Japan Children’s Literature Association Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 61 (2021) award
Susumu Yamaguchi
やまぐち すすむ
Yamaguchi Susumu
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1948-02-23 （Mie Prefecture, Japan）
- Died
- 2022-12-23 （Hokuto, Yamanashi, Japan） age 74
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Mie Prefecture (birthplace) → Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture (grew up through high school) → Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture (later life)
Career
- Occupations
- Photographer, Nature journalist, Insect photographer
- Active Years
- 1976-2022
- Affiliations
- Nature Photographers Association (Japan), Japanese Lepidopterological Society (member)
- Memberships
- Nature Photographers Association (member), Japanese Lepidopterological Society (member)
- Influenced By
- Kei Kuribayashi
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oita University | Faculty of Economics | Mathematics (within Faculty of Economics) | 学士 | — | Japan |
Oita University
Faculty of Economics
/ Mathematics (within Faculty of Economics)
Degree:
学士
Country:
Japan
Majored in mathematics while at Oita University. Graduation year not specified in available sources.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Esaki Award | Goreichofu: Symbiosis of Lycaenid Butterflies and Ants | — | The Lepidopterological Society of Japan | 受賞 |
| 2021 | Japan Children's Literature Association Award (61st) | Connecting Manyo and Reiwa: The Red Dragonfly | — | Japan Children's Literature Association | 受賞 |
Esaki Award
2001
Work:
Goreichofu: Symbiosis of Lycaenid Butterflies and Ants
Organization:
The Lepidopterological Society of Japan
Result:
受賞
Japan Children's Literature Association Award (61st)
2021
Work:
Connecting Manyo and Reiwa: The Red Dragonfly
Organization:
Japan Children's Literature Association
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Goreichofu: Symbiosis of Lycaenid Butterflies and Ants
1988 Photobook (nature / insects)A photobook focused on lycaenid butterflies, produced over 13 years. Yamaguchi handled much of the layout and text; the work received acclaim from specialists and enthusiasts.
Symbiosis of flowers and insectsAlpine insectsEcological photography
Connecting Manyo and Reiwa: The Red Dragonfly
2020 Non-fiction (nature)A nature non-fiction work using the red dragonfly as a lens to connect Japan's nature and culture. Recipient of the Japan Children's Literature Association Award.
Ecology and cultural connectionsLocal nature conservation
All-Color Edition: Curious Insects
2017 Photographic guideA book showcasing diverse and unusual insects with abundant color photographs, explaining their ecology and traits with a focus on images.
Insect diversityEducation and outreach
Bibliography
- Goreichofu: Symbiosis of Lycaenid Butterflies and Ants
- The Giant Stag Beetle Raised by Rice
- Life-size Giant Insect Exploration Illustrated Book
- Around the Earth 200 Times! Mysterious Plant Exploration
- World Stag Beetle Expedition: In Search of the Darwin Beetle
- The Rhinoceros Beetle Returns to the Mountain
- All-Color Edition: Curious Insects
- Connecting Manyo and Reiwa: The Red Dragonfly
- Exciting Insect Notes: The Beloved Insects (photography)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Realistic, detail-oriented nature photographyAccessible explanations aimed at education and outreach
- Recurring Motifs
- Symbiosis of flowers and insectsDocumentation of diverse habitats such as alpine and jungleClose-up depiction of ecological behavior
Health
-
Hepatic encephalopathy2022年12月（死去時）Hospitalized with hepatic encephalopathy and died on 23 December 2022.
Legacy
Best known for photographing the covers of the Japonica school notebooks for over 40 years, he promoted messages of nature conservation through his insect and plant photography. He was recognized across specialist and children's publications as an influential nature photographer.
Academic Societies
- Japanese Lepidopterological Society
- The Lepidopterological Society of Japan
Archives
- Held in the National Diet Library (works)
- Registered in major bibliographic databases (CiNii, WorldCat, etc.)
In Popular Culture
- Japonica notebook cover photos (staple of school supplies)
- Contributions and appearances to nature programs such as NHK's 'Darwin Came!'
Quotes
-
Live with nature
Source: Personal motto (stated in interviews)
Trivia
- Photographed more than 1,200 covers for Japonica notebooks over roughly 40 years.
- Worked as a systems engineer at Fujitsu before leaving to study photography independently.
- At times modified his own camera equipment to achieve macro photography results.