Sato the Rabbit

In this surreal and poetic collection of short vignettes, we are invited into the quietly magical world of Sato the Rabbit―a world that mirrors our own, yet shimmers with wonder, curiosity, and transformation.

“One day, Haneru Sato became a rabbit. He’s been a rabbit ever since.”

With these matter-of-fact yet dreamlike opening lines, the story unfolds into a series of gentle adventures where the ordinary becomes extraordinary. In Sato’s world, a puddle reflecting the sky becomes a window to another realm. A walnut cracks open to reveal a cozy home, complete with a bathtub and bed. During a meteor shower, Sato catches falling stars in a net, lighting the way for a family’s nighttime walk.

Rendered in soft watercolors and spare prose, these stories celebrate imagination, solitude, and the quiet magic of everyday life. Sato the Rabbit is the first in a beloved series from Japan that invites readers of all ages to slow down, look closely, and rediscover the world through new eyes.

Honors and Recognition:

• A Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book
• A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year
• A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of the Year
• A 100 Scope Notes Most Astonishingly Unconventional Book of the Year
• A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year

The Sato the Rabbit books:

• Sato the Rabbit
• Sato the Rabbit, The Moon
• Sato the Rabbit, A Sea of Time
• Sato the Rabbit, Morning Light

Born in Yokohama, Yuki Ainoya studied Japanese painting at the Tama Art University Faculty of Art and Design. She was the winner of the the Crayon House Children’s Book Grand Prize in 1990 and the 12th Japanese Children’s Book Award in 2007 for the original Japanese edition of Sato the Rabbit (Shogakukan). In her spare time, she likes playing the accordion and hula dancing. 

A Seattle native with a life-long connection to Japan, Michael Blaskowsky spent seven years living on the Japanese island of Hokkaido after graduating from Eastern Washington University. His translations cover a wide range of topics, with a focus on literature, the arts, gaming, and the sciences.