Abstract

This book is a captivating series of dialogues among active 70- and 80-year-olds including pianist Izumi Tateno, life scientist Keiko Nakamura, picture book author Satoshi Kako, and children's literature author Naoshi Matsui. They discuss themes of human power, language power, and life, sharing messages they wish to pass on to the next generation.

Author’s Information

Izumi Tateno
Born in 1936 in Tokyo, Japan, Izumi Tateno graduated at the top of his class from the Piano Department of the Tokyo University of the Arts. After graduation, he began his career as a pianist. Not only domestically, he has performed in over 3500 concerts around the world, including in Northern Europe. He has released 130 CDs to date. In 2002, he suffered a stroke during a recital and had to pause his activities, but after a two-year struggle with illness, he resumed his performances as a "left-handed pianist". In 2006, he was awarded the "Sibelius Medal" by the Sibelius Society of Finland. In the same year, he established the "Izumi Tateno Left Hand Book Fund". In 2008, he received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, and was honored by the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs. From 2012 to 2013, he organized and launched a festival of left-handed music, which was held 16 times.

Keiko Nakamura
Keiko Nakamura was born in Tokyo in 1936. After graduating from the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo, she completed the Doctoral Program in Biochemistry at the same university. She has held several positions, including Head of the Human and Nature Research Division at Mitsubishi Chemical Life Sciences Research Institute, Professor at the Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, and Professor at the Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University. From 1993 to March 2002, she was the Deputy Director of the JT Biohistory Research Hall, and since April of the same year, she has been the Director. She won the Mainichi Publishing Culture Award for her book "Life that Creates Itself" (published by Philosophy Bookstore/Chikuma Gakugei Bunko).

Satoshi Kako
Satoshi Kako was born in Fukui Prefecture in 1926. After graduating from the Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, He worked at a private company's research institute and was involved in settlement activities. He started making picture-story shows, slide shows, etc. for children's associations. In 1959, He created "Uncle Dams" for "Kodomo no Tomo" issue 34, which led him to become a picture book author. He resigned from her company in 1973 and dedicated himself to his career as an author. Since then, he has lectured at several universities, including Yokohama National University. He won the Kikuchi Kan Prize for "Tradition Play Consideration" (all 4 volumes, Komine Shoten).

Tadashi Matsui
Tadashi Matsui was born in Kyoto City in 1926. He graduated from Doshisha University's Faculty of Law. He participated in the founding of Fukuinkan Shoten Publishers, and in 1956, he launched the monthly story picture book "Kodomo no Tomo." He won the Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award for issues 1 through 11 of the series. As the editor-in-chief, president, and chairman of the company, he discovered many picture book authors and was a pioneer in spreading Japanese picture books around the world. Currently, he is an advisor. He is the president of NPO Book Start and a special advisor to the Osaka International Children's Literature Museum. In 1956, he won the Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award for "Momotaro."