Kobe Fashion Museum Special Exhibition “~Smiling Children All Over Japan

From June 29 to September 1, “The World of Hiroshi Kagakui, the Picture Book Artist Who Made All Children in Japan Smile,” will be held at the Kobe Fashion Museum in Higashinada Ward, Kobe City.

©Hiroshi Kagakui

Hiroshi Kagaiki, author of the “Daruma-san” series of picture books, which sold over 9 million copies in just 15 years after its publication, made his debut as a late-blooming picture book author at the age of 50.

Daruma-san” published by Bronze Shinsha in 2008.

In the meantime, he had been working on picture books for only four years. However, it is not widely known that he was a veteran teacher of special-needs education, and that his picture books, including “Daruma-san,” were the result of his experience in the field of education for children with disabilities.

Dolls handmade by Kagakui / Photo by Yoshinori Kurosawa

In this exhibition, the first retrospective of Kagakui’s work since his death, we will look back on his original picture book drawings and idea notebooks, as well as at precious records of teaching materials and puppet shows he created during his teaching days, and explore the roots of the “Kagakui picture books” that continue to make children all over Japan smile even at this very moment.

Natsu no otosori” (2008) ©Hiroshi Kagakui/PHP Kenkyujo

Kagakui left behind a total of 16 picture books over a period of four years (including posthumous publications). He drew and published his picture books at an astonishing speed, and none of them have gone out of print and are still being read today. The exhibition features original drawings of all 16 picture books. In addition, the exhibition will show all of his unfinished works, including the sequels to “Daruma-san” and “Makura no Sen-nin,” as well as numerous rough sketches and studies.

Original drawing of an early dummy book of “Daruma-san,” 2007 ©Hiroshi Kagakui

In addition, visitors will be able to see animations featuring characters from “Daruma-san” and other “Kagakui picture books” and play with them by moving their bodies together.

During the exhibition period, in addition to the “Special Lecture for the Opening of the Exhibition of the World of Hiroshi Kagakui,” related events such as “Picture Book Reading Session” and “Family Appreciation Time” will be held.

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This exhibition will explore the author’s roots through the picture books of Hiroshi Kagaiki, author of the “Daruma-san” series, which my child has been a part of since he was six months old. I would like to enjoy his works as if I were chewing on them, remembering how we used to laugh and read “Daruma-sama-sanga~~~” together!

Details

Period of the exhibition

Saturday, June 29, 2024 – Sunday, September 1, 2024

Place

Kobe Fashion Museum
(2-9-1 Naka, Koyo-cho, Higashinada-ku, Kobe)
Find it on GoogleMaps

Hours of operation

10:00-18:00 (Admission until 17:30)

Admission

Adults 1000 yen, University students 500 yen, High school students and younger free

Related Events

Click here for details

• ～The World of Hiroshi Kagaiki: The Picture Book Artist Who Made Children All Over Japan Smile – Official Website https://kagakuihiroshi.com/
• Kobe Fashion Museum official website https://www.fashionmuseum.jp/