Misuzu Shobo

Misuzu Shobo (株式会社みすず書房) is a Japanese academic publishing house founded in 1946, with its origins in a decision made in the winter of 1945 by Toshihito Oi and his former colleague and fellow soldier Atsushi Wada. The company was initially named 美篶書房 (Misuzu Shobo with different characters) and published its first book, Katayama Toshihiko's 'Shishin no Fūkō' (詩心の風光), in July 1946. From the second book onward, the name was changed to the current みすず書房. The company was incorporated as a limited company in September 1947 and reorganized as a stock company in April 1952. Misuzu Shobo is renowned for its specialized publications in the humanities and social sciences, including philosophy, science, psychology, modern history, Western history, and sociology. Its catalog includes over 5,000 titles, with landmark works such as the complete works of Romain Rolland (43 volumes), 'Gendai Shi Shiryō' (現代史資料, 45 volumes plus supplementary volume), Viktor Frankl's 'Man's Search for Meaning' (夜と霧), and Thomas Piketty's 'Capital in the Twenty-First Century' (21世紀の資本). The publisher has received numerous awards, including the Kikuchi Kan Prize and the Mainichi Publishing Culture Award. The company is headquartered in Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, and as of April 2026 has 28 employees. It operates primarily in the Japanese market, selling through bookstores nationwide. In 2023, the monthly magazine 'Misuzu' ceased print publication and transitioned to an online magazine, 'WEB Misuzu'. The current president is Ken Noto, who assumed the role in 2022.

Misuzu Shobo was founded in the aftermath of World War II. In the autumn of 1945, Toshihito Oi, recently demobilized, proposed to his former colleague and fellow soldier Atsushi Wada that they start either a publishing house or engage in agriculture. They ultimately decided on publishing, and in December 1945, Oi, along with Rokuro Yamazaki and Takeo Shimizu, agreed to establish the company. The company was officially founded in March 1946, with an office in Nihonbashi Ward, under the name 美篶書房 (Misuzu Shobo written with different characters). The first publication was Katayama Toshihiko's 'Shishin no Fūkō' in July 1946. Due to complaints about the archaic characters and restrictions on kanji, the name was changed to みすず書房 from the second book, Sakata Tokuo's 'Tetsugaku e no Michi', in September 1946. In January 1947, the publisher began issuing the complete works of Romain Rolland, a massive 43-volume project. The company was incorporated as a limited company on September 1, 1947, and became a stock company in April 1952. In November 1948, the office moved to Haruki-cho, Bunkyo-ku (now Hongo 3-chome). In August 1956, the Japanese translation of Viktor Frankl's 'Man's Search for Meaning' (夜と霧), translated by Tokuji Shimoyama, was published, becoming one of the publisher's most enduring titles. In April 1959, the monthly magazine 'Misuzu' was launched. In December 1959, the publication of 'Gendai Bijutsu' (Contemporary Art) in 25 volumes began. In August 1962, the 'Gendai Shi Shiryō' (Modern Historical Documents) series started, which would eventually comprise 45 volumes plus a supplementary volume and receive the 13th Kikuchi Kan Prize in 1965. In December 1965, Shinichiro Tomonaga's 'Kagami no Naka no Sekai' was published following his Nobel Prize. In May 1966, Mihoko Kamiya's 'Ikigai ni Tsuite' was published. In June 1974, the sales department moved to Hongo 5-chome. In November 1976, Masao Maruyama's 'Senchū to Sengo no Aida' was published, winning the 4th Osaragi Jiro Prize in 1977. In November 1977, 'Gendai Shi Shiryō' received the 31st Mainichi Publishing Culture Award Special Prize. In April 1996, the headquarters moved to Hongo 5-chome. In November 1996, Hisao Nakai's 'Kazoku no Shin'en' won the 50th Mainichi Publishing Culture Award. In November 2002, a new translation of Frankl's 'Night and Fog' by Kayoko Ikeda was published. In November 2003, Yoshitaka Yamamoto's 'Jiryoku to Jūryoku no Hakken' won the 57th Mainichi Publishing Culture Award and the 30th Osaragi Jiro Prize. In December 2014, Thomas Piketty's 'Capital in the Twenty-First Century' was published, becoming a bestseller. In October 2017, the headquarters moved to its current location in Hongo 2-chome. In November 2019, Ryo Ikenouchi's book won the 73rd Mainichi Publishing Culture Award. In September 2023, the online magazine 'WEB Misuzu' was launched. In November 2025, Matsukuma Hiroshi's 'Mikan no Kenchiku' won the 79th Mainichi Publishing Culture Award.

• 2025

  Matsukuma's 'Mikan no Kenchiku' wins 79th Mainichi Publishing Culture Award.

• 2023

  Monthly magazine 'Misuzu' discontinued; online magazine 'WEB Misuzu' launched.

• 2019

  Ikenouchi's book wins 73rd Mainichi Publishing Culture Award.

• 2017

  Headquarters moved to current location in Hongo 2-chome.

• 2014

  Published Thomas Piketty's 'Capital in the Twenty-First Century'.

• 2003

  Yamamoto's 'Jiryoku to Jūryoku no Hakken' wins 57th Mainichi Publishing Culture Award and 30th Osaragi Jiro Prize.

• 2002

  New translation of Frankl's 'Night and Fog' published.

• 1996

  Headquarters moved to Hongo 5-chome; Nakai's 'Kazoku no Shin'en' wins 50th Mainichi Publishing Culture Award.

• 1977

  'Gendai Shi Shiryō' wins 31st Mainichi Publishing Culture Award Special Prize; Maruyama's book wins 4th Osaragi Jiro Prize.

• 1976

  Published Masao Maruyama's 'Senchū to Sengo no Aida'.

• 1974

  Sales department moved to Hongo 5-chome.

• 1966

  Published Mihoko Kamiya's 'Ikigai ni Tsuite'.

• 1965

  'Gendai Shi Shiryō' wins 13th Kikuchi Kan Prize; Tomonaga's book published after Nobel Prize.

• 1962

  Publication of 'Gendai Shi Shiryō' series begins.

• 1959

  Monthly magazine 'Misuzu' launched; publication of 'Gendai Bijutsu' begins.

• 1956

  Published Japanese translation of Viktor Frankl's 'Man's Search for Meaning' (夜と霧).

• 1952

  Reorganized as a stock company.

• 1948

  Office moved to Haruki-cho, Bunkyo-ku (now Hongo 3-chome).

• 1947

  Publication of Romain Rolland complete works begins; incorporated as a limited company on September 1.

• 1946

  Company founded in March; first book 'Shishin no Fūkō' published in July; name changed to Misuzu Shobo in September.

• 1945

  Toshihito Oi and colleagues agree to establish a publishing company.

Specialized academic publisher focusing on high-quality scholarly works in the humanities and social sciences, known for its distinctive white-based book designs.

• 1947

  Romain Rolland Complete Works (43 volumes)

• 1962

  Gendai Shi Shiryō (Modern Historical Documents, 45 volumes + 1 supplementary)

• 1956

  Viktor Frankl 'Man's Search for Meaning' (夜と霧)

• 2014

  Thomas Piketty 'Capital in the Twenty-First Century' (21世紀の資本)

• 1976

  Masao Maruyama 'Senchū to Sengo no Aida'

• 1966

  Mihoko Kamiya 'Ikigai ni Tsuite'

• 1996

  Hisao Nakai 'Kazoku no Shin'en'

• 2003

  Yoshitaka Yamamoto 'Jiryoku to Jūryoku no Hakken'

• 1965

  Shinichiro Tomonaga 'Kagami no Naka no Sekai'

• 1959

  Monthly magazine 'Misuzu'

1. 1みすず書房 公式サイトmsz.co.jp
2. 2会社案内 | みすず書房msz.co.jp
3. 3みすず書房 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
4. 4Misuzu Shobo - Wikidatawikidata.org