Ken Katayama: Illustrator – Japan

one of japanese illustrator and author Ken Katayama’s most famous works, Tange-kun [Tange, My Dear Cat], features a tomcat protagonist with a scar over its left eye as evidence of unknown past deeds. In many ways, Tange’s scar conveys the main themes of Katayama’s characters: Their desire to interact with the natural world and their impulsive energy to experience life’s adventures.

Born in Tokyo in 1940, Katayama self-published his first picture-book, Matti no tori (A Match Bird), in 1966. He went on to produce several works in the late 1960s before taking a break from children’s literature to focus on an advertising career. In 1979, the birth of Katayama’s first child served as a catalyst for his artistic renaissance; his son’s vitality and sense of wonder inspired Katayama to resume and fully commit to his art. Since then, he has never looked back, consistently producing works that appeal to children across the world.

A recurring theme in much of Katayama’s art is the energy we can draw from the world around us (see Onaka nu suku sanpo [Walking with the Animals] and Mori no Tegami [Letters to Friends in the Grove]), giving his publications a timeless quality. In today’s computer-driven digital age, Katayama’s art reminds us that real human interaction comes from embracing our senses. The child’s everyday is described so vividly yet so simply—his work is both personal and universal. It could be said that Katayama’s art is so popular because it encourages nostalgia from when times were more simple, when humans respected and connected with the natural world around us in ways we no longer do. But Katayama’s works still resonate with twenty-first century children—his appeal endures.

Katayama’s illustrations for other children’s authors also warrant mention. In his work with other famous authors of children’s literature, he both studied and adopted other artistic styles to best suit the respective project’s subject matter; Boko kara miruto (When I Look at It) and Denden daiko Inochi (A Toy Drum) are among his best illustrative works, with the latter being awarded the Shogakukan Award for Illustrations in 1996. Indeed, Katayama has won a host of awards in his career, and his works have been translated into many languages.

Like Tange the tomcat, as adults we have our own scars—both real and imagined—from our (mis-) adventures. Ken Katayama’s works encourage children to use their abundance of energy to embrace the unknown and to create their own scars. And that, we must encourage.