Taro Yashima
Encyclopedia
was the pseudonym of , a Japan
ese art
ist.
He was born in Nejime, Kagoshima
in 1908. After studying for three years at the Imperial Art Academy in Tokyo, he became a successful illustrator and cartoonist before going to jail because of his opposition to the militaristic government. In 1939, he and his wife went to the United States to study art, leaving their son Mako behind in Japan. After Pearl Harbor
, Mr. Iwamatsu joined the U. S. Army, and went to work as an artist for the Office of Strategic Services
(OSS). It was then that he first used the pseudonym Taro Yashima, out of fear that if the Japanese Government found out about his employment, there would be repercussions for Mako and other family members. After the war, he and his wife were granted permanent residence status by act of the U.S. Congress; he was able to return to Japan and collect Mako, and his daughter Momo was born.
The New Sun (1943), published under the name Taro Yashima, was a 310 page autobiographical picture book for adults, about life in pre-war militaristic Japan. Its sequel, Horizon is Calling (1947), was in the same style (one picture plus usually 1 or 2 lines of text per page). The 276 page tome continued the story of his life, this time with added Japanese text, and concluded with musings of leaving Japan to study art overseas. In both, he detailed his and his wife's maltreatment by the Japanese secret police.
In the early 1950s, he began writing and illustrating children's books under the pseudonym he had used in the OSS. Crow Boy (1956), Umbrella (1958) and Seashore Story (1967) are Caldecott Honor books.
Mr Yashima returned to his home village of Nejime, Japan, visiting childhood classmates and other familiar scenes which he depicted in several of his children's picture books. Along with film maker Glenn Johnson, they produced a 26-minute documentary, hosted and narrated by Yashima, entitled Taro Yashima's Golden Village.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
ist.
He was born in Nejime, Kagoshima
Nejime, Kagoshima
was a town located in Kimotsuki District, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.On March 31, 2005 Nejime was merged with the town of Sata, also from Kimotsuki District, to form the new town of Minamiōsumi....
in 1908. After studying for three years at the Imperial Art Academy in Tokyo, he became a successful illustrator and cartoonist before going to jail because of his opposition to the militaristic government. In 1939, he and his wife went to the United States to study art, leaving their son Mako behind in Japan. After Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, Mr. Iwamatsu joined the U. S. Army, and went to work as an artist for the Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
(OSS). It was then that he first used the pseudonym Taro Yashima, out of fear that if the Japanese Government found out about his employment, there would be repercussions for Mako and other family members. After the war, he and his wife were granted permanent residence status by act of the U.S. Congress; he was able to return to Japan and collect Mako, and his daughter Momo was born.
The New Sun (1943), published under the name Taro Yashima, was a 310 page autobiographical picture book for adults, about life in pre-war militaristic Japan. Its sequel, Horizon is Calling (1947), was in the same style (one picture plus usually 1 or 2 lines of text per page). The 276 page tome continued the story of his life, this time with added Japanese text, and concluded with musings of leaving Japan to study art overseas. In both, he detailed his and his wife's maltreatment by the Japanese secret police.
In the early 1950s, he began writing and illustrating children's books under the pseudonym he had used in the OSS. Crow Boy (1956), Umbrella (1958) and Seashore Story (1967) are Caldecott Honor books.
Mr Yashima returned to his home village of Nejime, Japan, visiting childhood classmates and other familiar scenes which he depicted in several of his children's picture books. Along with film maker Glenn Johnson, they produced a 26-minute documentary, hosted and narrated by Yashima, entitled Taro Yashima's Golden Village.
External links
- De Grummond Collection Taro Yashima page with a biographical sketch.