PIE International

What PIE International does

PIE International is a privately held Japanese visual book publisher founded in 1971 as Eiyusha and operating under the PIE brand since 1985, with headquarters in Toshima-ku, Tokyo and a magazine editorial office in Shibuya-ku. The company publishes curated visual content across six primary categories: design and business, art and Japanese traditional culture, photography, craft and lifestyle, children's picture books, and comic art and manga, plus the quarterly S Magazine and recurring annuals such as the Japan Typography Annual. Its stated output is more than 100 new titles per year, including signature franchises like the 100 Writing & Crafting Papers (100枚レターブック) tear-out decorative paper series and the PIE Comic Art illustration/manga line.

The company's core capability is high-quality print production with premium paper, color reproduction, and binding, supported by a 30-plus-year creator network built by founder/Chairman Shingo Miyoshi (a former graphic designer) and President Hiromoto Miyoshi. PIE International runs the Next ILLUST Award, a worldwide illustration contest that functions as a creator-acquisition funnel, and operates a broad social and community presence across X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Discord, Pinterest, note.com, Weibo, and bilibili, with dedicated brand accounts per sub-brand and a "PIE International Global" channel for international audiences.

The business model combines one-time book sales (physical and eBook) priced between $12.95 and $135.00 in the US market with foreign-rights licensing to international publishers. Distribution is dual-channel: direct e-commerce through pie.co.jp (with Japan-domestic shipping only) and a network of channel partners led by Kinokuniya across Japan, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, the USA, and Taiwan, alongside Eslite (Taiwan), Kyobo (Korea), Asia Books (Thailand), and Basheer Graphic Books (Singapore). Pricing was revised in June 2026, and trade customers access seasonal catalogs for wholesale ordering. Stated capital is ¥36 million and headcount is 11-50 employees; revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

PIE International

Legal name

株式会社パイ インターナショナル

Website

https://pie.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PIE International is a privately held Japanese visual book publisher (founded 1971; PIE brand since 1985) producing 100+ titles annually across design, art, photography, children's, and comic art categories for global consumers and design professionals, distributed via Kinokuniya, Eslite, Kyobo, and direct e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Shibuya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Direct sales of visual books including design, art, photography, children's books, and comic art through company website and retail partners. One-time purchase model for physical and digital books.
2. Foreign Rights Licensing: Licensing of publishing rights for international editions. Rights available for various titles including children's books, art books, and comic art for translation into multiple languages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

PIE International is a Japanese visual book publisher that produces and sells illustrated books across design, art, photography, children's picture books, and comic art categories. The company also operates the 100 Writing & Crafting Papers specialty product line, publishes the quarterly S Magazine illustration magazine, releases the annual Japan Typography Annual, and distributes eBook editions of select titles through its own website and global bookstore partners.

Product overview

PIE International is a Japanese book publishing company that produces visual-oriented books across multiple categories. The company operates through distinct product lines: PIE Comic Art (illustration art books, manga, and reference materials), 100枚レターブック (100 Writing & Crafting Papers - specialty paper craft products), and core publishing categories covering Design, Art & Japanese Culture, Photography, Craft & Lifestyle, Children's Books, and Comic Art & Manga. The company also publishes the quarterly S Magazine, organizes the international Next ILLUST Award illustration contest, and releases annual publications like the Japan Typography Annual. With a stated publishing policy of releasing over 100 new titles annually, PIE International emphasizes connecting Japanese creative culture with international audiences through its diverse visual publishing portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PIE Comic Art: A sub-brand focusing on comic art and manga publications.

Products and services

• 100枚レターブック (100 Writing & Crafting Papers)

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• Kinokuniya Book StorescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor international bookstore chain and primary distribution partner for PIE International books. Stores located in Japan, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, USA (Los Angeles), and Taiwan. Conducts PIE International Fairs and panel exhibitions at store locations.
• Eslite Bookstore (Taiwan)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium Taiwanese bookstore chain with multiple retail locations across Taiwan including Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. Distributes PIE International titles to Taiwanese readers.
• Kyobo Book Centre (Korea)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Korean bookstore chain located at Paju Bookcity, distributing PIE International books to Korean market.
• Asia Books (Thailand)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThai book distributor with premium retail locations including Siam Paragon and EmQuartier stores in Bangkok.
• Basheer Graphic Books (Singapore)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialized design and visual arts bookstore in Singapore's Bras Basah Complex, serving the design professional community with PIE International's design books.
• Geijutsu ShinbunsharegionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublisher partner producing Japanese art and photography books distributed through PIE International's catalog system, including titles like Tokyo Genso's Apocalyptic Stroll and omi kim Photography Collection.
• Jitsugyo no Nihon SharegionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapanese publisher partner for co-published titles including BELLES RUELLES comics collection and Nurie Coloring Book distributed through PIE International.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Shueisha: One of Japan's largest publishers, with significant manga and illustrated-book operations through Jump and other imprints. Comparable Japanese publisher with overlapping manga/illustrated book verticals.
• Thames & Hudson: Long-established international publisher of illustrated books on art, architecture, design, and visual culture. Direct category overlap with PIE's core art and design publishing.
• Phaidon Press: International publisher of books on art, architecture, design, photography, and visual culture. Comparable premium illustrated-book publishing model with global distribution.
• Rockport Publishers (Quarto Group): Design and visual creativity publisher (part of Quarto Group) producing books on graphic design, branding, and illustration for design professionals. Directly comparable target customer and category.
• TASCHEN: Global art-book publisher producing high-quality illustrated volumes on art, photography, design, and pop culture. Overlaps PIE's product categories at much larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Abrams Books: Major US illustrated book publisher with strength in art, photography, design, and children's titles (including Abrams Books for Young Readers). Comparable category overlap with PIE at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Chronicle Books: Independent San Francisco publisher known for illustrated books across design, art, food, and children's categories. Closely matches PIE's category mix and gift/visual-book positioning.
• Gestalten: Berlin-based independent publisher specializing in visual books on design, art, architecture, and visual culture. Closely comparable niche to PIE International in illustrated/design book publishing for creative professionals and enthusiasts.
• Laurence King Publishing: London-based illustrated book publisher with strong portfolios in design, illustration, art, and children's books. Direct competitor for design-professional and illustrated-book audiences globally.

Regional players

• VIZ Media: Major US-based publisher of Japanese manga and anime titles, joint venture of Shueisha, Shogakukan, and Shueisha. Directly comparable on PIE Comic Art sub-brand's manga/comic art vertical, though at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pie_books
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PIEInternational
• Facebookfacebook.com/pieinternational
• Instagraminstagram.com/pie_international
• TikToktiktok.com/@pieinternational
• Pinterestjp.pinterest.com/pie_books
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pie-publishing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 PIE International