Little Aiko, radiant in her red triangular hat, absolutely adores skiing—nothing makes her happier than flying down the slopes.

But that year, even as Christmas drew near, the snow refused to fall.

“Is there anything I can do?” she wondered.

Sitting by the fireplace, an idea came to her: “I know, I’ll ask Santa.”

So begins the picture book “Yuki Yuki Daisuki” (I love snow so much). The illustrations are by Aiko Uemura, the Japanese mogul skier, who became one of the country’s most beloved winter sport athletes before retiring in 2014.

Uemura skied across the world over nearly two decades on the international circuit. In Switzerland, she watched glaciers that........

© The Asahi Shimbun