Suekichi Akaba
(Japan), 1910-1990
Born in the Kanda district of Tokyo, Japan. In 1932, he emigrated to northeast China, where he worked in the transportation industry and at a telegraph and telephone company while pursuing his love of painting as a self-taught artist. Akaba repeatedly submitted his artwork to the prestigious Manchurian National Art Exhibition, earning special recognition for his paintings at three of these annual competitions. Following his return to Japan in 1947, he worked for the Civil Information and Educational Section of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers from 1948 until 1952, then in the United States Information Service of the American Embassy in Tokyo, where he remained on staff until 1969. In 1959, he received the Takeshi Motai Award of the Japan Association of Illustrations for Children for his work “Minwa Byobu” (Folktale Folding Screens). In 1961, at the age of 50, Akaba illustrated his first picture book, Kasa Jizo (Roku-Jizo and the Braided Hats). He received the Sankei Children’s Book Award for Momotaro (Momotaro the Peach Boy) and for Shiroi Ryu Kuroi Ryu (The White Dragon and the Black Dragon) in 1965, and again for Suho no Shiroi Uma (Suho and the White Horse) in 1968, and the Brooklyn Museum Picture Book Award in 1975. In 1980, he was presented the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration for his lifelong contributions to children’s books.
From (Oniroku and the Carpenter) (cropped)
From (Oniroku and the Carpenter) (cropped)
Cover illustration for (Roku-Jizo and the Braided Hats)
From (Crane Wife)
From (Crane Wife)
From (Suho and the White Horse)
From (Suho and the White Horse)
From (Stars from the Dragons’ Tusks)
From (Stars from the Dragons’ Tusks)
From (The Fourth Day of the Narcissus Month)
From (The Fourth Day of the Narcissus Month)
From (Fly Away Birdies!)
From (Fly Away Birdies!)
From (The Ogre’s Arm)
From (The Ogre’s Arm)
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