From Yukkuri and Jojoni (Holp Publishing)

Yukkuri and Jojoni is one of Ryoji Arai’s early works. Yukkuri, a boy who plays the accordion, meets Yukkuri, a girl who is good at dancing, and together they go to an unknown town. The rhythmical text and vibrant colors, the characters and animals, the town, and even the fireworks combine to create an uninhibited space of natural harmony.
Ryoji Arai began creating picture books in the 1990s and is currently one of Japan’s most popular picture book artists. In 2005, he received the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, an international children’s literary award established by the Swedish government. The jury found his work to be “new, broad, capricious, glowing with a style all of his own.” In addition to picture books, Arai expresses himself “in the moment” through a broad range of activities that includes installations, animated films, music and workshops.