Illustrator Yuriko Yamawaki of ‘Guri to Gura’ fame dies at 80

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:01 JST, October 6, 2022

Illustrator Yuriko Yamawaki, who provided the art for “Guri to Gura” (“Guri and Gura”), a popular children’s picture book series about twin field mice, died on Sept. 29 at 80.

A memorial service for Yamawaki has already been held by her family and those who were close to her.

“Guri to Gura” was published in 1963, with the story written by Rieko Nakagawa, a children’s book author and Yamawaki’s elder sister, and illustrations by Yamawaki. It became their most well-known work. The endearing story revolves around the mice, who love to cook and eat, and their friendship with other animals. The book has been translated into many languages and published overseas.

Total sales for the series and related books have reached 21.5 million copies.