Beloved Japanese Children's Book Author Akiko Hayashi Passes Away at 81
Akiko Hayashi, the celebrated Japanese picture book author and illustrator behind timeless classics like Miki's First Errand ( Hajimete no Otsukai ) and Kon and Aki , passed away on October 1 due to pneumonia. She was 81 years old. Following the announcement of her passing, social media has been flooded with messages of grief alongside deep gratitude for her work. In particular, parents shared heartwarming memories of her book Good Evening, Dear Moon ( Otsukisama Konbanwa ), a bedtime staple for generations of Japanese families. Parents recalled, "We read it almost every night," "My child loved it so much we read it countless times," and "I read it so often I can recite it by heart." Other touchingly personal memories flooded in: "When the moon in the book said 'good evening,' my child would reply with the 'hello' they had just learned," and "This book saved me during bedtime struggles more times than I can count."...