The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam and MOGU Ehon Project  honorably introduce to Japanese Ehon (Picture book) lovers an exhibition titled “The world of Ehon – Meet the famous twin voles Guri and Gura” from 1^st to 30^th of September, 2020 at 27 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

“Guri and Gura” is the title of one Ehon series about a twin voles called Guri and Gura by the biological sisters Rieko Nakagawa and Yuriko Omura (Yamawaki). They were first published in 1963. Initially, it was published as a short Ehon series titled “An Egg” on “Mother’s companion” (a.k.a: “Haha no tomo”), a magazine for parents. Since December 1963, “Guri and Gura” quickly became popular after appearing in the Ehon magazine “Children’s companion” (a.k.a: “Kodomo no tomo”) (vol. 93). The series of “Guri and Gura” has been translated to 14 languages with over 20,800,000 prints throughout the world. The series consists of 19 volumes, attracts many parents and children.

This exhibition displays 9 paintings taken from first of the series and big wall paintings to create a beautiful space like the world of Guri and Gura. We also exhibit 2 books published in Vietnamese as well as original books in Japanese for our visitors to enjoy reading at the exhibition. Furthermore, we will share the recipe of the Castella cake made by the two voles.

Please visit our exhibition and take a look at the world of Guri and Gura!

Admission free

EXHIBITION INFORMATION

Organizer:                              The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam

MOGU Ehon Project

Time:                                        9:00 – 18:00, no closed days

Tuesday 1^st  – Wednesday 30^th of September, 2020

Venue:                                      The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam

27 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

 ABOUT AUTHORS

【Rieko Nakagawa】

Rieko Nakagawa – writer of “Guri and Gura” series – was born in Sapporo city, Hokkaido prefecture. She started writing since she was a preschool teacher, when she often read stories to the children. To “treat” the children “a better cake” than the pancake appeared in the Ehon “The Story of Little Black Sambo”, she came up with the story of “Guri and Gura”, in which she described a Castella cake made from a giant egg. She has won various awards, including Minister of Health and Welfare Award and Sankei Juvenile Literature Publishing Culture Award for “No-No Nursery School”; Mainichi Publication Culture Award for “Roku the Puppy Is Here”. In addition, she also writes numerous Ehon and essays.

【Yuriko Yamawaki】

Yuriko Omura was born in Tokyo. She is Rieko Nakagawa’s biological sister and the illustrator for “Guri and Gura”. Her major in university was French. “Guri and Gura” is her first illustration work for Ehon, and she was very confused as it was her first time drawing a vole. In addition to “Guri and Gura”, she and her sister Rieko Nakagawa have released various works such as “No-No Nursery School”, “The Blue Seed”, etc. Apart from collaborating with Rieko Nakagawa, she wrote and illustrated her own Ehon “Yuko’s Cabbage Hat”, as well as translated and illustrated “Reynard the Fox”.

For further information, please contact:

The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam
27 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi               TEL 024-3944-7419    www.jpf.org.vn
Ms. Sugisaki (ext 160) – Ms. Nha (ext 115)