【Held on 7/11 (Saturday)】Yamasaki's Picture Book Exhibition - A picture book created to convey the "invisible disabilities" and "difficulties in living" from the perspective of those affected.

It is difficult to convey and understand feelings, not only for oneself but also for family and those around them who may be suffering from illness or feeling a sense of difficulty in living.

You may want to hear the stories of those directly affected.

I would like to introduce the "Yamasaki's Picture Book Exhibition," which I hope you will attend, taking place on July 11, 2026.

What is "Yamasaki's Picture Book Exhibition"?

"Yamasaki's Picture Book Exhibition" will be held on July 11, 2026, at the free space "iroiro" in Kurashiki Ebisu Shopping Street.

The author, "Yamasaki," is currently 38 years old and became suddenly ill (Chiari malformation and higher brain dysfunction) at the age of 25.
However, because it was an "invisible disability," Yamasaki found it difficult to live and work.

Deciding to express those feelings in picture books, there are currently six works completed as of 2026, all of which will be available for viewing at the exhibition.

Please note that Yamasaki only writes the text, while the illustrations are done by another person.

Interview with Picture Book Author Yamasaki

I spoke with picture book author Yamasaki about the exhibition.

Please tell us the intention behind planning the exhibition.

Yamasaki

The main intention of the project is to help those who feel illness or difficulty in living, as well as those around them, to feel a little more at ease through picture books.

I hope that not only small children but also older elementary school students and adults will read them.

Why did you choose the expression of picture books?

Yamasaki

I thought that rather than writing in detail like a textbook, it might be better to convey feelings in short words, which is what picture books can do.

What are the highlights of this exhibition, and do you have any recommended works for first-time visitors?

Yamasaki

One highlight of this exhibition is that I will be present at the venue and can meet everyone directly.

Currently, there are a total of six works available.
For those reading for the first time, I would recommend the first book "Three Steps Forward, One Step Back" and the second book "As It Is" as an "entrance" to get to know what kind of person I am.

Please tell us about how you create your works and their characteristics.

Yamasaki

I write the text, and the illustrations are done by another person.
I directly reach out to those whose illustrations I see on social media and think would match my text, and for my recent work (the sixth book), I have also used AI to create illustrations.

My writing tends to have somewhat dark themes, but the addition of illustrations softens the expression, making it a characteristic that can spark interest through the images.

Finally, please give a message to the readers.

Yamasaki

The exhibition will be held from around 1:30 PM to around 5 PM on July 11. I hope you will feel free to come by.

While the content of the picture books may have some dark parts, I would be happy if readers could empathize with them or feel a little more at ease.

On the day of the event, I hope to spend a relaxing time with those who come. I look forward to seeing you.

Conclusion

What I felt when hearing Yamasaki's story during the interview was a "gentle feeling" of wanting more people to understand that having a disability is a reality and to be able to help those in similar circumstances.

Of course, I encourage you to pick up the works, but if you have even a little interest, please go and meet Yamasaki.

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