Rieko Nakagawa facts for kids

Rieko Nakagawa (中川李枝子, Nakagawa Rieko, September 29, 1935 – October 14, 2024) was a Japanese children's literature writer and lyricist. Her first work, Iyayaen, was published in 1962, and she published over 30 books since then. She had won multiple awards for her works, including the Kikuchi Kan Prize.

Nakagawa 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 wrote 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. 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)

Nakagawa died on October 14, 2024, at the age of 89.

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). 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).

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature awarded the Kikuchi Kan Prize jointly with her younger sister Yuriko Yamawaki for their children's book series Guri and Gura. 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 wrote 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. "Yūki" was the theme song for the 81st NHK All Japan School Singing Competition in the elementary school group.

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.

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

• Iyaiyaen (いやいやえん) (1962, ISBN: 4834000109, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Ōmura)
• Kaeru no Eruta (かえるのエルタ) (1964, ISBN: 4834000303, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Ōmura)
• Sora Iro no Tane (1964, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Ōmura)
• Momo Iro no Kirin (ももいろのきりん) (1965, ISBN: 4834000443, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Sōya Nakagawa)
• Raion Midori no Nichiyoubi (らいおんみどりの日ようび) (1969, ISBN: 4834001865, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Hajimete no Yuki (はじめてのゆき) (1970, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Sōya Nakagawa)
• Obaa-san Guma to (おばあさんぐまと) (1970, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Sōya Nakagawa)
• Kaburi-chan (ガブリちゃん) (1971, ISBN: 4834011461, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Sōya Nakagawa)
• Kujiragumo (くじらぐも) (1971, ISBN: 4186370036, Mitsumura Tosho Shuppan, Japanese language manual for 1st year elementary students)
• Tanta no Tanken (たんたのたんけん) (1971, ISBN: 4051046087, Gakken, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Kodanuki 6-piki (こだぬき6ぴき) (1972, ISBN: 4001105624, Iwanami Shoten, illustrated by Sōya Nakagawa)
• Kogitsune Konchi to Okaa-san (こぎつねコンチとおかあさん) (1971, Kodansha)
• Tanta no Tantei (たんたのたんてい) (1975, ISBN: 405104615X, Gakken, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Ohisama ha Harappa (おひさまはらっぱ) (1977, ISBN: 4834005461, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Mori Obake (森おばけ) (1978, ISBN: 4834007340, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Koinu no Roku ga Yattekita (子犬のロクがやってきた) (1979, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Sōya Nakagawa)
• Torata to Maruta (とらたとまるた) (1982, ISBN: 4834009025, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Sōya Nakagawa)
• Wanwan-mura no Ohanashi (わんわん村のおはなし) (1986, ISBN: 4834004643, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Mitsuko no Kobuta (三つ子のこぶた) (1986, ISBN: 4931129307, Nora Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Ohayō (おはよう) (1986, ISBN: 4906195377, Guranmamasha, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Oyasumi (おやすみ) (1986, ISBN: 4906195385, Guranmamasha, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Kenta - Usagi (けんた・うさぎ) (1986, ISBN: 4931129315, Nora Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Nazonazo Ehon (なぞなぞえほん) (1988, ISBN: 4834007413, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Ohisama Onegai Chichinpui (おひさまおねがいチチンプイ) (1991, ISBN: 4834005089, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Takataka-yama no Taka-chan (たかたか山のたかちゃん) (1992, ISBN: 4931129331, Nora Shoten, illustrated by Kakuta Nakagawa)
• Torata to Ōyuki (とらたとおおゆき) (1993, ISBN: 4834011909, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Sōya Nakagawa)
• Takara Sagashi (たからさがし) (1994, ISBN: 483401231X, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Ōmura)
• Kuma-san Kuma-san (くまさんくまさん) (1995, ISBN: 4834012999, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Torata to Yotto (とらたとヨット) (1995, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Sōya Nakagawa)
• Hanehane Hane-chan (はねはね はねちゃん) (1998, ISBN: 4834015335, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Otegami (おてがみ) (1998, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Sōya Nakagawa)
• Kobuta Hoikuen (こぶたほいくえん) (2001, ISBN: 4834017397, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Kuma no Kokumakichi (くまのこくまきち) (2001, ISBN: 489325491X, Child Honsha, illustrated by Kōzō Kakimoto)
• Chiisai Michiko-chan (ちいさいみちこちゃん) (2006, ISBN: 4834021629, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki, a selection of Kodomo no Tomo)
• Nekotora-kun (ねことらくん) (2006, ISBN: 4834022382, Fukuinkan Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki, a best selection of Kodomo no Tomo)
• Neko no Ongaeshi (ねこのおんがえし) (2007, ISBN: 493112934X, Nora Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Itazura Kitsune (いたずらぎつね) (2008, ISBN: 4931129358, Nora Shoten, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)

Sources:

Essays

• Hon - Kodomo - Ehon (本・子ども・絵本) (1982, ISBN: 4479750010, Daiwa Shobō, illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki)
• Subarashiki Monogatari-tachi - Omoiyari no Aru Ko wo Sodateru Tame ni (素晴らしき動物たち 思いやりのある子を育てるために) (1985, ISBN: 4577700298, Froebel-kan, a conversation with Shirō Nakagawa)
• Ehon to Watashi (絵本と私) (1996, ISBN: 4834011828, Fukuinkan Shoten)

Lyrics

• "Itazura Koneko" (いたずらこねこ) (composed by Hiroshi Hara)
• "Ichinensei no Uta" (一年生のうた) (composed by Neko Saito)
• "Kanagawa Kenritsu Hoiku Senmon Kaguin Inka" (香川県立保育専門学院院歌) (composed by Kōsuke Ōide)
• "Castella no Uta" (カステラのうた) (composed by Hisako Furuichi)
• "Kirin no Kirika" (きりんのキリカ) (composed by Yasuko Kurihara)
• "Kujiratori" (composed by Yuji Nomi)
  • "Zō to Raionmaru" (ぞうとらいおんまる) (composed by Rieko Nakamura)
• "Kuma-san no Odekake" (くまさんのおでかけ) (composed by Masamichi Takahashi and Mieko Okumura)
• "Guri to Gura no Uta" (ぐりとぐらのうた) (composed by Kikuko Kobayashi and Hoick)
• "Gokigen Wani-san" (ごきげんわにさん) (composed by Akihiro Komori, arranged by Akiko Yano, sung by Akiko Yano)
• "Komazawa Olympic Kōen" (駒沢オリンピック公園) (composed by Nobuyoshi Koshibe)
• "Te wo Tsunagō" (手をつなごう) (composed by Makoto Moroi and Michio Mado)
• My Neighbor Totoro (soundtrack and image albums):
  • "Sanpo" (さんぽ) (composed and arranged by Joe Hisaishi)
  • "Maigo" (まいご) (composed and arranged by Joe Hisaishi)
  • "Susuwatari" (すすわたり) (composed and arranged by Joe Hisaishi)
  • "Okaa-san" (おかあさん) (composed and arranged by Joe Hisaishi)
  • "Neko Basu" (ねこバス) (composed and arranged by Joe Hisaishi)
  • "Fushigi Shiritori Uta" (ふしぎしりとりうた) (composed and arranged by Joe Hisaishi)
• "Tobidase Tankentai" (とびだせたんけんたい) (composed by Hiroshi Aoshima)
• "Tonton Taisō" (とんとん体操) (with Michio Mado, composed by Joji Yuasa)
• "Haru" (はる) (composed by Neko Saito)
• "Boroichi Kazoeuta" (ぼろ市かぞえうた) (composed by Nobuyoshi Koshibe)
• "Mado" (まど) (composed by Haruna Miyake)
• "Mari-chan no Komoriuta" (まりちゃんのこもりうた) (composed by Masabumi Kikuchi)
• "Yūki" (ゆうき) (composed by Takatsugu Muramatsu)