Chihiro Iwasaki (1918–1974)

Chihiro Iwasaki was born in Takefu (currently Echizen-shi), Fukui Prefecture and raised in Tokyo. She graduated from Tokyo Prefectural Sixth Girls' High School. She studied calligraphy of the Fujiwara Kozei School, and art under Saburosuke Okada, Tai Nakatani, and Toshi Maruki. In 1946, Chihiro joined the Japan Communist Party. In 1950, she published a set of illustrated “paper-theater” storytelling panels called Okasan no Hanashi (The Story of a Mother) and was awarded the Minister of Education Prize. In 1956, she received the Juvenile Culture Award of the Shogakukan Publishing Co. In 1961, she won a Sankei Children's Books and Culture Award. In 1973, Kotori no Kuru Hi (The Pretty Bird), published by Shiko-sha, won the Graphic Prize Fiera di Bologna. In 1974, Chihiro died of liver cancer at the age of 55.