Towards a Future Where Children Can Live "Their Own Stories." #AprilDream

Our company supports April Dream, an initiative to make April 1st a day for announcing dreams. This press release is the dream of "Ukiuki! LAB" (operated by Art Printing Co., Ltd.).

The dream we want to fulfill is—

"To create a world where all children can confidently live 'their own story' called life."

The personalized and photo-inserted picture book series offered on our e-commerce site 'Ukiuki! LAB' is the first step towards this dream.

We wish to deliver a "special reading experience" that fosters children's self-esteem and deepens family bonds to more households.

Background of the Dream

Recently, the low self-esteem among young people has become a social issue.

Data shows that Japanese children's "satisfaction with themselves" is less than one-third of that in other countries.

Low self-esteem exacerbates feelings of loneliness and anxiety about the future, leading to various negative effects such as fear of failure preventing challenges, and difficulties in building human relationships.

Our desire is to create a society where all children can recognize their individuality, love themselves as the "protagonists of their lives," and live with hope for the future, without feeling the hardship of being "unloved" or "having no place to belong."

Believing that "One-of-a-Kind Picture Books" Foster Children's Self-Esteem and Family Bonds

In today's digital age, while information is easily accessible with just a smartphone, there is a tendency for "primary experiences" of physical interaction and face-to-face communication to become diluted.

Precisely because of this era, we believe that the time spent reading picture books with family—

especially reading picture books where their name is repeatedly called and their own photos appear—becomes a profound "primary experience" that remains in a child's heart.

The memory of reading a picture book while sitting on a warm lap, hearing the family's breath up close, will surely become the foundation that supports that child's life.

It is known that frequently calling someone's name gives them a sense of security that their "existence is recognized" and is an effective way to boost self-esteem. Psychologically, this is called the "name-calling effect" and is said to lead to building trust and transmitting affection (oxytocin secretion).

We hope that children who grow up reading such picture books will be able to weave the story of their lives, in which they are the "protagonists," with dreams and hope for the future.

Current Initiatives

■ The Challenge of the E-commerce Site 'Ukiuki! LAB'

Opened in 2025, 'Ukiuki! LAB' primarily offers semi-custom picture books with names and photos.

To deliver a "special one-of-a-kind book," we built a system from scratch to produce picture books with names and photos, and have successively released a lineup of picture books for a wide range of audiences.

● Representative work 'Omoide Restaurant' (Memory Restaurant)

　・Increased immersion with personalized names

　・Messages can be sent within the picture book

　・Memorable photos appear in the story, leaving a trace in both memory and record

　・Popular as a gift

● Other series

　・'Bikkuri Wakuwaku Cakeyasan' (Surprise Exciting Cake Shop) where you can become a cake shop owner

　・'Hataraku Norimono' (Working Vehicles) for vehicle lovers

　・'Obake no Kuni' (Ghost Land) in a face-in-hole panel style

　・'Dyna Seitan Ken Tour' (Dyna Birthday Tour) featuring many dinosaurs

　・'Zettai Iccha Dame!' (Absolutely Don't Say It!) where your name becomes a spell

　・'Suteki na Randoseru' (Wonderful Randoseru) where you can choose colors

　・'Osooji Daisakusen' (Big Cleaning Operation) adventuring with animals

　　…and other stories tailored to children's interests.

Future Initiatives

■ Bringing "Picture Books Where You Can Be the Protagonist" to More Households

We plan to expand the lineup of personalized picture books.

We aim for a lineup that caters to a wide range of ages, making it more accessible to many people.

■ Focusing on Product Development Beyond Picture Books

We plan to expand semi-custom products beyond picture books.

We will develop products that allow easy ordering of goods featuring children's names, family photos, etc.

■ Making Ordering Easier

While improving the usability of the e-commerce site, we will expand sales channels beyond the e-commerce site so that even those who are not comfortable with the internet can easily place orders.

We also plan to launch gift cards that can be given even if you don't have photos on hand or don't know the child's preferences.

For a better future for children—

We at 'Ukiuki! LAB' will continue to strive for the realization of our dream.

Related Links

- Ukiuki! LAB Official Website: https://ukiuki-lab.com/

- Ukiuki! LAB Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukiuki_lab/