Text and photos: E-cat
During our growth, we have all more or less heard famous Grimm’s fairy tales such as “Snow White,” “Cinderella,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “Rapunzel,” or “The Frog Prince.” These stories, told in simple, humorous language accompanied by beautiful illustrations, reveal various complex life philosophies. Recently, the Picture Book Forest Museum in Karuizawa held the “Original Illustrations of Grimm’s Fairy Tales Exhibition,” showcasing a series of picture book illustrations by renowned British illustrators Errol Le Cain and Bernadette Watts, allowing visitors to revisit these classic masterpieces through these beautiful images.
At the museum, you can see the classic illustrations of the late British illustrator Errol Le Cain, such as this catalog illustration from “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” The Picture Book Forest Museum is located in southern Karuizawa, covering an area of 15,000 square meters, and is a picture book-themed art museum. You can take the local circular bus from JR Karuizawa North Exit, get off at Kazewano Park or Shimosuwa Lake, and then walk for 8 to 10 minutes to reach the museum.
The current “Original Illustrations of Grimm’s Fairy Tales Exhibition” is held in the second exhibition hall of the museum. It not only features classic picture books by Errol Le Cain and Bernadette Watts over the years, but also displays over a hundred of their artworks. Errol Le Cain often used elves and courtly elements as themes, with gorgeous and intricate, highly magical artwork; Bernadette Watts focuses on fresh and natural styles, excelling in drawing animals and flowers with a gentle touch. From these manuscripts, you can explore the creative journeys of the artists.
The pop-up book Alice in Wonderland by illustrator Zdenko Basic has been out of print in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but it can be easily found at the Picture Book Forest Museum. Collecting rare picture books in Hong Kong is difficult—only large bookstores have dedicated picture book sections, and the selection is mostly limited to recently published titles. At the Picture Book Forest Museum, however, you can easily find both new and old picture books from around the world, making it an ideal spot for picture book enthusiasts to expand their collections.
In addition, next to the Forest House, there is a tea room called “Tea Talk Under the Green Shade,” where fans can enjoy tea and sweets made with local Karuizawa ingredients while reading the museum's collection of books, offering a very relaxing experience.
Grimm’s Fairy Tales Original Illustrations Exhibition
Dates: Now until January 11, 2016
Opening Hours: 9:30am to 5:00pm (March to November), 10:00am to 4:00pm (December to January)
Admission: Adults 900 Q??Children 500 Q??⊙бы????/p>
Acknowledgement: HK Express
Take HK Express to Tokyo, then travel from Tokyo to Karuizawa via the Hokuriku Shinkansen Asama train, which takes just 1 hour and 10 minutes. Want to know what else there is to see and do in Karuizawa? Check out Fever Travel’s selection of 6 must-visit spots in Karuizawa right now!