Yoko Yoshizawa

While studying English at Aoyama Gakuin University, she worked on translating picture books, and began creating her own picture books after graduation. After living in camps in Africa (Botswana, Namibia) as an interpreter for a television crew covering wildlife, she focused on animal illustration. She studied printmaking at the Pacific Art League of Palo Alto in California, USA, and has been working at the Masashi Ozaki Printmaking Studio in Yokohama since 1999. Since 2000, she has held solo exhibitions at department stores, galleries, and the Itozu Forest Zoo. Since 2004, she has presented her work at biennials/triennials in Italy, Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary, Bosnia, and Macedonia. In 2007, she was a visiting artist at printmaking studios in the Netherlands, and in 2008, she stayed for one month each in Canada, creating and presenting her work. Major publications include "Nagaimonja," "Oogui Hyotan," and "Samurai Mame wo Torimodosu" (Fukuinkan, July 4, 2014, retelling; reprint scheduled for 2025/26). She serialized "Sekai no Doubutsu Kotobukiza Relay" in the "Kodomo no Tomo" insert booklet for preschool children (April 2008 – March 2009). She also serialized "Animal Idioms & Sayings" bi-weekly in the Asahi Weekly (April 2009 – March 2010). One story was published in Fukuinkan's "Haha no Tomo" (June 2022, June 2024). One story was included in Fukuinkan's "Kodomo ni Kuraseru Ichinichi Ippan 2" (June 2024).