Mates Publishing

Mates Publishing, now formally known as Mates Universal Contents Co., Ltd. (株式会社メイツユニバーサルコンテンツ), is a Japanese book publisher and content provider headquartered in Hirakawacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. The company traces its origins to 1999, when the publishing business of Maruzen Mates Co., Ltd., an affiliate of the Maruzen bookstore group, was transferred to a newly established entity called Mates Publishing Co., Ltd. (メイツ出版株式会社). It began operations in Ichibancho, Chiyoda-ku, with Shinji Maeda as its first representative director and president. The company's publishing program is built around practical, instructional, and lifestyle content. Its best-known series include "Kotsu ga Wakaru Hon" (コツがわかる本), a line of how-to books covering sports, hobbies, cooking, and health; "Manabukku" (まなぶっく), a study-book series aimed mainly at elementary school children; and "Mammy's Book" (マミーズブック), a parenting series launched in 2007. It also publishes regional and gourmet guidebooks, temple and shrine guides, overseas travel guides, and the long-running "Kodomo to Dekakeru Asobiba Guide" (子どもとでかけるあそび場ガイド) series of family outing guides, which has sold a cumulative three million copies since its nationwide rollout in 2000. Over the years the company has expanded from print into digital. It began selling e-books in 2011 and started supplying content to digital libraries in 2020. In 2019, marking its twentieth anniversary, it changed its corporate name from Mates Publishing Co., Ltd. to Mates Universal Contents Co., Ltd. The company moved its head office to Hirakawacho in 2012 and in 2021 renovated its office as "Kojimachi Base," with interior design by Muji. Leadership has also changed over time: Michito Miwatari became president in 2016, and Koji Oba took the role in 2022. Today Mates Universal Contents remains a privately held Japanese publisher. Its catalog spans children's study and activity books, sports and hobby instruction, parenting titles, pet and nature guides, and travel and regional guides, sold through major Japanese distributors and retailers such as Nippon Shuppan Hanbai, Tohan, Rakuten Books Network, and Amazon Japan, as well as library channels.

Mates Universal Contents Co., Ltd. was established on November 1, 1999, when the publishing operations of Maruzen Mates Co., Ltd., an affiliate of Maruzen Co., Ltd., were transferred through an employee buyout (EBO) to a new company named Mates Publishing Co., Ltd. (メイツ出版株式会社). It opened for business in Ichibancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, with Shinji Maeda as its first representative director and president. In 2000 the company launched the "Kodomo to Dekakeru Asobiba Guide" (子どもとでかけるあそび場ガイド) series of family outing guides nationwide; the series has since reached a cumulative circulation of three million copies. In 2004 it started the children's book series "Manabukku" (まなぶっく), followed in 2005 by the hobby and sports instruction series "Kotsu ga Wakaru Hon" (コツがわかる本) and in 2007 by the parenting series "Mammy's Book" (マミーズブック). In 2011 the company published "Ballpoint Pen de Kantan! Petit Kawaii Illustration ga Kakeru Hon," a drawing instruction title whose series has sold a cumulative 300,000 copies, and it began selling e-books. The following year, 2012, it relocated its head office to Hirakawacho in Chiyoda-ku. In 2016 Osamu Miwatari became representative director and president. Marking its twentieth anniversary in 2019, the company changed its corporate name to Mates Universal Contents Co., Ltd. (株式会社メイツユニバーサルコンテンツ). In 2020 it began selling content for digital libraries, and in 2021 it renovated its office as "Kojimachi Base," commissioning the interior design from Muji. In 2022 Koji Oba became representative director and president. The company continues to publish across practical, educational, and guidebook categories, with recent titles including study-skills books for students, sports instruction for junior players, pet and nature guides, and regional travel guides. Its books are distributed through major Japanese wholesalers and retailers, and it also supplies content to libraries and digital library services.

• Established as Mates Publishing Co., Ltd. through an EBO from Maruzen Mates Co., Ltd.; opened in Ichibancho, Chiyoda-ku; Shinji Maeda became first president.

• Launched the 'Kodomo to Dekakeru Asobiba Guide' series nationwide; cumulative circulation later reached 3 million copies.

• Started the children's book series 'Manabukku'.

• Started the hobby and sports instruction series 'Kotsu ga Wakaru Hon'.

• Started the parenting series 'Mammy's Book'.

• Published 'Ballpoint Pen de Kantan! Petit Kawaii Illustration ga Kakeru Hon' (series cumulative 300,000 copies); began e-book sales.

• Relocated head office to Hirakawacho, Chiyoda-ku.

• Osamu Miwatari became representative director and president.

• Changed corporate name to Mates Universal Contents Co., Ltd. on its 20th anniversary.

• Began selling content for digital libraries.

• Renovated office as 'Kojimachi Base' with interior design by Muji.

• Koji Oba became representative director and president.

A Japanese practical and educational publisher offering how-to, children's study, parenting, and guidebook titles for general readers and families.

• Kotsu ga Wakaru Hon (コツがわかる本)

  Practical how-to series covering sports, hobbies, cooking, and health.

• Manabukku (まなぶっく)

  Study-book series mainly for elementary school children, including readers, quizzes, and puzzles.

• Mammy's Book (マミーズブック)

  Parenting book series launched in 2007.

• Kodomo to Dekakeru Asobiba Guide (子どもとでかけるあそび場ガイド)

  Family outing guide series with cumulative circulation of 3 million copies.

• Guidebooks

  Gourmet guides for restaurants and cafes, temple and shrine guides, and overseas guides.

1. 1株式会社 メイツユニバーサルコンテンツmates-publishing.co.jp
2. 2株式会社 メイツユニバーサルコンテンツ » 会社概要mates-publishing.co.jp
3. 3メイツユニバーサルコンテンツ - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
4. 4Mates Publishing - Wikidatawikidata.org