Exhibition of Wakiko Sato’s Works at Kobe Fashion Museum: Over 200 Original Drawings

　A special exhibition, “Hoshi wo Mitsume Omoide Satou Wakiko Exhibition,” is currently being held at the Kobe Fashion Museum (Naka 2, Koyo-cho, Higashinada-ku, Kobe City).

From Satou’s picture book “Otsukai

　Wakiko Sato, who passed away on March 28, 2024, at the age of 89, was a picture book author who had been at the forefront of picture book writing since the days when there were not many female picture book authors, publishing over 100 books in her 60 years of activity. She was a sickly child who played alone, but later began to draw seriously when she was praised for her pictures. When her father, whom she loved, died when she was 10 years old, she saw her mother taking care of the family on her own and prepared herself to live as an independent woman. Ms. Satou continued to paint until the day before she passed away.

　The exhibition features approximately 210 original drawings of her picture books, including the “Grandma Grandma” series, one of her best-known works. The exhibition will also feature a video showing the steady production process of Satou, who finished all of his works by hand.

　Maiko Kameyama, curator of the museum, commented, “Wakiko Sato’s books have a charm that makes viewers smile, combining the clear gaze of a child with the humor of an adult’s heart. I hope you will enjoy the free and rich world of Wakiko Sato.

　The exhibition hours are from 10:00 to 18:00. Admission is ¥1,000 for adults, ¥500 for university students and those 65 and older outside of Kobe City, and free for high school students and younger, and those 65 and older living in Kobe City.