Picture Books Booming in Japan

TOKYO, Oct 10 (News On Japan) - Despite a general slump in Japan's publishing industry, picture books featuring food as central characters are finding significant success. At the 8th Miraiya Picture Book Awards, three of the top five books focused on food.

One notable example is The Gyoza Has Gone Missing, a story about a boy imagining the whereabouts of a missing gyoza, which captured readers' imaginations.

Other popular titles include The Magical Exciting Rice Balls, where ingredients eagerly wait to become rice balls, and Will You Cut Me into Stir-Fried Vegetables?, a humorous tale about a green pepper trying to avoid being chopped. These food-themed picture books have been embraced by children and parents alike, with some helping picky eaters develop a newfound interest in food. The creators behind these books, often self-taught or working in unique partnerships, continue to explore food themes, further boosting the genre's popularity.

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