Saizusha Corporation

Saizusha Corporation (株式会社彩図社) is a Japanese publishing house headquartered in Minami-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo. Established in February 1991, the company publishes general-interest books and paperback editions (bunko) covering documentary reportage, travel writing, history, trivia, business, and collections of quotations. Its best-known title is 'Ura no Hello Work' (裏のハローワーク), a behind-the-scenes reportage book that became a bestseller and helped define the publisher's reputation for exposing the hidden sides of industries and professions. The company operates as a private corporation with stated capital of 10 million yen and is led by representative director Yuji Yamada. Its catalogue spans a wide range of non-fiction subjects, from logical thinking and self-improvement to Korean history and economics, railway history, and gambling culture. Saizusha distributes through major Japanese wholesalers and retailers including Tohan, Nippan, Rakuten BN, Chuo-sha, Nikkyohan, Koshodo, Kuwatani Shoten, Media Do, and Amazon Japan. Saizusha is not a large conglomerate publisher but an independent house with a distinctive editorial identity. It has built a following through provocative titles and series such as 'Ura no Hello Work' and its practical and reportage-oriented paperbacks. The company maintains an active presence on social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter) under the handle @saiz_sha, where it announces new releases. Its office is located near JR Otsuka Station on the Yamanote Line, in the same building complex as other businesses. While it does not brand its paperback line as 'Saizusha Bunko' officially, it regularly publishes bunko-format editions of its titles. The publisher's output reflects a focus on accessible, often sensational or curiosity-driven non-fiction aimed at general readers in Japan.

Saizusha Corporation was established in February 1991 in Tokyo, Japan, as a publishing company focused on general-interest books. From its early years, the publisher carved out a niche in documentary reportage and non-fiction that explored the lesser-known or sensational aspects of various industries and social phenomena. A defining moment came in 2004 with the publication of 'Ura no Hello Work' (裏のハローワーク), a book that revealed the hidden realities of various jobs and workplaces. The title became a bestseller and spawned follow-up volumes such as 'Ura no Hello Work: Negotiation and Practice Edition' in 2005. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Saizusha expanded its catalogue to include travel writing, history, trivia, business, and self-help titles. Notable releases included 'Nazis no Hatsumei' (2006), 'Honto wa Yabai! Kankoku Keizai' (2007), 'Fuin Sareta Tetsudo-shi' (2010), and 'Chōyaku Sonshi no Heihō' (2011). The company also published paperback editions of many of its titles, though it did not formally brand them as 'Saizusha Bunko'. Its output often reflected a contrarian or investigative tone, appealing to readers interested in behind-the-scenes accounts and unconventional perspectives. By the 2010s, Saizusha had established a stable position as an independent publisher with a distinct identity. It continued to release titles on diverse topics, from logical thinking experiments ('Ronteki Shikōryoku o Kitaeru 33 no Shikō Jikken', 2017) to personal narratives like 'Boku wa Asperger Shōkōgun' (2014). The company maintained a private ownership structure and operated from its office in Toshima-ku, Tokyo. In the 2020s, it remained active, publishing new works such as 'Yoru no Kotobatachi' (2023). Saizusha's history reflects the resilience of a small, independent publisher in a consolidating Japanese book market, sustained by a loyal readership and a knack for topical, attention-grabbing non-fiction.

• 2023

  Published 'Yoru no Kotobatachi'.

• 2017

  Published 'Ronteki Shikōryoku o Kitaeru 33 no Shikō Jikken'.

• 2014

  Published 'Boku wa Asperger Shōkōgun' and 'Soap Land de Boy o Shiteimashita'.

• 2011

  Published 'Chōyaku Sonshi no Heihō'.

• 2010

  Published 'Fuin Sareta Tetsudo-shi' and 'Pachinko Ura Monogatari'.

• 2007

  Published 'Honto wa Yabai! Kankoku Keizai'.

• 2006

  Published 'Nazis no Hatsumei' and 'Tondemo Ijin-den: Tensai-hen'.

• 2005

  Released follow-up 'Ura no Hello Work: Negotiation and Practice Edition'.

• 2004

  Published 'Ura no Hello Work', which became a bestseller.

• 1991

  Company established in February in Tokyo.

Independent publisher specializing in provocative, curiosity-driven non-fiction and reportage for general readers in Japan.

Product categories. General non-fiction books · Paperback bunko editions · Documentary reportage · Travel essays · History books · Trivia books · Business books · Quotation collections

1. 1彩図社(さいずしゃ|サイズシャ)/一般書の出版社saiz.co.jp
2. 2出版社 彩図社 会社案内saiz.co.jp
3. 3Saizusha Corporation - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4彩図社 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org