2023-2024

Sekaibunka-sha Group

Publishing
Catalogue“Cat and bird”
Written by Hiroshi Tateno
Illustrated by Mami Nakano

Hiroshi Tateno & Mami Nakano

Cat and bird

Contents
Children’s Books• Cat and bird
• An old hut on a green cliff• King's sweets• Tree frog's hide-and-seek• Three tree frogs' adventure• Tree frog's birth• Cat lion
• Kon and Mayumi-chan• Fox's bread and cat's bread• A baby elephant, Bana
• The Doctor of hedgehog• The Doctor of hedgehog anda little ghost• Shiny letters• Tell me, Ms. Knitter• Goldfish's Bath cleaning

Tripple award winner including “Japan PictureBook Award!” Caring about each other andcoming together - Heart-warming Picture
Book.

Practical books
3
3
4
5
5
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
8
9
9

• ZEKKEI JAPAN 366 days
10
• Tokyo old folk house café
11
• Kyoto old folk house café
11
• Kanazawa old folk house café
11
• Ginza Mutsukari- All about vegetable dishes
12• Easy frying receipe by the master of“Tempura Kondo”
12• All about Miso13
• Hiromitsu Nozaki's Japanese foodbasics, complete recipes
13• Finest selection of sake handbook 13• Florist' flower picture dictionary
14• YUGU
Playful Landscape14• Bernd Kestler spiral socks
15• Numerology x behavioral analysis 15

childcare books• Sensory toys
• PriPri Developmental Support
Picture Card

About Us
Sekaibunka-sha group is a content creation company delivering “dreams andexcitement” to all generations. Drawing on the brand power of high-quality
women's magazine Kateigaho and men's magazine Begin, the company offers anextensive selection of practical books across various fields such as culture,
cooking, hobbies, health and beauty. In addition to its 77-year-old publishing arm,the company has a childcare-related “wonder” enterprise and is also developing awide range of new ventures. In children's books, Sekaibunka-sha group has strong
connections and direct sales channels dating back over 50 years with kindergartensand continues to deliver high-quality educational materials from picture books forbabies and toddlers to reading materials for elementary schoolchildren.
Sekaibunka Holdings Inc. International Rights Section
4-2-29, Kudankita, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN, 1020073

Children’s Books

The cat's job is to tie up twigs of magnolia kobus. One morning, when
the cat was about to get to work, a little bird stopped at the window.
“I have a favor to ask. Could you give me some of the twigs you havethere?” Seeing the little bird that was about to burst into tears, the cat
decided to give it one twig a day. This is a beautiful and dramatic workthat depicts these two who live in different environments yet interact
closely, their daily activities, coexistence, and the cycle of life.

Winner of

Written by

Hiroshi Tateno
Illustrated byWinner ofWinner of

the 14th

the 7ththe 28th

Libro
Picture BookAwardMIRAIYA
Picture Book
Award

Japan
Picture Book
Award

Mami Nakano
Format27.8 x 21cm, 32pages
ISBN

978-4-418-22806-5
Publication Date

October 2022
Rights Sold

Chinese(simplified)
Chinese(traditional)
Korean16
16

An old hut on a green cliff
The legendary debut work of Mami
Nakano's, the artist of “Cat and bird.”
One morning, a cat who lives in an old hut on ahigh cliff finds something that looks like a colorful,shiny stone. Strangely enough, the “stone” keeps
getting bigger... An imaginative fantasy of light anddarkness.

Written by

Mami Nakano
Illustrated by

Mami Nakano
Format26.5 x 22.8cm,
24pagesISBN

978-4-418-23820-0
Publication Date

May 2023
Rights Sold

Chinese(simplified)Koreanhonyaku@sekaibunka.co.jp https://www.sekaibunka.com/
Design: Ayako Honda
23

Mutsumi Ishii & Rei Kurahashi

Children’s Books

Hiroshi Tateno & Haruko Kawashima

Children’s Books

king's sweets

Tree frog's hide-and-seek“King's sweets” - sweets of happiness. A cutepicture book that looks like a candy box

Shogakukan Children's Publishing CultureAward-winning author, Hiroshi Tateno andbiology painter Haruko Kawashima draw theirfirst “talking frog.”

Milly is a doll made of ceramic. It is about the size of a bean and iscalled a fève. “You can go, I wonder who you're going to make happy
today.” said the pastry chef Blanc, and Milly went into a pie filled withalmond cream. A work based on the traditional French confectionery,“Galette des Rois.”

The three sweet tree frogs, Latta, Chimo, and Arnaud, love playing
hide-and-seek. As they were playing as usual, Latta's body turned astrange color. What on earth happened? Shogakukan Children's
Publishing Culture Award-winning author, Hiroshi Tateno andbiological artist Haruko Kawashima draw their first “talking frog.” A
growth story of lovely little ones.

Winner of

the 55th
Written by

Mutsumi Ishii
Illustrated by

Rei Kurahashi
Format26.6 x 20.7cm, 32pages
ISBN

978-4-418-21822-6
Publication Date

December 2021
Rights Sold

Bookbinding
ContestAward

Written by

Hiroshi Tateno
Illustrated by

Haruko Kawashima
Format26.5 x 22.8cm, 24pages
ISBN

978-4-418-19808-5
Publication Date

May 2019
Rights Sold

Chinese(simplified)KoreanThree tree frogs'
adventure
The science picture bookthat depicts the ecology
of living things with adelicate touch.
Latta, Chimo, and Arnaud,
the frogs, decide to go
exploring in the forest. The three of them are having
fun in a world they have never seen before, but theyencounter various creatures... What does “adventure”
mean to these three frogs who keep running away andhiding?

4

Tree frog's birth
The final chapter of the
popular series.
Beautifully depicting the“sparkle of life.”
This is a scientific fantasy thatvividly depicts the story of
three frogs' growth andencounters, from breeding to becoming tadpoles andfrogs, using transparent watercolors. Delivers hope forthe future and the strength to live to children through theway of life of small creatures and their precious life.

FormatPublication Date

Format26.5 x 22.8cm, 32pages

April 2021

26.5 x 22.8cm, 32pages

Publication Date

April 2023

ISBN

Rights SoldISBN

Rights Sold

978-4-418-20815-9

Chinese(simplified)

978-4-418-23817-0

Chinese(simplified)5

Mari Umeda & Yoko ImotoChildren’s Books

Tadashi Ozawa & Shinta Cho

Children’s Books

Cat lion

Fox's bread and cat's breadA new picture book series about “friendship”
by Yoko Imoto, a popular picture book artist
who is loved by generations.

Shinta Cho's masterpiece! Watch for
humorous facial expressions of the fox and cat
as they compete with their bravado.

“I have to help Yumi-chan!” A cheerful story about a kitten named
Niam who musters up the courage to do his best like the lion headmires. The themes are “friendship,” “compassion,” and“relationship.”The masterpiece published in monthly picture book in 1973 has been
made into a book after about 50 years! The fox and the cat each run abakery. One day, each heard that there was a bakery that had better
taste than its own. When they both eat the other's bread, they feelthat the other one's bread tastes better than its own, and they start
crying in shock.

Profile : Shinta Cho

Written by

Written by

Mari Umeda
Illustrated by

Yoko Imoto
Format26.5 × 22.8cm, 24pages
ISBN

ISBN

Tadashi Ozawa

978-4-418-21820-2

Illustrated by

Publication Date

Shinta Cho

October 2021

FormatRights Sold

29.7 x 21cm, 24pages

KoreanManga artist, picture book author, illustrator, essayist. Born inTokyo in 1927. He has received many awards, including the
Kodansha Publishing Culture Award for “Spring is here, Owl
Aunt” (Kodansha) and the Picture Book Nippon Award for“Cabbage-kun”. He is known as the “God of Nonsense”. His
works include “Raccoondog's car” (Kaiseisha) and “Mimizu no
Ossan” (Doshinsha).

978-4-418-23800-2
Publication Date

February 2023

Michio Mado & Seiichi Horiuchi

Children’s Books

A baby elephant, Bana
Collaborative work of Michio Mado and Seiichi
Horiuchi! A legendary work republished after
50 years.

Kon and Mayumi-chan
A beautiful story set in a world ofpure white snow, depicting thefriendship and compassion
between a fox cub and a girl.
A new picture book series by Yoko Imoto, a
picture book author who is loved all over theworld for her beautiful pasting techniques. It
depicts the beautiful feelings we want to foster
in young children, such as friendship andcompassion.

Bana, a baby elephant who was separated from his mother after a
tornado. He and an ant go on a journey to find their mother. The
story is heart-warming as Bana overcomes difficulties one after anotherthrough his courage and the help of those around him. Michio Mado's
writing expresses the love between parent and child with kind words,
and Seiichi Horiuchi's depicts the dynamics of main character Bana.

Written by

Yoko Imoto
Illustrated by

Yoko Imoto
Format26.5 x22.8cm,
24pagesISBN

978-4-418-22845-4

Profile : Michio Mado

Publication Date

December 2022
Written by

ISBN

Michio Mado

978-4-418-23827-9

Illustrated by

Publication Date

Seiichi Horiuchi

April 2023

FormatBorn in Yamaguchi Prefecture in
1909. poets. Lyricist. He gained
national popularity with nursery
rhymes such as “Elephant”, and healso wrote numerous poems,
winning the 1994 International Hans
Christian Andersen Award forWriter.

Profile : Seiichi Horiuchi

Born in Tokyo in 1932. Designer, art
director, picture book author. In
addition to being a pioneer in the fieldof editorial design for magazine
production. His picture books include“Grunpa Kindergarten”.

29.7 x 21cm, 24pages
6

7

Yumiko Fukuzawa

Children’s Books

NEW

Kayo Mabe & Midori Asano

The Doctor of hedgehog

Tell me, Ms. Knitter

A story that heals both the body and the mind,
depicting the great kindness of a small Doctor ofhedgehog

A heart-warming knitting story
A warm and stylish picture book by popular
illustrator Midori Asano

Dr. Hari Nezumi - the doctor of hedgehog - at the forest hospital has
a variety of patients every day.
The one is coming. So, what kind of patients are coming today? The
warmth of the picture is also one of the charms.

Ms. knitter, the sheep is a knitter in the forest. One day, Mr. Bear
comes along with a sweater that has grown too small to wear. Ms.
knitter unravels the yarn and knits it again. This is a story about thejoy of knitting that changes shape one after another, the kindness of
caring for friends, and the feeling of valuing things. This is a story thatconnects to SDGs, where things are taken good care of for a longtime.

3rd series

Scheduled release datein Jan. 2025

The Doctor ofhedgehog and a little ghost
Written by

Publication Date

Yumiko Fukuzawa

May 2018

Illustrated by

Rights Sold

Yumiko Fukuzawa

Format25.7 × 20.7cm,
32pages

Chinese(simplified)
Chinese(traditional)
Thai

ISBN

As he walked through the forest, he met a“ghost” wearing a white cloth. “I'm a very shy
person.” Now, what is this ghost identity...?

Written by

Rights Sold

FormatChinese(simplified), Chinese(traditional), ThaiISBN

Kayo Mabe

978-4-418-23846-0

Publication Date

Illustrated byMidori Asano

October 2023

26.5 x 22.8cm, 24pages

Publication Date

978-4-418-18817-8

NEW

The second installment in the series. A
heart-warming story that will make youlove your friends and yourself.

978-4-418-20818-0

ISBNFebruary 2021

Eriko Inui & Chisato Tashiro

Children’s BooksNEW

Mai Tomaga & Koji Yamamura

Shiny letters

A fantastic picture book featuring five goldfish
cleaning bath. A retro and entertaining world ofgoldfish drawn by world-famous animation artist
Koji Yamamura.

On New Year's Eve, the rabbits received shiny and mysterious letters.
The next morning, when they went to the field as it was written in theletter, they saw that the shiny something appeared....

8Children’s Books

Goldfish's Bath cleaning

A picture book full of heartwarming ale from the sun
to support all children!

Written byChildren’s Books

Kimi-chan who was assigned to clean the bathroom at her
grandmother's house. When she went to the bathroom, 5 goldfish
appeared from the hot water tap! “Hehehe, we're doing a special trick.
Don't try to copy it. Just watch.” A delightful fantasy picture book thatis mixed withthe every day
ordinary and theextraordinary.

ISBN

Eriko Inui

978-4-418-23821-7

Illustrated by

Publication Date

Mai Tomaga

978-4-418-23810-1

Chisato Tashiro

October 2023

Illustrated by

Publication Date

FormatKoji Yamamura

June 2023

26.5 x 22.8cm, 24pages

FormatWritten byISBN

26 x 20cm, 32pages
9

TravelPractical books

TravelPractical books

ZEKKEI JAPAN 366 days ofstunning Japanese sceneries
the world must know

Tokyo old folk house café
Introduces 40 old folk houses that were built
over 50 years ago and the stories of theirowners, along with soothing photos.

Japan's sleeping “treasures,” vivid andspectacular views of the four seasons!

Guidebook to old folk house cafés that still retain their nostalgic
appearances in the ever-changing city of Tokyo.
Buildings of over 50 years old were originally private houses, soba
noodle restaurants, storage, and inns. Introduces 40 stories of how
the buildings have changed form and become loved as cafés.

Beautiful images of each season; heavy snowy scenery, mysterious torii
gates, clear streams, autumn leaves, and cherry blossoms, are carefully
selected and presented by seasons and 47 prefectures.
A photo book that condenses “Japan's spectacular sceneries,” including
hidden spots that are not well known even in Japan. Additionally, as a
special bonus for readers, it comes with a QR code for the special
website.

Written by

ZEKKEI Japan

Written by

Yoko Kawaguchi

FormatFormat18.8 x 12.8cm, 144pages

21 x 14.8cm, 384pages

ISBN

ISBN

978-4-418-19209-0

978-4-418-22226-1

Publication Date

Publication Date

December 2022

December 2022

Rights Sold

Chinese(simplified), Chinese(traditional)

Kyoto old folk
house café
Enjoy a blissful Kyoto
experience at an old folk
house café.
Introduces charming old folk
house cafés in Kyoto. The
building used to be a Kyoto
townhouse, a tea house, apublic bath, and an inn. From a
200-year-old thatched-roof
house to a 50-year-old Showa era residence, buildings
have been reborn into cafés and now living in a new era.
Introduces the stories of 43 houses presenting the pastand present.

The third release of the
popular series “Old folk
house café!” Stories of 39
old folk house cafés that
hold memories of theancient capital of
Kanazawa.
Visit an old folk house café forthe charm of Kanazawa - itsaesthetic sense and rich food culture that have continued
since the days of the Kaga Domain. The house used to
be a tea house, a Kanazawa townhouse, a hair salon, anda medical clinic.

Written by

Written by

FormatFormatISBN

ISBN

Publication Date

Publication Date

Rights Sold

Rights Sold

Yoko Kawaguchi
18.8 x 12.8cm, 144pages
978-4-418-20215-7
April 2022

Chinese(simplified), Chinese(traditional)

10

Kanazawa old folk
house café

Yoko Kawaguchi
18.8 x 12.8cm, 144pages
978-4-418-22211-7
July 2022

Chinese(traditional)
11

Japanese foodPractical books

Japanese foodPractical books

Ginza Mutsukari- All about vegetable dishes

All about Miso
The first miso soup recipe book by Yoshiharu
Doi, the proponent of “one soup and one dish!”Introducing 423 dishes using only vegetables!
Tips for cooking vegetables shown by themaster of the famous Ginza restaurant“Mutsukari.”

Five years since his proposal “one soup and one dish is enough.” This
book shows how to make truly delicious miso soup; creative miso
soup apart from traditional dashi and Japanese cuisine, simple seasonal
miso soup, and traditional ozoni.

Introducing 423 dishes using only seasonal vegetables. From boiling,baking, and frying, to vegetable desserts, introduces full of tips formaking delicious dishes at home. Toyoharu Enokizono, the master ofthe famous restaurant “Mutsukari” on Namiki Street in Ginza, willshow you how to make vegetable dishes.

Written by

Toyoharu Enokizono
24.2 x 18.2cm, 424pages

Publication Date

FormatRights Sold

18.8 ×12.8cm, 224pages

ISBN

978-4-418-23306-9

October 2021
Chinese(traditional)

ISBN

978-4-418-21317-7

Publication Date

June 2023

Japanese foodWritten by

Yoshiharu Doi, Hikaru Doi

FormatPractical books

Japanese foodPractical books

Enlarged edition
Easy frying receipe by the masterof “Tempura Kondo”“Waketokuyama”

Hiromitsu Nozaki's reason why it's delicious.

Japanese food basics,
complete recipes

Recipe book providing tips for frying tempura
at home - super easy!

Head chef Nozaki of “Waketokuyama” shows
how to make delicious Japanese food at home.

The master of the famous Ginza restaurant “Tempura Kondo” willshow tips for easy way of frying tempura at home, which only requires
an ordinary frying pan and frying oil 3cm high - ready to make exquisite
tempura.
Photos of detailed step-by-step processes make it easy and intuitive tounderstand.

Written by

Written by

FormatFormatISBN

ISBN

Publication Date

Publication Date

Fumio Kondo
25.7×18.8cm, 128pages
978-4-418-17319-8
February 202412

Chef Nozaki of “Waketokuyama,” a popular Japanese chef, will show
you how to make delicious Japanese food at home with cooking
techiniques on Japanese cuisine.
Easy to understand for both beginners and experienced, full process
photos are intuitive to understand like seeing a video !

Hiromitsu Nozaki
25.7 × 18.8cm, 128pages
978-4-418-16307-6
March 2016

Rights Sold

Chinese(simplified)
Chinese(traditional)
KoreanNew edition
Finest selection of sake handbook

Guidebook on the popular sake today that all adults
must know
It is a handy notebook size, making it perfect for carrying around.
Introduces you to the best bottle from around 150 recommended
breweries from all over Japan.
ISBN : 978-4-418-21305-4 Rights Sold : Chinese(simplified)

Chinese(traditional)
13

Gardening

Practical books

Handcraft

Practical books

New enlarged edition
Florists' picture dictionary offlowers

Bernd Kestler spiral socks
Easy to knit and anyone can wear. Socks with ahistory of 100 years. Easy to knit without aknitting pattern!

Introducing over 800 types of flowers, leaves,branches, and fruits. Easy to understand thebasic flower materials used by florists!

This is the first book by Mr. Kestler, a German maleknitting artist who is on the rise in popularity.
Introducing how to knit spiral socks that fit
surprisingly well, 36 variations, and knit accessories.
There is a series of “knit hats” and “mittens.”

A book that covers the standard plants handled by flower shops.
Introducing 287 items and over 800 types of flowers, leaves, branches,and fruits. Conveniently search by color, availability period, and name.
You can quickly find the flowers you want to know about.
Written by

Bernd Kestler

Written by

FormatJun Shishido

Rights Sold

Korean,German23.5 ×19cm, 80pages

FormatISBN

25.7 x 18.2cm, 240pages

978-4-418-15426-5

ISBNPublication Date

978-4-418-23414-1

October 2015

Publication Date

March 2023

Architecture

Practical books

Numerology

YUGU
Playful LandscapeNumerology x behavioral analysis= lighter your mind!
Your birthday reveals the real you

Equipping facilities with playgrounds to nurture
all children, anywhere, anytime.

Build better relationships by leaning about
yourself and others through numerology andbehavioral analysis!

Architect Mitsuru Senda has been working on children's playenvironments. This is a compilation of the playgrounds he has designed,
introducing 96 examples of his work of playgrounds established inlibraries, concert venues, sports facilities, etc.

Written by

FormatFormatISBN

ISBN

Publication Date

Publication Date

25.7 x 21cm, 200pages
978-4-418-23707-4
August 2023

14

Just by unraveling the three numbers derived from your date of birth,
you can discover your talents, essence, and the themes you should
spend your life exploring! Unveiling for the first time a unique method
created from the aspects of psychological and behavioral analysis!

Written by

Mitsuru Senda

Practical books

Tomoko21 × 14.8cm, 192pages
978-4-418-22210-0
March 2022

15

childcare books

Sensory toys - Handmade toys thatchildren with developmental disability
can enjoy to the fullest

Children love toys that they can play intuitively, such as toys with apleasant texture, or toys that extend and contract when pulled. It isespecially important for children with developmental disability to havetoys that they can immerse themselves with.
Sensory toys that stimulate thefive senses stabilize emotions.
Great for developing sense ofhands and fingers and learning
daily actions.

Easy to make witheasily available
materials!

This book introduces many
toys designed with special
characteristics, such as
sparkling, spinning, andexpanding and contracting
when pulled!

Written by

Satomi Fujiwara (supervisor)

Format29.7 x 21cm, 80pages
Publication Date

ISBN

October 2023

978-4-418-23715-9

PriPri Developmental Support Picture Card
Picture card set for children with developmental
disability or undiagnosed developmental issues.

 Meal / Toilet

For children with developmental disabilities, some children havedifficulty listening and understanding languages. These picture
cards visually convey behaviors to children and encourage them
to become more independent in their daily lives.
Understanding things by visual input helps children do morethings and gain more confidence and a sense of accomplishment.
It also has the benefit of promoting language development.
Children show these cards with verbal expressions to convey
their actions and their feelings.

Written by Changing

 Cleanliness Feelings

 Communication

 Group life Play tools

clothes

Akira Sato(supervisor)

and tidying up

Format60 picture cards, 2 posters

On the back of cards are pictures of “well done.”
When the child performs the
behavior written in the front side,
turn it over and show it to him/herand praise him/her.
It is also possible to create support tools
by combining multiple sheets.

 Rules/Promises
16