100-story underground house

Description

Author: Toshio Iwai
Born in 1962. Media artist. When he was young, his mother opened his eyes to making things with craft tools and materials given to him when she said, 'I will no longer buy you toys.' In 1985, while attending the College of Arts at the University of Tsukuba, he became the youngest winner of the 17th Contemporary Japanese Art Exhibition. Afterwards, he attracted attention by presenting interactive works in which audiences could participate in many art exhibitions at home and abroad. The television program “Ugougoru-ga”, the Mitakanomori Ghibli Museum’s video exhibitions “Totoro Hop” and “Rising Currents”, and the Nintendo DS art software “Electroplankton”, playing sound and light jointly developed with Yamaha. I was also involved in the musical instrument “TENORI-ON”. In 2007, he was also in charge of the opening animation for NHK Education's children's program "Inai Inai Bat!" He is currently a father of two daughters and is actively communicating through books and blogs to expand the creative relationship between his parents and their children. His books include 『Welcome home Mr. Iwai!』 and 『100-story house』.

Translator: Kim Sook
I graduated from Dongguk University's Department of Education and studied in Japan. I opened a picture book specialty bookstore and created a good picture book reading group. After translating an animation for SBS, I am currently engaged in publishing planning and translation. Children's books such as 『I Will Always Love You』, 『Tears of the Rag Rabbit』, 『The Last Magic』, 『Penguin Fridge』, 『Flightless Firefly』, 『Little Cat』, and 『100-story House』 were translated into Korean. In 1999, she received the Munhakdongne Newcomer Award and has a novel collection, “That Woman’s Scissors.”

Dochi receives an invitation from someone who lives on the top floor of a 100-story house and goes up to the 100th floor. Mice live on the 1st to 10th floors, squirrels live on the 11th to 20th floors, and frogs, ladybugs, and snakes live there. It is a vertically long board, showing 10 floors where one animal lives on each side. Using the ecology and habits of animals as a clue, we decorate the interior and show various aspects of life such as eating, sleeping, raising babies, and playing in a fun way. The floor where the frogs live is always wet because there is a watering can, and the bats live upside down with a light on the floor. It is not a realistic depiction, but a cute imagination in a cartoon style.