Kin no Hoshisha
Japan's longest-established specialist publisher of children's books, founded in 1919 and known for the pioneering children's magazine Kin no Fune / Kin no Hoshi.
Last updated September 28, 2026
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Overview
Kin no Hoshisha (株式会社金の星社) is a Japanese publishing house dedicated to children's books, headquartered in Taito-ku, Tokyo. It describes itself as the longest-established specialist publisher of children's books in the industry, having been founded in November 1919. The company's origin lies in the monthly children's literature magazine Kin no Fune (『金の船』), first issued on 1 November 1919 under the editorial direction of Sajiro Saito, with the poet Noguchi Ujo as founding editor-in-chief. The magazine published many songs and stories that became nationally beloved children's songs, including "Nanatsu no Ko" (Seven Children) and "Aoi Me no Ningyo" (The Blue-Eyed Doll). In 1922 the title was changed to Kin no Hoshi (『金の星』), and in 1923 the company name was changed to Kin no Hoshisha. After the magazine ceased publication in 1929, the company continued as a specialist publisher of children's books, incorporating as a joint-stock company in 1932 and moving to its present location in Asakusa Kojima (now Taito-ku Kojima) in 1936. During the wartime publishing consolidation it was merged into a consolidated children's book publisher, then revived as Kin no Hoshisha in August 1945. In the postwar decades it published widely read works such as Kawayui Zo (『かわいそうなぞう』, 1970) and Garasu no Usagi (『ガラスのうさぎ』, 1977), and in 1979 it launched the cooperative children's book label Four Bunko together with Iwasaki Shoten, Doshinsha and Rironsha. Today Kin no Hoshisha publishes picture books, children's fiction, non-fiction and educational titles, as well as some general-interest books. Its catalogue includes long-running series such as the Henshin series by Akiyama Tadashi and the Bargess Animal Books, alongside learning and practical series on topics like the environment, disability awareness, shogi and fishing. The company marked its 100th anniversary in 2019, opening a digital library of the 101 issues of Kin no Fune and Kin no Hoshi edited by Sajiro Saito between 1919 and 1928. It remains a privately held company with capital of 25 million yen and a small staff, led by president Kenji Saito.
History
Kin no Hoshisha traces its origin to 1919, when Sajiro Saito, aiming to launch a children's literature magazine, became a co-investor and management participant in the publisher Kinnotsuno-sha, which issued picture magazines for young children such as Nihon no Kodomo and Nakayoshi. Saito set up an editorial office at his home in Nezu Miyanaga-cho, Hongo-ku, and on 1 November 1919 the monthly magazine of children's songs and stories Kin no Fune was first published, with Saito as editorial chief and the company owner Yokoyama as publisher. The current company treats this date as its founding day. Kin no Fune published works by the poet Noguchi Ujo, including songs such as Jugoya Otsukisan, Nanatsu no Ko and Aoi Me no Ningyo, which became nationally popular children's songs and rapidly increased circulation. In 1922, a management conflict at Kinnotsuno-sha led Saito to establish a new company, Kin no Fune-sha, at his home in Tabata, and the magazine title was changed to Kin no Hoshi. Because the rights to the title Kin no Fune were held by Kinnotsuno-sha, the June 1922 issue was issued with a hastily changed cover under the new title. Kinnotsuno-sha resumed its own Kin no Fune from July 1922, so the two magazines ran in parallel for a time. In January 1923 Kin no Fune-sha changed its company name to Kin no Hoshisha to match the magazine title. The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1 September 1923 spared the Tabata head office but destroyed the Kin no Hoshi Publishing Department near Ueno Park, which had published song scores and related books. In the difficult years that followed, the company moved further into children's book publishing, starting with the Sekai Shonen Shojo Meicho Taikei in 1924 and issuing series such as Kin no Hoshi Dowa Bunko, Sekai Dowa Sosho and Shogaku Gakunen-betsu Dowa into the early Showa period. As the children's literature movement declined and children's magazines became more mass-oriented, Kin no Hoshi ceased publication in 1929. The company continued as a specialist children's book publisher, incorporating as a joint-stock company in June 1932, moving through Shitaya Nicho-cho and in May 1936 to its present location in Asakusa Kojima-cho. During this period it also supported its business by publishing inexpensive reprint story collections under the name Reimeisha. In November 1943, under wartime publishing consolidation, Kin no Hoshisha (Reimeisha) merged with six other publishers to form Jido Tosho Shuppansha, with Saito as president. After the company's office was destroyed in an air raid in 1944 and the consolidated company dissolved at the end of the war, Kin no Hoshisha was revived as a joint-stock company in August 1945. In the postwar decades the company published many storybooks, picture books and children's literature titles. In 1970 it released Kawai-so na Zo by Tsuge Yoshio, and in 1977 Garasu no Usagi by Takagi Toshiko, both of which provoked significant social response. In 1979 it launched the cooperative children's book label Four Bunko together with Iwasaki Shoten, Doshinsha and Rironsha. Masakazu Saito became president in 1981, and Kenji Saito became president in 2003. The company celebrated its 95th anniversary in 2014 and its 100th anniversary in 2019, when it held an exhibition at the Ueno Royal Museum titled 'Kin no Fune ☆ Kin no Hoshi: 100 Years of Children's Books' and opened the Kin no Fune / Kin no Hoshi Digital Library, making all pages of the 101 issues edited by Sajiro Saito between 1919 and 1928 available online.
- 2019
100th anniversary; exhibition at Ueno Royal Museum and launch of Kin no Fune / Kin no Hoshi Digital Library.
- 2014
95th anniversary.
- 2003
Kenji Saito became president.
- 1981
Masakazu Saito became president.
- 1979
Launched the Four Bunko cooperative label with Iwasaki Shoten, Doshinsha and Rironsha.
- 1977
Published Garasu no Usagi by Takagi Toshiko.
- 1970
Published Kawai-so na Zo by Tsuge Yukio.
- 1945
Revived as Kin no Hoshisha joint-stock company in August after the war.
- 1943
Merged with six other publishers into Jido Tosho Shuppansha under wartime consolidation; Saito became president.
- 1936
Moved to Asakusa-ku Kojima-cho (current headquarters location).
Products and positioning
A long-established, independent specialist publisher of children's books, emphasizing peace, nature and the lives of children, and carrying forward the legacy of Japan's modern children's culture movement.
Kawai-so na Zo (『かわいそうなぞう』)
Garasu no Usagi (『ガラスのうさぎ』)
Happy Birthday (『ハッピーバースデー 命かがやく瞬間』)
Henshin series (『へんしん』シリーズ)
Bargess Animal Books
Four Bunko (フォア文庫)
Kin no Fune / Kin no Hoshi Digital Library
Sources6 sources
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