Kawasaki City Museum will be holding an exhibition of the late picture book author Kako Satoshi's "Kako Satoshi's Secrets - Let's Go Searching with Daruma-chan" from July 7th to September 9th.

"Daruma-chan and Kaminari-chan" published by Fukuinkan Shoten
Illustrations ©Kako Research Institute Ltd.
Kako Satoshi, a picture book author known for works such as "Daruma-chan and Tengu-chan" and "The Crow's Bakery," made his debut in 1959 with "The Uncles of the Drums" and has continued to publish a wide range of works, including narrative and science picture books, for over half a century.
The origins of his creativity lie in the "settlement activities" that took place in the 1950s in Furuichiba, Saiwai Ward, Kawasaki City, a welfare initiative aimed at improving the lives of local residents. During his settlement activities, Kako Satoshi not only taught creative writing to the children of Kawasaki, but also created his own picture-story shows and slideshows, which he read to the children. These experiences served as a major inspiration for his subsequent artistic endeavors.
"The Crow's Bakery" Kaiseisha Publishing
©1973,Satoshi KAKO

This exhibition, featuring over 200 works, primarily sketches, preliminary drawings, and reproductions of original artwork, is the largest ever to feature Satoshi Kako. This exhibition provides an overview of Satoshi Kako's long career and uncovers the secrets of his creation. It features scenes from his signature "Daruma-chan" series, a scene from "The Crow's Bakery," and scenes from science picture books such as "The Thieves' School," "The River," and "The Food Journey." The exhibition also focuses on scenes that embody the underlying keywords of his work: "seeing," "knowing," "learning," and "eating." It also explores his settlement activities in Kawasaki, the birthplace of his work. Photo panels and other materials showcase his childhood in Takefu, Fukui, and Itabashi, Tokyo, as well as his time at the Imperial University, and his activities at the University of Tokyo Settlement Center in Furuichiba, Saiwai Ward, Kawasaki City, which could be considered the origin of his creativity. It also displays drawings by children in Kawasaki, sketches he made with them, and works exhibited at the Independent Exhibition. This exhibition will present Satoshi Kako's world of work, which blossomed from his encounters with the children of Kawasaki, to children of the future.

"Thief School" Published by Kaiseisha
©1973,Satoshi KAKO

Many related events will also be held. On July 28th, there will be a "Light Food Workshop" where participants will conduct experiments on the light food featured in the picture book "The Story of the Sun and Light Food," created primarily by Kako Satoshi and scientist Fujishima Akira. On August 5th, there will be "Let's Dance the Daruma-chan Ondo!", where participants will dance together to the amusing movements of "Daruma-chan Ondo," a song created by Kako Satoshi. On August 11th, there will be "A Story of Management with 'The Crow's Bakery'," where parents and children will learn about management using the picture book "The Crow's Bakery." On August 25th, there will be a story orienteering event called "The Crow's Bakery Errand Mission!", where participants will play out the story from the picture book. Other gallery tours include the "Stroller Tour," where a curator provides commentary on the exhibits and volunteer staff assist so that strollers can safely view the exhibits; the "Interactive Viewing Tour," where participants can chat with a guide about the exhibits while carefully viewing the exhibits; and the "Night at the Museum! Gallery Talk by the Curator," which provides exhibit commentary for adults on nighttime opening days. The "Kako Satoshi Magic Lantern Screening" on August 19th will screen a magic lantern created by Kako Satoshi in the 1950s as part of his activities with the Kawasaki Settlement. This is a rare opportunity to view works that have not yet been made into picture books. Please note that some events require advance registration. For more information and to apply, please visit the museum's website (https://www.kawasaki-museum.jp/exhibition/12037/).

Kako Satoshi, photographed in 2015
In addition, during the exhibition, a corner called "Always, Always, Kako Satoshi" will be set up to commemorate and express gratitude to Kako Satoshi, who passed away on May 2nd of this year at the age of 92. Admission is free and anyone can visit during opening hours. Visitors can write a message to Kako Satoshi and watch archival footage of Kako Satoshi filmed in 2017.

This exhibition, which has unintentionally taken the form of a retrospective and is being held as a token of sympathy, is a great way to reconnect with Kako Satoshi's thoughts through his many works.