He received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1984 for his "lasting contribution to children's literature."
As a student at a regional high school, he studied art, drawing, and the writings of Hermann Hesse.
He taught mathematics for ten years in an elementary school in Tokyo before beginning a career illustrating children's books.
In the "Journey" books, a tiny character travels through a nation's landscape, densely populated with pictures referencing that country's art, literature, culture, and history.
They are intricately detailed, showing a sense of humor as well as an interest in science, mathematics, and foreign cultures.