The World of Picture Books That Connect Forever - Kaisei-sha Children's Book Exhibition - Jun Okada Lecture - Kobe Fashion Museum

I went to the "World of Picture Books That Connect Forever: Kaisei-sha Children's Book Exhibition" currently being held at the Kobe Fashion Museum, as well as the related lecture event.

The lecturer, Mr. Jun Okada, is a children's literature author and was also my art teacher in elementary school. I had wanted to meet him someday ever since I read an essay he wrote years ago about events that occurred at the elementary school where he was assigned, so I was very much looking forward to this lecture.

The theme of the lecture was "How to Create Stories." Since I had only read his works when I was a child, I decided to purchase and read two books, "Amayadori wa Suberidai no Shita de" (Taking Shelter from the Rain Under the Slide) and "Nifunkan no Bouken" (The Two-Minute Adventure), before attending.

Recently, even when I read, I often just follow the text without the content really sinking in, so I usually read in small chunks. However, as soon as I started reading these, I was drawn into the world of the stories. In particular, his masterpiece "The Two-Minute Adventure" had many scenes that made me think about the words and actions of the children, and I finished it in one sitting.

The venue was filled with people of all ages, from elementary school students to seniors. As soon as he took the stage, Mr. Okada began talking about how he became an author and about the books he has published so far.

I had seen photos of him on social media, but it had been about 40 years since I last saw him in person. My heart was full of nostalgia and I was dazed for a while, but since this was a rare opportunity, I hurriedly took out my pen and notebook to write down the content.

His stories about which real-life events at school or in his personal life led to which works were very interesting, and I was surprised to hear that he himself appears in "Gakkou Usagi o Tsukamaero" (Catch the School Rabbit).

He also showed us plots written densely in his notebooks and talked about his thoughts on the protagonists' names and his interactions with the publishers. It was a very fun and meaningful time to be able to learn about the process of completing a work from various angles.

There was an autograph session after the lecture. Mr. Okada listened slowly to each person's story and responded politely. When I told him which elementary school I attended and the year I graduated, he was very surprised and happy.

Finally, when he said to me, "Well then, take care," I felt that he was still the same "teacher" he had always been, and I almost burst into tears. It was a short time between the autograph and the photo, but I was able to talk to him, and I really felt glad that I came.

The book I had him sign is called "Yoru no Shougakkou de" (At the Elementary School at Night). The cover and illustrations are wonderful, and I fell in love with it at first sight in the museum shop. It is also unique that the protagonist is a security guard, and I am looking forward to seeing what kind of story unfolds. I want to read it slowly while savoring the teacher's worldview and remembering this lecture.

It was unfortunately raining outside, but since it was a Sunday, the Kaisei-sha exhibition was bustling with families. At the photo spot, the interactions between parents wanting to take pictures and children engrossed in the exhibits were very heartwarming.

I remembered that my son, who is now 20, also loved the Ping-Pong Bus series and used to read it over and over again every single day.

The flow of time: when I was a child, when my son was a child, and the children of today. The relationship between parent and child, and the connection with a teacher. I felt that the words "connect forever" in the title contained many different meanings. It was a wonderful exhibition that gave me a chance to once again be grateful for every single encounter.

"The World of Picture Books That Connect Forever
- Kaisei-sha Children's Book Exhibition -"
June 20, 2026 (Sat) - August 30, 2026 (Sun)
Kobe Fashion Museum
2-9-1 Koyo-cho Naka, Higashinada-ku, Kobe