The Grand Prize winner of the 6th TSUTAYA Picture Book Awards has been decided as "When the Whale Dies"!
2025.10.31
Press Releases
Culture Experience Co., Ltd.
- Limited-time "V Kisekae" with original design from the "Ehon Taisho" awards -
Culture Experience Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Shinichiro Kamaura; hereinafter referred to as "CX") has decided on the winners of the 6th "TSUTAYA Picture Book Awards," which are held with the hope that "TSUTAYA will nurture works that will still be read 50 years from now."The grand prize went to "When the Whale Dies" (text: Eguchi Eri, illustrations: Kawasaki Shunichi, supervision: Fujiwara Yoshihiro (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology), publisher: Doshinsha). In addition, the winning works of the 6th TSUTAYA Picture Book Awards will be on display at the book sections of TSUTAYA bookstores nationwide from November 1st. (See below for other winning works)
6th "TSUTAYA Picture Book Award":https://tsutaya.tsite.jp/articles/book-comic-4444
The "TSUTAYA Picture Book Award" is an award selected from picture books published in the past year by staff in charge of children's books at TSUTAYA bookstores nationwide, with the hope of nurturing works at TSUTAYA that they would like to pass on to their own children and that will still be read 50 years from now. We aim to promote the winning works by displaying them in stores and develop them into long-selling products in the future. Furthermore, sales of last year's Grand Prize winning work, "Dai-Pinch Zukan 2" (author: Suzuki Noritake, publisher: Shogakukan), at TSUTAYA Bookstores have increased by 140% since the announcement of the award.
"When the Whale Dies," which won the 6th Grand Prize, is a picture book that depicts the mysterious connection between life that begins at the end of life. The Grand Prize winner was a story that depicts a fleeting feast of creatures living in the harsh world of the deep sea, with illustrations that are both endearing and reminiscent of a science picture book, supervised by Yoshihiro Fujiwara of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.
CX will continue to create opportunities for customers to discover new picture books through the "TSUTAYA Picture Book Awards" and promote the award-winning works by displaying them in stores and other means to ensure that they continue to be read for a long time.
Winner of the 6th "TSUTAYA Picture Book Award"
(Text: Eguchi Eri, Illustrations: Kawasaki Shunichi, Supervision: Fujiwara Yoshihiro (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology), Publisher: Doshinsha)
[Bookstore staff comment]
Even in the dark and quiet depths of the ocean, life circulates and all living things survive, connected to one another. You'll be amazed to learn that at this very moment, 100,000 whales are sunk in the oceans of the world. The book is like a science picture book, but the illustrations are gentle and endearing. (TSUTAYA BOOKS Takahashi City Library, Nakatsuka Ikuko)
<2nd Place> "Osechi" (Author: Yumi Uchida, Publisher: Fukuinkan Shoten)
[Bookstore staff comment]
Fewer and fewer households are making osechi, and how many adults can explain to their children the meaning behind each dish? It would be great if parents and children could have fun learning about this wonderful Japanese culture together. I hope that this picture book will continue to contribute to Japan's traditional culture for a long time to come. (Tsutaya Sunlive Kifune store, Jikumaru Kyomi)
<3rd Place> Thief Jambori (Author: Abe Yui, Publisher: Holp Publishing)
[Bookstore staff comment]
When my children were little, they would often write letters to me on the back of origami paper. I also remember how happy I was every time I received one, and the "Letter Seeds" that I made a mistake on and ended up crumpling up and throwing away. I once again realized the value of conveying thoughts and exchanging words. (Nagoya Minato TSUTAYA BOOKS, Kimura Itsuka)
<4th Place> Delivered to Todo (Author: Kenta Otsuka, Illustrations: Karin Kano, Publisher: PIE International)
[Bookstore staff comment]
The expressions of the characters (?) are so cute that you'll find yourself reading with the same face. How many similar creatures did you come across? This book will pique your intellectual curiosity and make you want to read it over and over again to compare them.
(Kashiwa no Ha TSUTAYA BOOKS, Yumi Shiraishi)
<5th Place> Snack Thief (Author: Abe Yui, Publisher: Fukuinkan Shoten)
[Bookstore staff comment]
Many adults probably tiptoed to open the refrigerator in the middle of the night when they were children. The inside of your refrigerator is a strange world. I turned the pages, wondering how long it had been since I felt so excited and anxious.
(Mutsumi Watanabe, Daikanyama T-SITE)
<6th Place> The Mouse in the Lion's Country (Author: Sakato Kumiyuki, Publisher: Chuokoron-Shinsha)
[Bookstore staff comment]
Even now as an adult, I sometimes worry that I have moved to lion country. I was inspired by the sight of the mouse courageously protecting the squirrel from the lion, and by the way he faced people he didn't like with sincerity. The last page makes sense!!! (Maiko Sato, TSUTAYA Yamaguchi Aoi store)
<7th place> The Thief Cat and Chirp (Text: Komatsu Nobuhisa, Illustrations: Kano Karin, Publisher: Bungeisha)
[Bookstore staff comment]
It's super cute to see the scary-looking father become embarrassed as the chicks warm to him! The crows who teach him how to fly are also full of expressive faces, so you'll never get bored of watching them. In the end, Oyabun said, ``But you still eat eggs...'' and I chuckled. (Maiko Hoji, TSUTAYA Nakamanman store)
<8th place> That kind of game (Author: Yoshitake Shinsuke, Publisher: Kadokawa
[Bookstore staff comment]
It features various games from the everyday lives of many people. It also makes me realize that life isn't all about winning games. At work, I believe that if a customer smiles when I serve them at the register, I win. That's the kind of game I play. (Hakodate TSUTAYA BOOKS, Shirai Ayaka)
<9th place: Momo Picture Book Version (Text: Michael Ende, Illustrations: Simona Ceccarelli, Publisher: Kobunsha)
[Bookstore staff comment]
This picture book may be the answer your heart has been searching for. Listening to people's stories, talking to others, listening to the sounds of nature, I am reminded of how irreplaceable the casual moments are. (TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Kintetsu Kusatsu Bundo Shinobu)
<10th place> Only Deer (Author: Q-Rice, Publisher: Hakusensha)
[Bookstore staff comment]
Everywhere you look there are deer, deer and more deer. Turning the page, there's deer, sika and more deer. But sometimes a different animal pops up... This is a fun picture book filled with the world of Cute Rice, which you can also search for and draw. (Especially irresistible for Nara residents!)
(Nara TSUTAYA BOOKS, Tabata Yoko)
Limited-time "Ehon Taisho" original design "V Kisekae" on sale
The 6th TSUTAYA Picture Book Award collaboration design will be available from October 31st on "V Kisekae," a feature that allows you to customize the "Mobile V CARD" of the V POINT app with your favorite design.
There are three designs: the TSUTAYA Picture Book Award logo, the grand prize winner "When the Whale Dies," and the third place winner "Thief Jambori."Please download it from the Mobile V CARD site and enjoy it.
■ Reference: Past winners of the "TSUTAYA Picture Book Award"
2020 Implementation 1st: "Bread Thief" (Keiko Shibata/KADOKAWA)
2021 2nd event: "Bread Thief vs. Fake Bread Thief" (Keiko Shibata/KADOKAWA)
3rd event in 2022: "My Paper is So Crazy" (Yoshitake Shinsuke/Hakusensha)
4th event in 2023: "The Bread Thief and the Rice Ball Boy's Journey" (Keiko Shibata/KADOKAWA)
5th event in 2024: "Big Pinch Picture Book 2" (Noritake Suzuki/Shogakukan)
"Ehon Haku - A picture book exhibition that uses all five senses"
Dates: November 1st (Sat) to 3rd (Mon/Holiday), 2025, 11:00 to 16:30 (until sunset)
Location: Daikanyama T-SITE outdoor, Daikanyama T-SITE Bookstore
・Organizer: Daikanyama T-SITE
・URL: https://store.tsite.jp/daikanyama/picturebook-expo/
Materials related to this matter
The 6th "TSUTAYA Picture Book Award" Grand Prize goes to "When the Whale Dies"Inquiries regarding this matter
Culture Experience Co., Ltd.
Public Relations Office
TEL: 03-6774-7814／MAIL: cx_press@cl-ex.co.jp
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