Ichimannendo Publishing Co. Ltd.

Ichimannendo Publishing Co. Ltd. (株式会社1万年堂出版) is a Japanese book publisher headquartered in Kanda-Ogawamachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. It was founded in November 2000 as the publishing division of Jodo Shinshu Kenshokai, a Japanese Buddhist lay organization, and was reorganized as a stock company (kabushiki kaisha) in July 2012. The company's stated ideal is to create books that will be read for a thousand or ten thousand years, one volume at a time, with care. The publisher's catalogue centers on Buddhist and Jodo Shinshu themes, self-help and life-philosophy titles, and parenting books. Its breakout title was 'Why Do We Live?' (なぜ生きる), supervised by Kensho Takamori and co-authored by Daiji Akebashi and Kentaro Ito, published in April 2001; it passed 500,000 copies in January 2007 and reached one million copies in February 2026. The 'Child-Rearing Happy Advice' (子育てハッピーアドバイス) series by Daiji Akebashi, launched in December 2005, passed 500,000 copies in April 2006, one million in December 2009, and five million across the series in January 2020. Other notable titles include 'Opening the Tannisho' (歎異抄をひらく, 2008), which passed 500,000 copies in June 2021, and '100 Bouquets Toward the Light' (光に向かって100の花束, 2000), which passed 500,000 copies in October 2001. Ichimannendo Publishing has extended its content into other media. Two of its books were adapted into animated films: 'Why Do We Live: Rennyo Shonin and the Yoshizaki Fire' in May 2016 and 'Opening the Tannisho' in May 2019, with a further film, 'Shinran: The Purpose of Life,' released in February 2025. Since around 2024 the company has also produced a radio program, 'Ichimannendo Publishing Hour,' broadcast on 34 radio stations across Japan on weekend early mornings, replacing an earlier program associated with Jodo Shinshu Kenshokai. The company is led by president Takashi Nishida. Its website is operated under commission by Ichimannendo Agency Co., Ltd. The publisher's books have drawn attention because the relationship between Jodo Shinshu Kenshokai and the publisher, authors, and supervisors is not always explicitly stated in the books themselves. Alongside its print business, the company runs the 'Ichimannendo Life' web content section covering parenting and life topics.

Ichimannendo Publishing Co. Ltd. was founded in November 2000 as the publishing arm of Jodo Shinshu Kenshokai, a Japanese Buddhist organization. Its first title, '100 Bouquets Toward the Light' (光に向かって100の花束) by Kensho Takamori, was published in the same month. The company's founding ideal was to create books that would be read for a thousand or ten thousand years, one volume at a time, with care. In April 2001 the publisher released 'Why Do We Live?' (なぜ生きる), supervised by Kensho Takamori and co-authored by Daiji Akebashi and Kentaro Ito. The book became a bestseller, passing 500,000 copies in January 2007 and eventually reaching one million copies in February 2026. In October 2001, '100 Bouquets Toward the Light' passed 500,000 copies. The 'Kokoro' series by Koichi Kimura began in 2003 with 'Parents' Hearts' (親のこころ), followed by 'The Road of the Heart' (2004), 'Morning of the Heart' (2005), 'Compassionate Heart' (2007), and 'An Upright Way of Living' (2010). In December 2005 the publisher launched the 'Child-Rearing Happy Advice' (子育てハッピーアドバイス) series by Daiji Akebashi. It passed 500,000 copies in April 2006, one million in December 2009, and five million across the series in January 2020, becoming the company's most commercially successful line. In March 2008 it published 'Opening the Tannisho' (歎異抄をひらく) by Kensho Takamori, which passed 500,000 copies in June 2021. The company was reorganized as a stock company (kabushiki kaisha) in July 2012. Ichimannendo Publishing expanded into film and other media. In May 2016 an animated film adaptation of 'Why Do We Live' titled 'Why Do We Live: Rennyo Shonin and the Yoshizaki Fire' was released, followed in May 2019 by an animated film of 'Opening the Tannisho.' Manga adaptations of these films were also published. In February 2025 a further film, 'Shinran: The Purpose of Life,' based on 'The Purpose of Life' and 'Opening the Tannisho,' was released. By 2024 the company was producing a radio program, 'Ichimannendo Publishing Hour,' broadcast on 34 radio stations nationwide on weekend early mornings; previously that time slot had carried 'Jodo Shinshu Kenshokai Hour.' The publisher's catalogue also includes the 'Why Do We Live' series, the 'Enjoying Classics in Modern Paraphrase' series (including 'Opening the Tannisho' and works on the Tsurezuregusa, Hojoki, Makura no Soshi, and Heike Monogatari), and various Buddhist titles. An English edition of 'Why Do We Live,' titled 'YOU WERE BORN FOR A REASON' and translated by Juliet Carpenter, appeared in 2006, with Chinese and Portuguese editions also published. The company has drawn attention because the relationship between Jodo Shinshu Kenshokai and the publisher, authors, and supervisors is not always explicitly stated in its books. As of the 2020s the company is led by president Takashi Nishida and its website is operated under commission by Ichimannendo Agency Co., Ltd.

• Ichimannendo Publishing founded; '100 Bouquets Toward the Light' published

• 'Why Do We Live?' published

• '100 Bouquets Toward the Light' surpasses 500,000 copies

• 'Child-Rearing Happy Advice' published

• 'Child-Rearing Happy Advice' surpasses 500,000 copies

• 'Why Do We Live?' surpasses 500,000 copies

• 'Opening the Tannisho' published

• 'Child-Rearing Happy Advice' surpasses one million copies

• Reorganized as a stock company (kabushiki kaisha)

• Animated film 'Why Do We Live: Rennyo Shonin and the Yoshizaki Fire' released

• Animated film 'Opening the Tannisho' released

• 'Child-Rearing Happy Advice' series surpasses five million copies

• 'Opening the Tannisho' surpasses 500,000 copies

• Film 'Shinran: The Purpose of Life' released

• 'Why Do We Live?' surpasses one million copies

A Buddhist-affiliated publisher producing books on Jodo Shinshu teachings, life philosophy, and parenting, aiming to create enduring titles read across generations.

• 2000

  光に向かって100の花束 (100 Bouquets Toward the Light)

• 2001

  なぜ生きる (Why Do We Live?)

• 2002

  光に向かって123のこころのタネ (123 Seeds of the Heart Toward the Light)

• 2003

  光に向かって心地よい果実 (Comfortable Fruits Toward the Light)

• 2003

  親のこころ (Parents' Hearts)

• 2004

  こころの道 (The Road of the Heart)

• 2005

  こころの朝 (Morning of the Heart)

• 2005

  子育てハッピーアドバイス (Child-Rearing Happy Advice)

• 2006

  YOU WERE BORN FOR A REASON (English edition of 'Why Do We Live?')

• 2007

  思いやりのこころ (Compassionate Heart)

• 2008

  歎異抄をひらく (Opening the Tannisho)

• 2010

  まっすぐな生き方 (An Upright Way of Living)

• 2011

  マンガでわかる仏教入門 (Buddhism Introduction in Manga)

• 2011

  親鸞聖人の花びら (Petals of Shinran Shonin)

• 2013

  なぜ生きる2 (Why Do We Live? 2)

• 2014

  親鸞聖人を学ぶ (Learning about Shinran Shonin)

• 2017

  こころ彩る徒然草 (The Colorful Heart of Tsurezuregusa)

• 2018

  こころに響く方丈記 (Hojoki Resonating in the Heart)

• 2018

  こころきらきら枕草子 (Sparkling Heart of Makura no Soshi)

• 2019

  人は、なぜ、「歎異抄」に魅了されるのか (Why Are People Captivated by the Tannisho?)

• 2019

  美しき鐘の声 平家物語 (Beautiful Bell Voices: The Tale of the Heike)

• 2021

  歎異抄ってなんだろう (What Is the Tannisho?)

1. 1１万年堂出版 | 千年も万年も読みつがれる書籍を10000nen.com
2. 2会社情報 | １万年堂出版10000nen.com
3. 3Ichimannendo Publishing Co. Ltd. - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 41万年堂出版 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org