Asuka Shinsha

What Asuka Shinsha does

Asuka Shinsha (株式会社飛鳥新社, Kabushiki Kaisha Asuka Shinsha) is a privately held Japanese book publisher founded in 1989 and headquartered in Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. The company publishes across general adult categories including business, economics, health, self-improvement, politics, fiction, manga, and children's picture books, and in November 2022 expanded into periodicals with the monthly political-commentary magazine 月刊Hanada, which anchors a companion Hanada新書 pocket-book imprint and the newly launched 'with stories' light-literature line. Its commercial identity is anchored by two breakout franchises: the おやすみ、ロジャー sleep-inducing picture book series, which has exceeded 1 million copies in cumulative sales (with sequels in 2017 and 2018), and 変な家 (The Strange House, 2023) plus its 2024 sequel, which sold 500,000+ copies and was adapted into a March 2024 film release. Catalog depth extends to illustrator-led art books (中村佑介 calendar and book-cover collections) and cookbook titles such as 82-year-old 現役女医 vegetable-soup book.

The business model combines one-time book sales distributed through a multi-channel footprint — Amazon Japan, Rakuten Books (which also handles direct phone orders with cash-on-delivery, free shipping above ¥1,500), e-hon, Seven Net, Yodobashi Camera, nationwide bookstore order-based distribution, and an Amazon Kindle e-book store — with a recurring monthly magazine subscription priced at ¥1,300 per issue. Physical book prices span ¥1,089 for shinsho-format titles, ¥1,700 for practical/lifestyle, ¥1,900 for business, and ¥3,000 for art books, while e-book promotional campaigns frequently run at 50–70% discounts to drive digital volume. The customer base is almost entirely domestic individual readers rather than enterprise accounts, with marketing executed organically through official Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok accounts, dedicated promotional micro-sites for major titles, downloadable POP materials for bookstores, author signing events, and earned-media PR.

Strategically, the company is founder-led under Representative Director and President 土井尚久 (Doi Naohisa), with no disclosed parent, subsidiary, or external institutional investor, no funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no reported revenue. Operations are Japan-only with no international footprint. The technology footprint is intentionally minimal — described internally as 'not applicable' — with no AI/ML capability, no API, no proprietary software, and no mobile app; revenue and operational leverage instead derive from content catalog, author relationships, multi-channel retail presence, and the ability to convert breakout titles into repeat franchises (picture-book sequels) or cross-media properties (film adaptations).

Name

Asuka Shinsha

Legal name

株式会社 飛鳥新社

Website

https://asukashinsha.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Asuka Shinsha is a Tokyo-based Japanese general book publisher founded in 1989, producing titles across business, health, politics, fiction, and children's picture books — including the 1M+ copy おやすみ、ロジャー series and 変な家 — together with the monthly political magazine 月刊Hanada, distributed through Amazon, Rakuten, and Japanese bookstores.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Health, Wellness & Fitness Trade Publishing (MPAJAAAL)

Keywords

• Book publishing
• Magazine publishing
• Children's picture books
• Political commentary books
• Illustrated art books

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Book Publishing: Traditional book publishing including hardcover, paperback, and shinsho (compact paperback) formats. Books are sold through online bookstores, direct website orders, and bookstore distribution nationwide.
2. Magazine Publishing: Monthly magazine publication (月刊Hanada) generating recurring subscription revenue.
3. E-book Sales: Digital e-book versions of published titles sold through Amazon store and direct online channels.
4. Direct Sales and Fulfillment: Direct phone orders through 楽天ブックス with cash-on-delivery shipping, available for orders over ¥1500 without additional handling fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Asuka Shinsha publishes and sells a wide catalog of Japanese-language books across genres including fiction, non-fiction, business, economics, health, self-help, politics, and illustrated/children's titles. Its flagship offerings include the bestselling おやすみ・ロジャー (Good Night, Roger) picture book series, the 変な家 (Strange House) horror/mystery series, and the monthly political magazine 月刊Hanada launched in 2022. The company distributes physical books through online retailers and nationwide bookstores and sells e-book editions via the Amazon Kindle store.

Product overview

Asuka Shinsha is a Japanese general book publisher operating primarily through three interconnected offerings: (1) its core book publishing program — spanning fiction, manga, illustrated/art books, practical guides, and the Hanada New Books imprint — covering genres from health and self-improvement to politics, economics, and the arts; (2) the monthly Hanada political magazine; and (3) digital e-book versions distributed via the company website and major online retailers. The company also maintains special mini-sites for select projects and a free POP download service for bookstore promotional materials. Its best-known product is the 'おやすみ、ロジャー' (Good Night, Roger) picture book series, which has exceeded 1 million copies sold.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hanada新書: A shinsho (essay/analysis book) imprint under the monthly magazine 月刊Hanada, publishing political and social commentary titles including Hanada新書 series (Hanada New Books).
• 月刊Hanada
• with stories

Products and services

• 月刊Hanada (Hanada Monthly Magazine) Monthly political and social commentary magazine sold at ¥1,300 per issue, featuring current-affairs analysis, interviews, and commentary from Japanese politicians and commentators. Targeted at politically engaged adult readers in Japan.
• おやすみ、ロジャー (Good Night, Roger) Picture Book Series Bestselling Japanese-language picture book series including 'Good Night, Roger', 'Good Night, Ellen' (2017 sequel), and 'It's Okay, Morris' (2018 third installment). Psychological sleep-inducing books for children that have sold over 1 million copies in Japan, with audio book versions also available. Targeted at parents with young children for bedtime routines.
• Hanada新書 (Hanada New Books) Imprint Pocket-sized shinsho book imprint under the Hanada brand publishing political, economic, and current-affairs titles priced at ¥1,089 (tax included). Includes titles such as 定年後の日本人は世界一の楽園を生きる (Life After Retirement in Paradise for Japanese People). Targeted at politically and socially engaged adult readers.
• Nakamura Yusuke Art Book Collection (中村佑介 READ 書籍カバー全集 2005-2025) Illustrated art book collection priced at ~¥3,000 (tax included), featuring the works of popular Japanese illustrator Yusuke Nakamura, including cover art spanning 2005–2025. Includes the 'PLAY' collection and READ series. Targeted at art book collectors and fans of Nakamura Yusuke.
• Nakamura Yusuke Calendar Line (Calendars) Annual wall and desk calendars featuring artwork by illustrator Yusuke Nakamura and other illustrators, published by Asuka Shinsha.
• with stories Imprint (Light Literature) Light literary (ライト文芸) publication imprint launched by Asuka Shinsha, focused on storytelling and emotional narratives for adult readers.

Quantifiable outcome

• おやすみ・ロザー sold 1 million+ copies
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Amazon JapancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon Japan serves as a major online retail channel for Asuka Shinsha books, including both physical books and e-books through the Kindle store. Direct purchase links are provided on the company's official website.
• Rakuten Books (楽天ブックス)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRakuten Books handles direct phone orders for Asuka Shinsha with cash-on-delivery delivery service. Used for direct sales fulfillment separate from the online marketplace.
• Major Bookstores (書店の皆さん)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNationwide bookstore distribution through order-based system. bookstores can order directly from Asuka Shinsha for in-store sales.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bungeishunju: Mid-to-large Japanese trade book publisher and monthly magazine publisher (文藝春秋, 週刊文春). Comparable to Asuka Shinsha in combining book publishing with monthly magazine operations and political/literary content focus.
• PHP Institute (PHP研究所): Japanese publisher of business, self-help, and political commentary books plus the PHP magazine. Closely comparable genre mix and target audience to Asuka Shinsha's Hanada-imprint and business/health catalog.
• Gentosha (幻冬舎): Mid-sized Japanese trade publisher with strong presence in business, self-help, and political commentary. Similar scale and product overlap with Asuka Shinsha's general-interest and Hanada新書 line.
• Magazine House (マガジンハウス): Japanese publisher of lifestyle and general-interest monthly magazines (e.g., POPEYE, BRUTUS, Hanako) and book extensions. Comparable as a mid-sized publisher that leverages magazines into book publishing.

Broad incumbents

• Kodansha (講談社): One of Japan's largest general publishers across books, manga, and magazines. Overlaps with Asuka Shinsha on trade books and monthly magazines but operates at substantially larger scale across all categories.
• Shueisha (集英社): Major Japanese publisher of manga, books, and magazines (including non-monthly periodicals). Competes broadly with Asuka Shinsha for readers and shelf space despite being significantly larger and more diversified.
• Shogakukan (小学館): Major Japanese general-interest publisher with extensive book, manga, and children's catalog. Comparable children's picture book presence (おやすみ・ロジャー competes in same space) at much larger scale.
• Kadokawa (KADOKAWA): Large Japanese publisher spanning books, manga, light novels, and magazines with strong digital publishing platform. Comparable in publishing breadth and in pursuing multi-format IP expansion similar to Asuka Shinsha's 変な家 franchise approach.
• Gakken (学研ホールディングス): Japanese publisher and education company producing books, magazines, and learning materials. Overlaps with Asuka Shinsha on practical/health/lifestyle books and children's publishing, with larger scale and broader content portfolio.
• Tokuma Shoten (徳間書店): Mid-to-large Japanese publisher of books, manga, and magazines. Similar general-interest book and monthly magazine profile to Asuka Shinsha, with comparable mid-list trade publishing focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/web_asuka
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6_irwnTuut0NgCFSwMGRvg
• Facebookfacebook.com/oyasumi.roger
• Instagraminstagram.com/asukashinsha
• TikToktiktok.com/@asukashinsha

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Asuka Shinsha