Ms. Nakagawa,
Ms. Yamawaki
and Family House

Ms. Rieko Nakagawa, who has produced many well-known picture books, was originally a long-time supporter of Family House. Yuriko Yamawaki is her younger sister, and her works, written by Ms. Nakagawa and illustrated by Ms. Yamawaki, have been read by generations of readers. One such work is the “Guri to Gura” series (published by Fukuinkan Shoten), which has been loved not only in Japan but around the world.

Ms. Nakagawa has been donating many picture books to Family House for some time. She asked us, “Is there anything else I can do as a volunteer? This is how Ms. Yamawaki came to know about the Family House activities through Ms. Nakagawa. This led to Ms. Nakagawa drawing many illustrations for us twice, in 2006 and 2010.

In 2011, Ms. Nakagawa named the two rooms at Usagisan no Ouchi (Rabbit House) “Remi-chan no Heya” and “Sora-chan no Heya,” and in 2014, the two rooms at Kachi-doki-bashi no Ouchi (Kachi-doki-bashi House) “Kyabetsu no Oheya” and “Tampopo no Oheya,” respectively, and Ms. Yamawaki drew illustrations to go with them.

Unfortunately, Ms. Yamawaki passed away in 2022. Before her death, she said, “Nothing would make me happier than to be of service to everyone in whatever way I can,” and her constant support has always been an encouragement to us, along with the wonderful illustrations she left us.