Exhibition Report: International Library of Children's Literature "Delicious Children's Books"

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I visited the International Library of Children's Literature in Ueno for the first time to see the exhibition "Delicious Children's Books." I will share my thoughts on the library and the exhibition.

To start with the conclusion, I think it is better to visit for the architecture and history rather than just for the exhibition. The highlights were: 1) the architecture by Tadao Ando, where old and new are beautifully fused, 2) the interesting exhibition that curated children's books from around the world by theme, and 3) the spacious area for reading aloud with children. I think it is suitable not only for children but also for those who love architecture or for a date in Ueno.

▶︎ Reason for visiting

The reason I visited the International Library of Children's Literature was: 1) I became interested in the library when I researched Tadao Ando's architecture in the past, and 2) I learned about "Delicious Children's Books" when checking the exhibition schedule, and thought it would be the perfect place for an outing with children.

▶︎ Access

The International Library of Children's Literature is about a 10-minute walk from Ueno Station. Speaking of Ueno, there are the National Museum of Western Art, the National Museum of Nature and Science, the Tokyo National Museum, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and more. However, fewer people might venture out to the University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, or the International Library of Children's Literature, which are a bit further away.

The International Library of Children's Literature is open to everyone for free entry and use.

Address: 12-49 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo

▶︎ What is the International Library of Children's Literature?

The International Library of Children's Literature is a branch of the National Diet Library. It was established in 2000 as Japan's first national library specializing in children's books. It collects, preserves, and provides access to children's books from Japan and abroad.

In the 1980s, the government considered expanding the National Diet Library due to an increase in its collection. Against the backdrop of children moving away from reading at the time, the policy for the Ueno branch library was adjusted. In 1999, the National Diet Library Law was amended, and the establishment of the International Library of Children's Literature was decided.

The building was designed by Tadao Ando Architect & Associates and Nikken Sekkei, and renovated by Konoike Construction, while utilizing the former Imperial Library building constructed in 1906. It partially opened in 2000, fully opened in 2002, and the Arch Building was newly constructed in 2015.

What is interesting about this building is that it preserves the exterior and interior as much as possible of the former Imperial Library. While keeping the old exterior, they have installed a "glass box" and a "glass curtain wall" on the outside. For the floors, they kept the original flooring and installed a new floor several centimeters above it, running air conditioning and lighting between the old and new floors.

The library also holds guided tours of the architecture several times a week. Even if you don't use the library, I think it's an enjoyable facility for those who love architecture.

For those with children, rooms where you can read children's books aloud, such as the "Children's Room" and the "Room for Learning about the World," are recommended.

I felt that Tadao Ando's method of covering with glass was similar to the Langen Foundation (2004) in Germany and others.

You can take photos of the exterior, hallways, and stairs, but photography is not allowed in areas such as where books are read. Detailed photos are introduced on the International Library of Children's Literature website.

Tadao Ando is developing "Children's Book Forest" locations in Osaka, Iwate, Kobe, Hokkaido, and even overseas (planned), with the concept of "creating a sacred place for 'stories' that values the honest eyes and sensibilities of children" (Children's Book Forest).

Reading became a habit for me around my fourth year of university, and now I read 120–150 books a year, reaching a cumulative total of 2,038 books as far as I have recorded. I believe that by reading actively, one can broaden their wisdom and insight for living. I feel that providing reading opportunities to children is just as significant as Tadao Ando does.

At the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art and the "Children's Book Forest," both designed by Tadao Ando, there is a green apple sculpture over two meters tall. Tadao Ando explains its meaning: "It is better for both people and countries to remain green. Once you ripen, it's the end. Keep running while you are still in your youth. With resolve and hope."

Placing a green apple sculpture at the International Library of Children's Literature would, I thought, convey the significance of reading and help attract visitors as a photo spot.

▶︎ Impressions of "Delicious Children's Books"

On the third floor of the International Library of Children's Literature, there is a "Book Museum." It seems they hold exhibitions several times a year. With plaster decorations on the ceilings and walls, and red bricks that can only be seen inside the building, it is also full of architectural highlights (photography is prohibited).

Inside the exhibition room, there are two cylindrical "exhibition towers." Children's books are displayed on the inside and outside of those towers. The route is easy to understand, and there were no collisions between visitors.

In this exhibition, taking advantage of the themes of "autumn appetite" and "autumn reading," 235 children's books from 57 countries are on display with "food" as the theme. An exhibition consisting only of books is rare, so it was interesting.

Among clothing, food, and housing, "food" is particularly universal worldwide, and it is frequently featured in children's books. Even when we say "food," the perspectives are diverse, including shopping, drinks, kitchens, recipes, dining tables, excretion, and so on.

There were many children's books I knew. The Komatta-san series, The Enormous Turnip, First Errand, Karasu no Panya-san, The Very Hungry Caterpillar... When I categorized them by "food," I realized again, "Oh, this and that were all children's books about 'food.' For infants and children, food is the most familiar and important thing."

Unlike typical art museums, the target audience for visitors includes children, so the atmosphere allowed for talking at a certain volume. "I've seen this before," "What kind of book is this?"—conversations between parents and children were springing up everywhere.

I felt that it would be better to communicate carefully with children through "food," not just books. When eating while watching TV, there are times when we finish eating with very little conversation about the food. It is said that "distracted eating" affects the development of the sense of taste. There is much for children to learn from "food", isn't there.

Also, because children's books from all over the world are on display, it was clear that the International Library of Children's Literature is conducting research on children's books from around the world. The Arch Building is primarily a research facility. I wonder how exactly they research children's books and how those results are utilized. I thought it would be nice to have exhibits inside the building that cover those points as well.

▶︎Summary

What did you think? I felt that rather than just going to see the exhibition, it is more fun to visit while also considering the building and its history. Recommended points are: 1) the fusion of the 1906 architecture and Tadao Ando's architecture, 2) a rare exhibition featuring children's books from around the world, and 3) a space for reading aloud to children. I thought it was suitable not only for those with children but also for architecture lovers and for dates.

▶︎Today's Library Meals

▶︎Bonus ("Kodomo" in various Japanese spellings)

The spellings for "child" (kodomo) vary, such as in "International Library of Children's Literature" and "Kodomo no Mori." The reporter's handbook lists both "kodomo" (kanji) and "kodomo" (hiragana/kanji mix) and states that either is acceptable.

May 5th, "Children's Day," uses the hiragana spelling. It seems there are various reasons for this: some feel that the kanji version is "too stiff with only kanji" or that the kanji for 'tomo' (companion) gives the impression of being subordinate to adults, while others feel that the mixed kanji and hiragana version "doesn't feel quite right." I often find myself noticing these variations in writing.