About 岡田嘉夫

 

Good evening, everyone.

Today I would like to talk about a wonderful picture book that I came across by chance when I first encountered Kabuki.

When I was a junior high school student, I was depressed every day to say the least.

I was a child who was much more mature than my age, and I had a hard time getting along with my friends, so I spent my days in doldrums.

I couldn't see the point in taking my friends out to eat lunch or go to the bathroom.

"I said, "I'm going to eat alone from today. I'm going to eat by myself from now on," and spent my time by myself.

However, this was a strange sight to the flag, and I was told by my homeroom teacher

"Are you being bullied?" The homeroom teacher once asked me if I was being bullied.

To which I replied, "I don't think I'm being bullied.

I replied, "Teacher, do you think I'm being bullied? I said I wanted to eat by myself, so don't worry about it."

I borrowed and read many books every day, and going to the unreal world was my only relief.

It was at that time that I encountered Kabuki in music class, and it was also at that time that I happened to come across a book in a bookstore.

It was a picture book about kabuki called "Kabuki Emaki".(歌舞伎絵巻)

The person who drew the pictures

Yoshio Okada.岡田嘉夫

I was so fascinated by the incredibly detailed and elaborate pictures that I asked my mother to buy it for me.

Just like the pictures, the text is very easy to read, and it depicts a great classical work in an easy-to-understand way.

I was so excited when I first encountered the book that I couldn't stop reading.

"Why don't you send me a letter?" 

My mother told me, 

"Why don't you send a letter?

I decided to send a fan letter to the publisher.

I was also fond of drawing pictures (I don't draw much anymore...), so I enclosed a picture of the book and sent it to the publisher.

One day, after I had forgotten all about it, my mother told me that a large brown envelope had arrived, and when I looked at the address, to my surprise, it was from Poplar, the publisher of the picture book.

When I opened the envelope, I found a letter from Ms. Okada and a picture book of Kaguyahime, which she said she thought would be perfect for you.

My heart was filled with emotion.

I also received a letter from the publisher who connected me with the book, and I remember as if it were only yesterday that my joy was doubled and tripled.

From that point on, I wrote to him again and again, and he responded to my letters, and he was good to me for a long time.

Mr. Okada passed away in February of this year, but the beautiful paintings he left behind for posterity have left us with an important taste.

If I hadn't encountered Mr. Okada's picture books, I might not have fallen in love with Kabuki as much as I did.

I encourage everyone to take a look at Yoshio Okada's pictures.