Bunkyosha

What Bunkyosha does

Bunkyosha Co., Ltd. (文響社) is a privately held Japanese trade book publisher headquartered in Tokyo, operating across educational workbooks, health and self-help, general business, children's, and translated non-fiction categories. Its commercial center of gravity is the Unko Drill (うんこドリル) series of elementary-school study workbooks, which uses a humorous "poop" theme to make kanji, arithmetic, and other subjects engaging for children aged 6-12 and their parents. The company also sustains a long-running exclusive relationship with author Mizuno Keiya (水野敬也), whose "Yume wo Kanaeru Zou" (夢をかなえるゾウ) franchise has spawned multiple volumes, bunko reprints, and children's adaptations, and operates the "Manga de Wakaru!" and "Muzukashikoto Wakarimasen" educational series for adult readers.

Bunkyosha's technology footprint is that of a traditional publisher rather than a technology company: it produces print and digital books and runs a corporate manga (企業漫画) B2B service at cc.bunkyosha.com, with no proprietary software, AI, or platform products disclosed. Distribution is exclusively domestic Japan, executed through all major online bookstores (Amazon Japan, Rakuten Books, Yahoo Shopping, 7net, Yodobashi, e-hon) plus physical retail, and supplemented by event-based marketing (monitor campaigns, T-SITE launch events) and earned media (YouTube, Yomiuri KODOMO Newspaper).

The business model is unit-pricing book sales with no subscription tier, at typical Japanese trade pricing of roughly ¥1,400-2,000 per title, diversified across two primary consumer segments (parents of elementary students, and general adult readers seeking practical health/finance/career content) and one secondary B2B segment (corporate training manga). The company has demonstrated repeatable bestsellers at the 500,000-700,000 copy level and has successfully translated at least one novel IP into a primetime NTV drama, indicating functioning IP-to-screen optionality.

Name

Bunkyosha

Legal name

Bunkyosha Co., Ltd.

Website

https://bunkyosha.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bunkyosha Co., Ltd. is a privately held Japanese trade book publisher known for the Unko Drill (うんこドリル) educational workbook franchise for elementary students, Mizuno Keiya's bestselling titles, health, business, and translated non-fiction. The company sells unit-priced print and digital books through all major Japanese online retailers and physical bookstores.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Activity & Practice Books (Workbooks, Puzzles, Handwriting) (EDAGAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s Nonfiction Educational (Science, History, Nature) (EDAGAIAC), Manga Publishing (Japanese & Global) (MPAJAGAA)

Keywords

• Educational workbooks
• Children publishing
• Health books
• Translated biographies
• Study guides

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Bunkyosha generates revenue primarily through the sale of published books across multiple categories including educational workbooks (うんこドリル series), health books, general interest books, children's books, and translated international works. Books are sold through major online retailers (Amazon Japan, Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, 7net, Yodobashi) and physical bookstores in Japan. Individual book prices range from approximately 1,400-2,000 yen for standard editions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Bunkyosha is a Japanese publishing company that produces and sells physical books across multiple categories: educational workbooks (the popular Unko Drill series for elementary school children), health and wellness books (elderly care, dementia, brain training), general business and self-improvement books, children's picture books, translated international biographies, and works by popular author Mizuno Keiya. The company distributes primarily through Japan's major online retailers and physical bookstores.

Product overview

Bunkyosha is a Japanese publishing company with a portfolio of book products organized into categories including the popular うんこドリル (Unko Drill) educational workbooks for children, 健康書 (health books) covering elderly care and brain training, 一般書 (general books/business), 児童書 (children's books), 学習参考書 (study guides), 翻訳書 (translated books), and dedicated series by author 水野敬也 (Mizuno Keiya). The company also publishes branded series like マンガでわかる！(Manga de Wakaru!) and the 難しいことはわかりませんが series. Products are distributed through major online retailers including Amazon Japan, Rakuten, Yahoo! Japan Shopping, and 7net.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Unko Drill Series (うんこドリルシリーズ) Educational workbooks for elementary school students featuring humorous content with the 'unko' (feces) theme to make learning engaging. Includes Japanese language (かん字/こくご), arithmetic, and other subjects for grades 1-6.
• Health Books (健康書) Health-related books covering topics such as elderly care, dementia prevention, brain training, traditional medicine (薬膳), and exercise/fitness guidance for seniors.
• General Books / Business (一般書) General interest books including business management, career development, financial education, philosophy, and practical life guides.
• Children's Books (児童書) Children's picture books, educational sticker books, fairy tale adaptations, and animal-themed stories for young readers.
• Study Guides / Workbooks (学習参考書) Study reference books including the Unko Drill series, workbooks for various subjects and grade levels, and exam preparation materials.
• Translated Books (翻訳書) Translated books from international authors including biographies of business leaders (Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett), self-help titles, and foreign children's literature.
• Mizuno Keiya Books (水野敬也の本) Books by author Mizuno Keiya including the popular '夢をかなえるゾウ' (The Elephant Who Grants Wishes) series, '人生はニャンとかなる' series, and 'LOVE理論' dating guide.
• Manga de Wakaru! Series (マンガでわかる！シリーズ) Manga-based educational series explaining complex topics like dementia, depression, and developmental disorders through illustrated stories with expert commentary.
• Muzukashii Koto wa Wakarimasen ga Series (難しいことはわかりませんがシリーズ) Easy-to-understand guide series covering finance, English learning, and life skills. Includes titles like '超改訂版 難しいことはわかりませんが、お金の増やし方を教えてください！' with over 500,000 copies sold.
• Survival Wedding (サバイバル・ウェディング) A novel by Oohashi Kosuke that was adapted into a Japanese TV drama. The story follows a woman who must find a husband within 6 months or lose her job.

Quantifiable outcome

• The 難しいことはわかりませんが series has sold over 500,000-700,000 copies
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• パイロットコーポレーション (Pilot Corporation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPilot Corporation collaborated with Bunkyosha as a co-publisher on the 'メルちゃん (Mel-chan) 知育ブック' series, including titles such as 'はじめてのさがしあそび' and 'はじめてのまちがいさがし'. This represents a publishing collaboration for children's educational books targeting early childhood development.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Gentosha (幻冬舎): Independent Japanese publisher with a strong list in business, self-help, and lifestyle titles. Comparable to Bunkyosha in the business/general non-fiction segment.
• Takarajimasha (宝島社): Mid-sized Japanese publisher of books, magazines, and mooks, with strong presence in lifestyle, health, and entertainment categories. Comparable in scale and breadth to Bunkyosha.
• Nihon Bungeisha (日本文芸社): Mid-sized Japanese publisher producing books, manga, and magazines across general interest categories. Similar in scale and category breadth to Bunkyosha.

Direct peers

• Gakken Holdings (学研ホールディングス): One of Japan's leading educational publishers, producing workbooks, learning magazines, and children's study materials. Directly comparable to Bunkyosha's Unko Drill franchise in the educational workbook category.
• PHP Institute (PHP研究所): Japanese publisher focused on self-help, business, and personal development books. Directly comparable to Bunkyosha's general/business book category and Mizuno Keiya titles.
• Benesse Corporation: Major Japanese education and publishing company with a strong portfolio of children's study materials, workbooks, and educational content. Competes with Bunkyosha in the elementary school learning materials market.

Broad incumbents

• Kodansha (講談社): One of Japan's largest general publishers with broad fiction, non-fiction, manga, and educational titles. Operates in many of the same categories as Bunkyosha but at significantly larger scale.
• Kadokawa (角川): Large Japanese publisher with a diversified portfolio spanning books, manga, light novels, and digital media. Comparable in product breadth to Bunkyosha, with stronger digital and IP/media capabilities.
• Shogakukan (小学館): Major Japanese publisher of books, manga, and educational materials for children and adults. Overlaps with Bunkyosha across children's books, education, and general trade publishing.
• Asahi Shimbun Publications (朝日新聞出版): Publishing arm of a major Japanese media group, producing books, magazines, and reference works across general interest, education, and lifestyle. Overlaps with Bunkyosha's general books and health book categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bunbun20200401

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Bunkyosha