Switch Publishing Co., Ltd.

Switch Publishing Co., Ltd. (株式会社スイッチ・パブリッシング) is a Japanese independent publishing house headquartered in Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo. The company was established on 1 August 1994 and is led by representative director Toshinori Arai. Its core business is the publication of magazines and books, and it is best known as the publisher of the interview and culture magazine SWITCH, which first appeared in 1985 and was relaunched in a new format in January 2004. The company also publishes the travel magazine Coyote, launched in 2004, and the literary magazine MONKEY, launched in 2013 under the editorial direction of translator Motoyuki Shibata. SWITCH is the company's flagship title. Its stated concept is to follow the vivid trajectories of individuals who shape the era and to convey their breath and brilliance. It covers music, film, literature, art and design, focusing on creators and artists across genres, and is known for in-depth interviews and photo stories that reveal sides of subjects not seen elsewhere. Because it does not belong to a single genre, bookstores often shelve it in different sections. Coyote, first published on 5 August 2004, is a travel magazine built around the theme "people travel." It has featured figures such as Michio Hoshino, Kōtarō Sawaki, Naomi Uemura, Shuntarō Tanikawa and Barry Lopez, and each issue has a different theme. Its readership is centered on men in their thirties with relatively strong spending power. MONKEY, first published on 7 October 2013, is a literary magazine effectively succeeding the magazine Monkey Business, with a similar roster of writers; its first issue featured Paul Auster. Beyond magazines, Switch Publishing operates a directly managed bookstore and café, Rainy Day Bookstore & Cafe, which opened in May 2006 in the basement of its Nishiazabu head office building. The café changes its menu with the seasons, and the bookstore has since January 2007 hosted themed features and a talk event series called "Katarikoko," moderated by writer Akiko Ōtake, with guests including brain scientist Kenichirō Mogi, picture-book author Kōji Suzuki, novelist Mitsuyo Kakuta, jazz saxophonist Akira Sakata, translator Sachiko Kishimoto, editor and photographer Kyōichi Tsuzuki, artist Yasumasa Morimura, novelist Hideo Furukawa and writer Yōko Tawada. The company also runs SWITCH ONLINE, a general media site that draws on the interview and editorial strengths cultivated through its three magazines to deliver content intended to permeate readers' lives rather than merely flow as daily information. In October 2018 it launched RADIO SWITCH, a program combining magazine and radio. Its book publishing includes titles such as the Japanese edition of Paul Auster's Auggie Wren's Christmas Story, translated by Motoyuki Shibata with illustrations by Jun Tada, published on 25 October 2021, and Kōtarō Sawaki's new book from the Morocco edition of his journey along Route 1.

Switch Publishing traces its origins to the magazine SWITCH, founded in 1985 as an interview and culture magazine. From its founding until the establishment of the current company, SWITCH was published by Switch Corporation, a subsidiary of Fuji Pacific Music Publishing (now Switch Co., Ltd.), and sold through Fusosha. On 1 August 1994, the current company, Switch Publishing Co., Ltd., was established. In January 2004, SWITCH was relaunched in a new format, and after that relaunch its content increasingly featured on-site, closely reported coverage. The magazine's approach is to spotlight individuals deeply and to cover matters that cannot be fully addressed in ordinary interviews; it focuses broadly on creators and artists across fields rather than a single genre, so bookstores often place it in different sections. On 5 August 2004, the company launched Coyote, a travel magazine themed on travel. It sends creators mainly overseas and conveys their ideas and observations through their distinctive sensibilities, with a different theme each issue. Its readership is centered on men in their thirties, many with considerable economic power. On 17 April 2006, the company moved its office building to Nishiazabu, and in May 2006 it began operating Rainy Day Bookstore & Cafe. Located in the basement of the head office building, the café changes its menu with the seasons, while the bookstore has since January 2007 organized features spotlighting particular individuals and, on the third Saturday of the month, a talk event series called 'Katarikoko' moderated by writer Akiko Ōtake. Guests have included Kenichirō Mogi, Kōji Suzuki, Mitsuyo Kakuta, Akira Sakata, Sachiko Kishimoto, Kyōichi Tsuzuki, Yasumasa Morimura, Hideo Furukawa and Yōko Tawada. Events and concerts beyond Katarikoko have also been held repeatedly. On 7 October 2013, the company launched MONKEY, a literary magazine under the editorial direction of translator Motoyuki Shibata. It is effectively the successor to the magazine Monkey Business published by Village Books, and it carries over the same roster of writers; its first issue featured Paul Auster. According to the company's own account, 33 years after the 1985 founding of SWITCH, it launched Coyote in 2004 and MONKEY in 2013, guided by the underlying idea of 'providing new encounters and telling stories.' In October 2018 it started broadcasting RADIO SWITCH, a challenging new program fusing magazine and radio, and it launched SWITCH ONLINE as a general media site carrying forward that concept. The company's book publishing includes the Japanese edition of Paul Auster's Auggie Wren's Christmas Story, translated by Motoyuki Shibata with illustrations by Jun Tada, published on 25 October 2021, and Kōtarō Sawaki's new book from the Morocco edition of his northward journey along Route 1.

• 2021

  Published the Japanese edition of Paul Auster's Auggie Wren's Christmas Story on 25 October.

• 2018

  RADIO SWITCH began airing in October; SWITCH ONLINE launched.

• 2013

  MONKEY literary magazine launched on 7 October.

• 2007

  Bookstore began themed features in January and the 'Katarikoko' talk series.

• 2006

  Office moved to Nishiazabu on 17 April; Rainy Day Bookstore & Cafe opened in May.

• 2004

  SWITCH relaunched in a new format in January; Coyote launched on 5 August.

• 1994

  Switch Publishing Co., Ltd. established on 1 August.

• 1985

  SWITCH magazine founded as an interview and culture magazine.

Independent Japanese publisher known for long-form interview journalism and culture coverage, extending its editorial voice across magazines, books, radio and online media.

• SWITCH

  Monthly interview and culture magazine first published in 1985, relaunched in 2004.

• Coyote

  Travel magazine launched in 2004, published three times a year.

• MONKEY

  Literary magazine launched in 2013, edited by Motoyuki Shibata, published three times a year.

• Auggie Wren's Christmas Story (Japanese edition)

  Paul Auster's story translated by Motoyuki Shibata, illustrated by Jun Tada, published 25 October 2021.

1. 1出版社スイッチ・パブリッシング公式ページ– SWITCH ONLINEswitch-pub.co.jp
2. 2ABOUT – SWITCH ONLINEswitch-pub.co.jp
3. 3会社概要 – SWITCH ONLINEswitch-pub.co.jp
4. 4ポール・オースター『オーギー・レンのクリスマス・ストーリー』特設サイトswitch-pub.co.jp
5. 5Switch Publishing – Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6スイッチ・パブリッシング – Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org