Picture book artist Sueyoshi Akabane's Rainbow Over Suho's Grassland (published by Fukuinkan)

2020 marks the 110th anniversary of the birth of Suekichi Akaba, known for his picture book "Suho's White Horse," the 30th anniversary of his death, and the 60th anniversary of his debut work, "Kasa Jizo" (published by Fukuinkan Shoten). To mark this milestone, we'll look back on the work of picture book illustrator Suekichi Akaba and take you on a journey through his life. The author is the wife of Suekichi Akaba's third son, Kenzo, and a leading expert on Suekichi Akaba. Beginning with a prologue detailing the author's first encounter with the artist, the book is divided into six parts. The book chronicles the artist's childhood in downtown Tokyo, his life in former Manchuria (northeastern China) during his youth, the challenges he faced after repatriating after the war, and his journey as a picture book illustrator, continuing to draw for children until his death, all accompanied by ample documentation. The book's gentle, sometimes humorous narrative style is replete with anecdotes that only the author, who had close contact with the artist, could share. This book delves into the origins of picture book artist Akabane Sueyoshi, and will be an engaging read as both the epic drama of one man and a family history. The text features a wealth of illustrations in both black and white and color, and the end of the book includes a chronology of the artist, a list of his works, and a list of references.