Photo/Illutration The illustration used for the cover of "Suho no Shiroi Uma" by Suekichi Akaba (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Even if you have never visited a certain country, just a single book can evoke vivid images of its cultural climate and how the people there live.

For me, a picture book set in Mongolia titled "Suho no Shiroi Uma" (Suho's White Horse) is exactly such a book. The moment Mongolia is mentioned, a pure-white horse starts galloping in my mind's eye.

This is a poignant tale about the eponymous young shepherd boy who lovingly raises a foal into a magnificent horse, only to have it forcibly taken from him by the king of the land.

The dynamic illustrations bring to life the grandeur of the skies and steppes of Mongolia, and I initially assumed they had to be the work of a local artist.

Not so. They were drawn by Japanese artist Suekichi Akaba (1910-1990), born in Tokyo's "shitamachi" working-class district.

This year marks the 110th anniversary of his birth and the 30th anniversary of his death.

He was a perfectionist who valued accuracy in his depiction of local items and scenery, according to Suekichi's daughter-in-law, Shigeno Akaba, 68, who published a critical biography of him this year.

The necklace worn by Suho and the homes in the steppes were drawn from his photographic memory of the sights he encountered in Inner Mongolia during World War II. 

"When he worked on a folktale set in snow country, he made frequent trips to Akita and Niigata prefectures for five years to ascertain the weight and danger of snow," Shigeno recalled.

Akaba loved to draw from an early age and kept it up in the former Manchuria, where he lived from his 20s for 15 years.

After the war, he freelanced as an illustrator while working at the U.S. Embassy in Japan.

He was a 50-year-old late bloomer when he debuted as a full-time artist.

Even after he became established in his career, China remained the only country Akaba hesitated to revisit, until he finally decided to go in his 70s.

"As I was an adult during the war, I committed crimes against China," he said from the depths of his heart to the Chinese people he met on his research trip there. "I can't come as a tourist, but I thought I should come if I could be of any service to China."

Storybooks illustrated by Akaba, titled "Akari no Hana" and "Chiwan no Nishiki," have been translated into Chinese in recent years.

Akaba, having overcome his sense of guilt, was able to make large blossoms bloom in the form of his picture books.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 21

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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