世界一賢い鳥、カラスの科学

My linoleum print of the Jungle Crow was used for the Japanese version of Gifts of the Crow! My mother translated this book into Japanese and I got the chance to make the book cover illustration.



母が翻訳したカラスの本が昨日、ついに書店に並んだ。ジョン・マーズラフ、トニー・エンジェル著「世界一賢い鳥、カラスの科学」だ。わたしもまだ読み始めていないのだが、最も身近にいながら、たいがいは邪魔者扱いされ、視界の隅に追いやられてきたカラス類が、いかに高度な知能をもち、人間とよく似た思考パターンで行動し、逆にわれわれを観察しているかを思い知らされる本だそうだ。
邦訳版カバーには、私のリノリウム版画を採用していただいた！ 　中の挿絵は共著者でもあるトニー・エンジェル氏によるもので、緻密に描かれていながら動きがあってとても素敵だ。



They used my illustration for the back cover and the tittle page as well! I am so happy about this.

◇◆◇ 世界一賢い鳥、カラスの科学 ◇◆◇
ジョン・マーズラフ／トニー・エンジェル著、東郷えりか訳、河出書房新社
書店で見かけたらお手にとって見ていただければ幸いです。

Train Trip to Tohoku

It was right after I came back to Japan but I visited Fukushima, Sendai, Ishinomaki and Kesennuma, the area where the earthquake and tsunami hit. I was in England when the disaster happened and I only knew the stories through the internet news. So even after two years and a half, I thought it was very important to learn what had happened.

At most of the destroyed sites, rubble was already cleared and only the bases of the buildings remained. Some area in Ishimaki was covered by water. I wonder if it was rain water or seawater or underground water. But some cattails were growing and dragonflies were laying eggs. I felt that nature is much much bigger than human.



気仙沼市、津波によって750メートル内陸に打ち上げられた漁船、「第１８共徳丸」。訪れた日はちょうど解体直前だった。
This sixty-meter-long fishing boat was stranded 750 meter inland because of the force of tsunami. Now it is in the middle of old residential area next to the road. They have just started to demolish the ship since the day we visited. The vast summer blue sky was right above it.



青春18切符での鈍行列車の旅。金色に輝く田んぼがきれいだった。



In Sendai, we saw some of the gigs as a part of Sendai Jazz Festival in the rain.

What I had been working on

Since this spring I have been lazy not to put anything but sketches. But here are some more illustration type, final works.



Pattern I came up with from the sketches of Halimium flower in Spain. I love creating patterns and I am thinking of making a series of wrapping paper or something of that sort. Do you have any idea what I could do with these?



I made a painting of my friend's dog.



This was my entry for a book cover competition in Japan. I love this quirky children's book about wildcat restaurant by famous Japanese author Kenji Miyazawa. Because it is in Japanese, the front cover is on your left and the back on your right!

◇◆◇ お知らせ ◇◆◇
日本ワイルドライフアート協会展
Date:2013年9月11日（水）−18日（水）※15日、16日は休館。
Place: 山脇ギャラリー　東京都千代田区九段南4-8-21。市ヶ谷駅より徒歩1分。
わたしも2点出す予定です。お時間のある方はぜひいらしてください。

Farewell to the beloved country

I am sorry for being quiet on this blog. But somehow I was having trouble logging in to this blog. It was something to do with my blog account and the internet provider.
Now I can open the page and log in because I moved...back to Japan.


I finally decided to come back to Japan although I wanted to stay in England much longer! But it was time for me to wake up from the lovely, innocent dream and sort out my life, money and jobs.
The last three years, I had the most wonderful time in Britain. It was such an eye opener to live in a foreign country on my own and make friends with people from all over the world. And I have to say, I was extremely lucky with my friends! Thank you all of you who shared wonderful time!

Some memories from the last few days in England....



The RSPB Cambridge local group kindly organised a farewell field trip and a big BBQ party! It was all thanks to the group and people I met through the group that I visited so many wonderful nature reserves and watched more than 200 British bird species. I wouldn't have enjoyed the three years half as much if I didn't join the group. Thank you so much!



At one of the last birdwatching occasions, my friend kindly took me to Cavenham Heath to see these strange but lovely creatures, stone curlews. My favorite flower, heather was all in purple. I will miss these heathland!



Another occasions, we visited Lakenheath, where we always had amazing sunset show. Just after the sky became pink, we found a young marsh harrier with green tag. "LA" was written in black letter. It seems that the young was tagged at Sculthorpe Moor in 2012.




And my Japanese friend family in London kindly made my dream come true! On weekend, we visited Selborne, where the 18 century natural historian, Gilbert White was born and spent his life observing and recording nature.


Recalling all the things I have experienced and all the people I met, I can not think of anything better to happen!
And I am sure that we will get together again! We must start another voyage someday soon, my dear shipmates, hopefully in the country where we all love!