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Fumi Okabe

おかべ ふみ

Okabe Fumi

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
Oguni, Yamagata, Japan
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese, English
Residence History
Oguni, Yamagata, Japan → Tokyo, Japan → United States (North Carolina)

Career

Occupations
translator, food culture researcher, children's literature writer, tanka poet
Active Years
1974-
Affiliations
To (Tanka) Association
Memberships
To (Tanka) Association

Education

Japan Women's University
Faculty of Literature / Department of History
Degree: Bachelor
Period: 1970s
Year of Graduation: 1974
Country: Japan
University of North Carolina (studied)
Period: 在米期間（夫の渡米に伴う留学）
Country: United States
Studied while living in the U.S. due to spouse's relocation

Awards

Kenbuchi Picture Book Village Award (3rd)
1993
Work: The Witch Book (translation)
Organization: Kenbuchi Town Picture Book Museum
Result: Winner
Kadokawa Tanka Award (candidate)
1999
Work: Hoshi no Kai / Suna no Kai
Organization: Kadokawa
Result: Nominated
Kadokawa Tanka Award (candidate)
2000
Work: Wind Blowing Over the Plateau
Organization: Kadokawa
Result: Nominated

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Witch Book

1992 Children's picture book

A picture book by Malcolm Bird depicting the stylish, slightly mischievous life and hobbies of witches. Translated into Japanese by Fumi Okabe.

female protagonistshumorfashion

Barefoot Ballerina

1989 Children's literature (translation)

A translated children's book, published as Okabe's first translation.

growthdreams

Two Heavy Beads: A Sickness Diary

2015 tanka diary / essay

A tanka diary combining poems and essays that records Okabe's experience battling endometrial cancer, expressing her feelings concisely.

illnesslife recordtanka poetry

Good Old American Sweets

2004 food culture / non-fiction

A study introducing traditional American sweets and their cultural history.

food culturehistory

Bibliography

  • Mayu's Princess Training (1990)
  • 17-Character Heartbeat Puzzles (1990)
  • Barefoot Ballerina (translation, 1989)
  • The Witch Book (translation, 1992)
  • Good Old American Sweets (2004)
  • Two Heavy Beads: A Sickness Diary (2015)
  • Songs of Regional Sweets: A Cultural History of Confections (2017)
  • A Journey Around Sugar: Chasing the White Madness (2022)
  • Cotton Dream (tanka collection, 1988)
  • Cosmic Egg (tanka collection, 1991)
  • Sheep of Dattan (tanka collection, 2002)
  • Amber of the Sea (tanka collection, 2022)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
concise, realistic tanka-based expressionplain, narrative-focused Japanese localization in children's translations
Recurring Motifs
food and sweetsgirl- and woman-centered perspectivesdetails of everyday lifeillness and recovery

Health

  • endometrial cancer
    2009〜
    Diagnosed in 2009; underwent surgery and treatment. Developed lymphedema after lymph node removal and later published a tanka diary about the experience.
  • lymphedema
    術後（2009年以降）
    Affected daily life and required treatment/surgery.

Legacy

As a translator of children's literature, she introduced stories that inspire girls; she has multifaceted achievements in food culture research and tanka poetry. Her illness diary demonstrated how tanka can support patients emotionally.

Academic Societies

  • To (Tanka) Association

Trivia

  • Her translated book '魔女図鑑' (The Witch Book) reportedly sold around 200,000 copies (source cited).
  • VIAF id: 255063111
  • NDL id: 00186696
  • Maintains a personal blog titled 'Fumi Okabe's Strange Days'.