Events
Japan Prize 2022 Events and Awards Ceremony
4:00P.M. – 5:00P.M.
Conversation with Yoshitake Shinsuke
The widely loved children’s book author Yoshitake Shinsuke, whose honors have included the New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books Award and Bologna Ragazzi Award, spoke in this talk session about the source of his creation.
In 2020, when everybody faced new restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Yoshitake set children a rather unusual piece of homework on the NHK program, Awesome Homework. That program was the second runner-up in the Primary Division of the 2021 Japan Prize.
Yoshitake’s assignment for the children was to draw a picture of a secret only they knew about and throw it out without showing it to anybody. He spoke in the session about the freedom and importance for the child of having such secrets. From the audience, Yoshitake was asked about the dangers of children keeping secrets from their parents. Yoshitake’s reply was that possessing secrets is surely a part of what it is to be human. He said children need to experience, from an early age, the process of deciding which secrets to keep and which ones to share. A child in the audience also wanted to know how to learn to draw such wonderful illustrations. It all made for a rich and fulfilling session.
- Moderator
Abe Michiko
NHK Announcer
Japan
Abe joined NHK in 2000. She currently hosts “100 Pun de Meicho [A 100-minute introduction to a literary masterpiece]” on the NHK Educational TV channel and various other programs. A book lover since childhood, even now she makes time for reading every day. Yoshitake Shinsuke’s books are some of her favorites, and she has read and laughed over them with her children countless times.
- Speaker
Yoshitake Shinsuke
Picture Book Author
Japan
Author and illustrator of children’s picture books. Born 1973 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Completed Plastic Arts & Mixed Media course, School of Art & Design, University of Tsukuba.
In 2013, published his first picture book, “It Might Be an Apple”, which was followed by numerous others, including “I Can Explain” and “If You’re Too Hot Just Take That Off”, as well as a collection of sketches, “Delicacy Gymnastics”, and an essay, “Omowazu Kangaechau [Thinking, thinking, thinking]”. Has won numerous awards, including the MOE Picture Book Shop Award, the Arts Prize of the Sankei Children’s Book Award, the Shimpu Prize, the New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book Award and the Bologna Ragazzi Award. Many of his works have been translated into other languages.
Recently published “Annani Annani [It’s like that]” and “Kami wa Konnani Kucha-kucha dakedo [My hair is all messed up]”. Father of two children.