, Guri and Gura, whose adventures (including making a giant sponge cake) delight children.
FriendshipFoodAdventure
The Puppy Roku Came
1979 Children's literatureA story about a puppy and children's interactions; recipient of the Mainichi Publishing Culture Award.
AnimalsGrowing upFamily
Bibliography
- Iyaiya-en (1962)
- The Sky-Colored Seed (1964)
- Guri and Gura (1967)
- The Puppy Roku Came (1979)
- Many other picture books, stories, and essays
Adaptations
- Image songs for My Neighbor Totoro (contributed lyrics)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Concise, lyrical proseDepiction centered on children's perspective
- Recurring Motifs
- Nature and animalsPlay and cooperationSmall discoveries in everyday life
Legacy
An influential postwar children's author whose nursery-teacher background informed many works. Her picture books (notably Guri and Gura) shaped modern Japanese children's literature and influenced creators such as Hayao Miyazaki.
In Popular Culture
- The Guri and Gura series remains a staple of children's culture in Japan and is frequently referenced in commercials and education.
- Also widely known for lyric contributions to the image songs of My Neighbor Totoro.
Trivia
- She wrote lyrics for image songs of My Neighbor Totoro, including "Sanpo."
- There is a mistaken attribution that credits her with writing the children's song "Genkotsuyama no Tanuki-san," but the correct author is Yoshiko Kayama (香山美子).
- She collaborated with her sister, illustrator Yuriko Yamawaki, on many picture books.