Buying Mittens 手ぶくろを買いに
Date
Credits
- Nankichi Niimi 新美南吉 Author
- Ken Kuroi 黒井健 Illustrator
- Akira Okamoto 岡本明 Designer
Format
- Book 1089
Publishers
Media
- paper 2224
Dimensions
Printed Pages
Locations Made
- Japan 586
- Tokyo 84
- Tokyo Prefecture 80
- Shinjyuku city
- Kaiseisha
Tebukuro o Kaini (Buying Mittens) is a picture-book adaptation of one of the most beloved stories by Japanese children's author Nankichi Niimi. First published by Kaiseisha as part of the Japanese Children's Literature Masterpiecesseries, the book features illustrations by Kuroi Ken. The story follows a young fox who ventures into a human town to buy mittens after his paws become painfully cold in the snow. Through gentle storytelling and atmospheric imagery, the book explores themes of parental love, trust, and the relationship between humans and animals. Kuroi's richly detailed illustrations transform Niimi's classic tale into a visually immersive picture book, capturing the quiet beauty of winter landscapes and the emotional warmth at the center of the story.
Kuroi Ken is a Japanese illustrator and picture-book artist known for his soft, nostalgic style and emotionally expressive depictions of nature and childhood. After studying art education at Niigata University and working in children's publishing, he became a freelance illustrator. His illustrations for literary adaptations such as Gon, the Little Foxand Tebukuro o Kaini helped establish him as one of Japan's most recognized picture-book artists. Working primarily with colored pencil and pastel, Kuroi creates atmospheric scenes that balance realism with a dreamlike sense of memory and emotion.
