Ōfūsha

Ōfūsha (株式会社おうふう) was a Japanese academic publishing house based in Chiyoda, Tokyo, that operated for decades under the earlier name Sakurafūsha (桜楓社). It was founded around 1950 as Nangūdō Sakurafūsha by Tokuji Oikawa, a graduate of Kokugakuin University, and was incorporated as Kabushiki Kaisha Sakurafūsha on 18 September 1956. The company specialized in scholarly books on Japanese language and literature (kokugogaku and kokubungaku), publishing research monographs, collected works, dictionaries, and reference works rather than mass-market titles. Its early publication of Susumu Nakanishi's "A Comparative Literary Study of the Man'yōshū" won the Japan Academy Prize in 1970, a landmark achievement that reflected the house's commitment to scholars' research. On 1 May 1993 the company changed its name to Kabushiki Kaisha Ōfūsha. It moved its head office within Chiyoda Ward in 2015 and launched a website in 2005, later accepting online orders from around 2007 until April 2019. In early 2020, without prior notice, the company ceased operations; on 18 March 2020 the Tokyo District Court issued a bankruptcy commencement decision, with liabilities reported at 470 million yen. The corporate entity was dissolved on 12 March 2021. Over its history its presidents included Tokuji Oikawa, Hisako Oikawa, Mariko Koga, and Ryoichi Sakakura at the time of closure. Ōfūsha was part of a network of small academic publishers in Japan, and several firms such as Sōbunsha, Hitsuji Shobō, Kanrin Shobō, and Hakuteisha originated as spin-offs from Sakurafūsha.

Ōfūsha originated as Nangūdō Sakurafūsha around 1950, founded by Tokuji Oikawa, a graduate of Kokugakuin University. The name Sakurafūsha was coined by Shitarō Suzuki, a scholar of Japanese literature at Nihon University. On 18 September 1956, the business was incorporated as Kabushiki Kaisha Sakurafūsha. From its early years, the house focused on publishing scholarly research rather than source collections, and it published Susumu Nakanishi's "A Comparative Literary Study of the Man'yōshū," which won the Japan Academy Prize in 1970. Many scholars were encouraged by Oikawa to write monographs that were then published and favorably received. Several other publishers, including Sōbunsha, Hitsuji Shobō, Kanrin Shobō, and Hakuteisha, spun off from Sakurafūsha. On 1 May 1993, the company changed its name to Kabushiki Kaisha Ōfūsha. It launched a website on 28 July 2005, renewed it around September 2007 and began accepting online orders. On 16 February 2015, it moved its head office from Yajima Building 2F, 1-4-5 Sarugakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, to Eikō Building 201, 1-54 Kanda-Jinbōchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo. Online orders were suspended in April 2019. In late February 2020, information about the closure spread to bookstores through distributors; by early March 2020 it was confirmed that the company had ceased operations without notice. On 18 March 2020, the Tokyo District Court issued a bankruptcy commencement decision, with liabilities of 470 million yen. The corporate entity was dissolved on 12 March 2021. Its presidents over the years were Tokuji Oikawa, Hisako Oikawa, Mariko Koga, and Ryoichi Sakakura at the time of closure.

• Founded as Nangūdō Sakurafūsha.

• Incorporated as Kabushiki Kaisha Sakurafūsha.

• Published Susumu Nakanishi's work that won the Japan Academy Prize.

• Renamed to Kabushiki Kaisha Ōfūsha.

• Launched official website.

• Renewed website and began online orders.

• Moved head office to Kanda-Jinbōchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo.

• Suspended online orders.

• Tokyo District Court issued bankruptcy commencement decision.

• Corporate entity dissolved.

Academic publisher specializing in Japanese linguistics and literature, known for scholarly monographs and reference works.

• Matsumae Takeshi Collected Works (12 vols + 1 suppl.)

• Aoki Ikuko Collected Works (12 vols)

• Yoshida Seiichi Collected Works (25 vols + 2 suppl.)

• Sakurai Mitsuru Collected Works (10 vols + 1 suppl.)

• Sugano Masao Collected Works (6 vols + 1 suppl.)

• Nihon Minzoku-go Dai-jiten (Dictionary of Japanese Folklore Language)

• Waka Bungaku Jiten (Dictionary of Waka Literature)

• Kojiki Jiten (Dictionary of Kojiki)

• Jōdai Bungaku Kenkyū Jiten (Dictionary of Ancient Literature Research)

• Kindai Sakka Kenkyū Jiten (Dictionary of Modern Author Research)

• Saishi Gyōji by Prefecture (47 vols)

• Saishi Jiten by Prefecture (47 vols)

• Genji Monogatari Ihon Shūsei

• Genji Monogatari Ihon Shūsei Zoku

• Genji Monogatari Kochū Shūsei: Genji Shaku

• Kōza Genji Monogatari Kenkyū: Genji Monogatari no Chūshakushi

• Akishige Zenshū to Sono Kenkyū

• Kinsei Chūki Shōsetsu no Kenkyū

• Kinsei Bungaku Zokkō

1. 1おうふう - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
2. 2Ōfūsha - Wikidatawikidata.org