Shobunsha Publications Inc

What Shobunsha Publications Inc does

Shobunsha Publications Inc. is part of Shobunsha Group, the holding-company structure controlled by Shobunsha Holdings, Inc. (TSE First Section: 9475), founded in 1960 and publicly listed since March 2000. The group's flagship MAPPLE brand is Japan's leading map and travel guidebook franchise, distributing approximately 20 million copies annually through roughly 15,000 bookstores and 50,000 convenience stores nationwide. The publishing arm produces MAPPLE Magazine, co-Trip, Mountain Maps, and Touring MAPPLE, alongside Super MAPPLE Digital desktop software and a portfolio of consumer mobile apps.

Underlying the brand is a proprietary digital mapping and tourism content platform: 5-scale vector map data (1/10,000 to 1/1,000,000), approximately 50 million address records, ~500,000 POI entries, and ~70,000 curated tourist attractions supported by ~150,000 photos with monthly updates. These assets are monetized through a multi-channel B2B stack — digital map data licensing, MappleAPI, Mapple G-SDK, Business Car Navigation SDK, and an integrated store/facility search platform — sold to government (Tokyo Metropolitan Police, fire departments, SDF, municipalities), financial services (multiple regional banks, insurers), retail (Sugi Pharmacy, Tully's, Camel/Kaldi), automotive/GPS OEMs (Garmin, Clarion, Yupiteru, Panasonic), energy (Tokyo Gas Engineering), and real estate (At Home). AI-driven services include a Sales Forecasting AI service (sub-10% prediction error), the Mapple Planner travel recommendation engine (via JV with HeadSpring), and Imakomi real-time crowd visualization. B2C revenue combines print sales, perpetual-license software, travel booking commissions via MAPPLE Travel, and inbound tourism promotion through DiGJAPAN! (~500,000 monthly users).

Revenue streams span one-time publication sales, digital map data and SDK licensing, API/usage-based subscriptions, advertising in publications, transaction fees, and project-based professional services for AI modeling and inbound tourism. FY2018 consolidated revenue was ¥9.1 billion with 447 consolidated employees; the group operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries (Shobunsha Publications, MAPPLE Inc., Shobunsha Creative, Mapple-ON, Cerulean Blue), the jointly-controlled Mapple Spring JV, and BEASTAR (acquired October 2024 as a consolidated subsidiary for SNS/digital marketing). The group is actively diversifying from print publishing into digital services, data licensing, and AI-enabled enterprise solutions.

Name

Shobunsha Publications Inc

Legal name

Shobunsha Holdings, Inc. (昭文社ホールディングス株式会社)

Website

https://mapple.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shobunsha Group operates Japan's leading MAPPLE map and travel guidebook brand, combining print publishing with digital map data, GIS APIs, AI sales forecasting, and inbound tourism services for consumers, government agencies, and enterprise clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Publishing and Map Data

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Directory and Mailing List Publishers (513140)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA)

Keywords

• Map publishing
• Travel guidebooks
• Digital cartography
• GIS data solutions
• Location-based services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo (Chiyoda-ku)

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Publishing Sales: Sale of printed maps and travel guidebooks (MAPPLE Magazine, co-Trip, Mountain Maps, Touring MAPPLE, etc.) through bookstores, convenience stores, and the company's own online store. Physical publication sales are the core revenue driver.
2. Digital Map Data Licensing: Licensing of digital map data, POI data, address data, polygon data, road network data, and tourism data to enterprises, government agencies, and system integrators. Delivered as data files or via API.
3. MappleAPI / Map Services Subscription: API-based map services with usage-based pricing for map display, search, and routing — targeting developers and enterprises integrating maps into web/apps.
4. Super MAPPLE Digital Software: Sale of consumer/desktop map software (Super MAPPLE Digital) as perpetual licenses (packages) and downloadable versions. Annual update support.
5. Advertising in Publications: Advertising placements (tie-up, book-in-book, cross-media ads) in MAPPLE and co-Trip publications, targeting hotel, transportation, retail, and other industries.
6. Hotel Booking (MAPPLE Travel): Hotel booking commission from the MAPPLE Travel website where users book hotels featured in guidebooks via QR codes.
7. Car Navigation Software (Mapple Navi): Car navigation software licensed to PND (portable navigation device) makers, bundling map data with travel guide content.
8. AI Sales Prediction Modeling Service: B2B consulting/service offering AI-based sales forecasting models to chain retailers and service companies, priced per project/custom engagement.
9. Business Navigation SDK: Licensing of in-vehicle business navigation SDKs to fleet management and logistics companies.
10. Inbound Tourism Promotion (DiGJAPAN!): Inbound tourism promotion services for local governments and tourism organizations, including multilingual content production, web promotion, SNS, and video — often funded by local/regional government budgets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Shobunsha Publications Inc is the core publishing subsidiary of Shobunsha Holdings, Inc. that publishes MAPPLE-branded maps and travel guidebooks for individual consumers (sold through bookstores and convenience stores nationwide) and licenses digital map data, GIS products, APIs, and SDKs to enterprise and government clients. The company operates a vertically integrated pipeline from proprietary data collection through cartographic production to multi-channel publishing and enterprise data licensing.

Product overview

Shobunsha Publications Inc operates as a unified platform-plus-modules architecture, combining print publishing with digital solutions. The core offering centers on MAPPLE-branded map and travel guide content, supported by data products (digital map data, POI, tourism guide data, seasonal data), developer tools (MappleAPI, Mapple G-SDK, Business Car Navigation SDK), and business solutions (Store Search System, Route Navigator, Sales Forecasting AI). The company structure includes holding company Shobunsha Holdings, operating subsidiaries (昭文社 for publishing, 株式会社マップル for digital/tourism, BEASTAR for SNS marketing), and joint ventures (株式会社マップル・スプリング for travel tech).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• まっぷる (MAPPLE Magazine): Travel guidebook magazine brand covering destinations in Japan and abroad.
• ことりっぷ (co-Trip)
• 山と高原地図 (Mountain and Highland Maps)
• ツーリングマップル (Touring MAPPLE)
• スーパーマップル・デジタル (Super MAPPLE Digital)
• MAPPLE (Digital Solutions)
• DiGJAPAN!
• マップルプランナー (Mapple Planner)
• まっぷるリンク (MAPPLE-LINK)

Products and services

• Super Mapple Digital Desktop GIS software providing nationwide map display, real-time search, contemporary residential map (jusho map) functions, and analysis capabilities for general users and professionals.
• Digital Map Data (Address, POI, Road Network, Tourism, Polygon) Licensed digital map dataset spanning addresses, road and pedestrian networks, POIs, tourism destinations, drive courses, mountain/hiking tracks, seasonal and local specialty data, and administrative district polygons. Sold to government agencies, enterprises, and integrators.
• MappleAPI API service that exposes Shobunsha's proprietary spatial database to enterprise customers via HTTP, enabling map display, search, and advanced spatial analysis in third-party applications.
• Tourism Guide API API that provides nationwide tourism spot data, event information, and seasonal features, supporting multilingual content delivery for inbound tourism and regional promotion.
• Mapple G-SDK Software development kit for address normalization and geocoding, allowing enterprise and government clients to cleanse and standardize address data and conduct POI searches.
• Business Car Navigation SDK SDK providing map display, search, route mapping, and navigation functions targeted at car navigation systems, distribution/delivery operations, and fleet management for businesses.
• Mapple Store/Facility Search System Cloud-based store and facility locator system that lets enterprises offer customers a searchable map of their own stores and affiliated facilities, branded with the client's identity.
• Route Navigator Plus Route navigation and guidance system designed for logistics and distribution operations, providing truck-specific routing and fleet navigation capabilities.
• Mapple Planner Web-based sales promotion planning and management support tool that uses MAPPLE map data to help businesses plan, visualize, and manage sales promotion activities across territories.
• Sales Forecasting AI AI-driven service that forecasts territorial sales outcomes using open data inputs (population, weather, etc.), enabling businesses to optimize sales planning and territory management.
• Congestion Visualization System "Imakomi" Visualization system that monitors and visualizes congestion and human flow patterns using positioning data and map rendering, intended for facility owners, event organizers, and local government.
• DiGJAPAN! E-Magazine (Inbound Tourism Promotion) Multilingual inbound tourism promotion platform featuring an E-Magazine made of magazine content, a business edition targeting tourism operators, and supporting promotion video production services.
• OKAERI QR Visit-tracking service that uses QR codes and NFC to detect when consumers return to a previously visited store or region, enabling targeted promotions and tourism analytics.
• MAPPLE Legal Affairs Bureau Map Viewer Map viewer service delivered to the cloud for legal affairs bureau mapping applications, used by government and registry-related operations.
• MAPPLE Travel Publications (Magazine, co-Trip, Mountain and Highland Maps, Touring MAPPLE) Printed maps and travel guidebooks published under the MAPPLE brand, including the MAPPLE magazine series, co-Trip travel guides, Mountain and Highland Maps for outdoor recreation, and Touring MAPPLE drive maps, sold to individual consumers through bookstores and convenience stores.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20 million MAPPLE publication copies sold annually across Japan
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability7 records

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BEASTAR株式会社coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 October 2024Digital marketing company — became a consolidated subsidiary of Shobunsha Holdings (October 31, 2024). Specializes in SNS-centered digital marketing, contributing to the group's growth acceleration in digital marketing services.
• TOHAN Corporation (東邦)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Japanese book distribution company — primary distribution partner for Shobunsha publications (books/maps) to bookstores and retail channels nationwide.
• Nippon Shuppan Hanbai Inc. (日本出版販売)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Japanese book publishing distributor — handles distribution of Shobunsha publications to bookstores and retail outlets across Japan.
• Clarion Co., Ltd.minorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerAutomotive electronics and car navigation manufacturer — MAPPLE map data and/or navigation software licensed for integration into Clarion car navigation products.
• Yupiteru CorporationminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCar electronics and radar/PND manufacturer — MAPPLE map data and/or navigation software integrated into Yupiteru portable navigation devices.
• WOMEIMedia (中国)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Chinese corporate media group — co-publishing advertorial content in free travel magazine TRAVEL GEOGRAPHY and golf magazine GOLF ERA distributed on high-speed trains and aircraft in China. Reaching wealthy Chinese travelers for Japan tourism promotion.
• China Eastern AirlinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChinese airline — GOLF ERA magazine distributed on China Eastern flights as part of the WOMEIMedia partnership for Japan tourism promotion content.
• Hainan AirlinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChinese airline — GOLF ERA magazine distributed on Hainan Airlines flights as part of the WOMEIMedia partnership for Japan tourism promotion content.
• Sichuan AirlinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChinese airline — GOLF ERA magazine distributed on Sichuan Airlines flights as part of the WOMEIMedia partnership for Japan tourism promotion content.
• Tully's Coffee Japan Co., Ltd.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoffee chain — uses MAPPLE's multi-language ASP map delivery service on its English-language website to show store locations for international visitors.
• HeadSpring Co., Ltd. (株式会社ヘッドスプリング)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company — joint venture partner with Shobunsha Holdings in founding Mapple Spring Inc. (株式会社マップル・スプリング), which developed the MAPPLE Planner travel recommendation engine.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rand McNally: Long-established North American map, atlas, and travel content publisher with commercial fleet/GIS data products. Comparable as a multi-decade print-and-digital map publisher facing similar secular-print dynamics.
• Pasco Corporation: Japanese geospatial data and surveying company offering aerial imagery, spatial analytics, and GIS solutions to government and enterprise. Comparable to Shobunsha on government-grade mapping data products and spatial analytics services.
• Zenrin Co., Ltd. Japan's leading commercial digital mapping and GIS data provider. Highly comparable to Shobunsha/MAPPLE on B2B vector map data, POI databases, address geocoding, and enterprise/government licensing across automotive, logistics, and public-sector customers.
• Increment P Co., Ltd. Japanese mapping and geospatial content company. Comparable as a Japan-based mapping publisher and GIS data provider with similar enterprise/government distribution.
• Mapion Co., Ltd. Japanese digital map and location search service. Comparable on consumer-facing Japan map portal and address/POI search functionality.
• Fodor's Travel Publications: Established travel guidebook publisher. Comparable on consumer travel guide content production and brand-led travel media model analogous to co-Trip and MAPPLE Magazine.
• Lonely Planet: Global travel guidebook publisher. Comparable on the consumer travel guidebook business (similar role to MAPPLE/co-Trip) including curated editorial content, branded travel media, and destination guide products.
• NAVITIME JAPAN Co., Ltd. Japan-focused navigation, transit routing, and map platform offering consumer apps and APIs. Comparable to Shobunsha/MAPPLE on Japan map APIs, route search SDKs, and tourism/transit data products.

Broad incumbents

• KADOKAWA Corporation: Large Japanese publisher spanning books, magazines, digital media, and IP. Comparable as a broader Japanese publishing incumbent — overlapping on consumer publishing and digital content distribution, though not focused on map/GIS.

Emerging players

• Mapbox, Inc. Developer-focused digital map platform and API provider. Comparable to MappleAPI/Business Car Navigation SDK on map-as-a-service APIs, custom map styling, and embedded navigation SDKs — competing for the same B2B developer budget.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mappleshobunsha
• Instagraminstagram.com/mapple_co
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shobunsha-publications-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries7 records

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 Shobunsha Publications Inc