Rieko Nakagawa

Rieko Nakagawa
Native name 中川李枝子
Born 大村李枝子 (Rieko Ōmura)
(1935-09-29) September 29, 1935
Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
Occupation writer
Language Japanese
Nationality Japan
Ethnicity Japanese
Citizenship Japan
Alma mater Tokyo Metropolitan High School Nursery School Academy
Period 1962–present
Genre Children's literature, essays
Notable works

Rieko Nakagawa (中川李枝子 Nakagawa Rieko, born September 29, 1935, in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese children's literature writer and lyricist. Her first work, Iyayaen, was published in 1962, and she has published over 30 books since then. She has won multiple awards for her works, including the Kikuchi Kan Prize.

She wrote the lyrics for the opening theme song for the 1988 Studio Ghibli film My Neighbor Totoro as well as to another song used in the film. She has written the lyrics for over 20 other songs, including "Yūki" sung by Mana Ashida for the 81st NHK All Japan School Singing Competition.

Personal life

Rieko Ōmura (大村李枝子 Ōmura Rieko) was born September 29, 1935, in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.[1][2] When she was four years old, her family moved in with her grandfather in Tokyo, where she lived until she was in the third year of grade school. Her family then moved back to Sapporo for a short time before being evacuated at the end of World War II. Her father was transferred to Fukushima, where she lived until moving back to Tokyo during her second year of high school. She graduated from the Tokyo Metropolitan High School Nursery School Academy (東京都立高等保母学院 Tōkyō Toritsu Kōtō Hobo Gakuin)[3][n 1]

Professional life

While working as a nursery school worker, she wrote No-No Academy (いやいやえん Iyaiyaen). In 1962, this book won the Minister of Health and Welfare Award (厚生大臣賞 Kōsei Daijin Shō), the Sankei Juvenile Publications Culture Award (産経児童出版文化賞 Sankei Jidō Shuppan Bunkashō), the Noma Juvenile Cultural Arts Recommended Work Prize (野間児童文芸推奨作品賞 Noma Jidō Bungei Suishō Sakuhin Shō) and the NHK Juvenile Literature Honorable Mention (NHK児童文学奨励賞 NHK Jidō Bungaku Shōreishō).[1][3] Her 1980 book, Rock the Puppy Is Here (子犬のロクがやってきた Koinu no Roku ga Yattekita) was awarded the Mainichi Publishing Culture Award (毎日出版文化賞 Mainichi Shuppan Bunkashō).[1]

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature awarded the Kikuchi Kan Prize jointly with Yuriko Yamawaki for their children's book series Guri and Gura.[4] Nakagawa and Yamawaki have collaborated on many projects since that time, including on additional volumes in the Guri and Gura series, as well as works like Sora Iro no Tane and The Peach-Colored Giraffe (ももいろのきりん Momo Iro no Kirin).

Nakagawa has written a number of essays. She also wrote lyrics for multiple songs for the 1988 Studio Ghibli film My Neighbor Totoro, including Sanpo and Maigo. She wrote the lyrics for the song "Yūki" (ゆうき, lit. "Courage") sung by Mana Ashida, which was released as a single with "Fight!!" (ふぁいと!! Faito!!) in 2014.[5] "Yūki" was the theme song for the 81st NHK All Japan School Singing Competition in the elementary school group.[6]

Works

Children's books

Guri and Gura series

This series has been published since 1967 by Fukuinkan Shoten. All of the books are illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki, though the first book is credited to Yuriko Ōmura (her maiden name). Several of these titles have been released in English, Korean, and other languages.[7]

  1. Guri and Gura (1967)
  2. Guri and Gura's Surprise Visitor (1967)
  3. Guri and Gura's Seaside Adventure (1977, serialized in Kodomo no Tomo)
  4. Guri and Gura's Picnic Adventure (1983, serialized in Kodomo no Tomo)
  5. Guri and Gura's Magical Friend (1992, serialized in Kodomo no Tomo)
  6. Guri and Gura's Playtime Book of Seasons (1997)
  7. Guri and Gura's A-I-U-E-O (2002)
  8. Guri and Gura's Spring Cleaning (2002)
  9. Guri and Gura's Songs of the Seasons (2003)
  10. Guri and Gura's Special Gift (2003, serialized in Kodomo no Tomo)
  11. Guri and Gura's 1-2-3 (2004)
  12. Guri and Gura's Good Luck Charm (2009)

Other works

Sources:[14]

Essays

Lyrics

Notes

  1. ↑ The school name was later changed to Tokyo Metropolitan High School Preschool Academy (東京都立高等保育学院 Tōkyō Toritsu Kōtō Hoiku Gakuin), which closed in 2013. (See "卒業証明書等の発行（東京都高等保育学院及び東京都社会事業学校を卒業された方へ）" [Issuing of Diplomas and Similar Documents (for those who graduated from Tokyo Metropolitan High School Nursery School Academy and Tokyo Metropolitan Social Work School)] (in Japanese). Tokyo Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.)

References

  1. 1 2 3 "ぐりとぐら 作者紹介中川李枝子・山脇百合子" [Guri and Gura - Author Introductions: Rieko Ōmura and Yuriko Yamawaki] (in Japanese). Fukuinkan Shoten. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  2. ↑ "9月29日生まれの著名人" [Prominent figures born on September 29] (in Japanese). Rakuten. June 12, 2011. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "中川李枝子" [Rieko Nakagawa] (in Japanese). Shinchosha. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  4. ↑ "菊池賞受賞者一覧 (List 4)" [Kikuchi Prize Recipient List (List 4)] (in Japanese). Bungeishunjū. October 2015. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  5. ↑ "ゆうきの歌詞" ["Yūki" lyrics] (in Japanese). Oricon Style. August 6, 2014. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "芦田愛菜、"Nコン"に感化…「失敗をおそれず、前を向こうと思った」" [Mana Ashida, N-Com's Inspiration..."Without Fear of Failure, I Decided to Look Forward"] (in Japanese). Oricon Style. March 28, 2014. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  7. ↑ Treyvaud, Matt (August 1, 2015). "How 'Guri and Gura' became the most famous mice in Japan". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on August 7, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  8. ↑ "The Sky-Colored Seed". Nausicaa.net. December 6, 2011. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  9. ↑ "おばあさんぐまと" [With the Grandma Bear] (in Japanese). National Diet Library. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  10. ↑ "こぎつねコンチとおかあさん" [Young Fox Konchi and Mother] (in Japanese). National Diet Library. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  11. ↑ "子犬のロクがやってきた" [The Puppy Roku Has Come] (in Japanese). National Diet Library. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  12. ↑ "とらたとヨット" [Torata and the Yacht]. Fukuinkan Shoten. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  13. ↑ "おてがみ" [The Letter]. National Diet Library. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  14. ↑ "中川, 李枝子, 1935-" [Nakagawa, Rieko, 1935-]. National Diet Library. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  15. ↑ "My Neighbor Totoro (credits)". Nausicaa.net. March 19, 2010. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
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