Miyoko Matsutani

Miyoko Matsutani (松谷 みよ子, February 14, 1926 – February 28, 2015) was a Japanese picture book writer and folktale researcher. She is best known for writing the book Taro the Dragon Boy.

Early life and education

Matsutani was born on 14 February 1926 in Tokyo, Japan. She was the youngest child of Yojiro Matsutani who was a lawyer and politician. She was a good reader. She graduated from high school in 1943. When she was 11 years old, her father died. Because of death of her father, her family could not afford to send her to college. She worked at a bank called Nihon Kangyō Ginkō and the Japan Travel Bureau. In 1945, when Bombing of Tokyo occurred during World War II, her family moved out to the city of Nakano in Nagano prefecture. She met Jōji Tsubota in Nakano city. Tsubota mentored her as a writer.

Career

Matsutani's first book was a collection of short stories called Kai ni natta kodomo (貝になった子供), which won the Children's Literature Association New Face Award. She married Takuo Segawa in 1955. Together they collected traditional legends of the Nagano area. This research inspired her 1960 book Taro the Dragon Boy. It won the Hans Christian Anderssen Award and was later adapted into a movie. She was also popular for her book Little Momo-chan (ちいさいモモちゃん, Chiisai Momo-chan). It was published in 1964. It won the Noma Prize for children's literature. She also edited the Kaidan Restaurant series.

Her books for young readers often focused on the relationship between mothers and children. Her books for older readers had touched upon social issues. Her stories based on folktales were focused on the relationship between humans and nature.

Matsutani died of old age on 28 February 2015 in Tokyo.

Other websites

• Official website