Echigo Seika CEO Endorses It! Mochi Takes Center Stage at the Beach This Summer! Picture Book 'Mochi at the Seaside (New Edition)' Released!

Gakken Inc. (Tokyo, Shinagawa / President: Tatsuya Minami), a group company of Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Shinagawa / President: Hiroaki Miyahara), will release 'Mochi at the Seaside (New Edition)' on June 19, 2026.

▲ Book Cover: Mochi at the beach?! A relaxed and cheerful cover full of summer vacation vibes.

■ The CEO of Echigo Seika, a top player in the mochi industry, gives a glowing endorsement!

"Mochi isn't just for New Year's! Mochi can be the star at the summer beach too!" This strong recommendation for the picture book 'Mochi at the Seaside (New Edition)' comes from Tadahiko Yoshihara, President of Echigo Seika Co., Ltd., a leading company in the mochi industry!

Following the popular 'Mochi in the Bath (New Edition)' and 'Mochi at the Inn', the President gave this new installment his highest praise: "This is such a delightful picture book. You'll surely fall in love with mochi!"

Don't miss this mochi industry favorite picture book.

【Book Description】

Mochi siblings Mō-chan and Chī-chan arrive at the beach. The seaside is a peaceful place where various food characters—vegetables, fruits, bread, and even sushi—spend their days as they please. But soon, a small mishap happens to Mō-chan and Chī-chan, escalating into a big event that involves everyone on the beach...

▲ Pre-swim warm-up exercises. Thanks to being mochi, they're incredibly flexible! The beach hut is run by sea creatures.

▲ After waking from a nap, Chī-chan is gone! Mō-chan begins searching. Repeating "Found it!" "No, that's not it," while looking for something white and square...

▲ Unable to find her and feeling helpless, Mō-chan is at a loss. Let's help search together! Look, there she is!

▲ After Chī-chan's crisis and rescue, everyone relaxes in the sun. They're nicely tanned and look delicious... no, they look so comfortable!

【Key Features of the Book】

[1] The classic Japanese beach scene warms the hearts of children and adults alike!

The greatest charm of this picture book is undoubtedly the detailed depiction of the beach, drawn meticulously into every corner of the page. From the pine trees in the background, the simple design of the beach hut, clothing, belongings, and even the patterns on the picnic sheets—everything feels authentically Japanese and nostalgically familiar. Children enjoy simply looking at it, while adults are transported back to those summer days.

[2] Encounter various foods—perfect for food education!

It's rare to find a picture book themed around beach outings that introduces so many different foods! There are so many food items appearing that you'll want to count them. "What is this?" conversations between parents and children will naturally flow, and kids will be happy to discover their favorite foods. If you look closely, don't the food characters seem to naturally group with similar kinds? Maybe they really do get along.

[3] Enjoy a seek-and-find game! Full of hidden clues and discoveries!

Every small detail and object is drawn with great care, allowing readers to join Mō-chan in searching for Chī-chan. It's also fun to look for other food characters besides Chī-chan. You might even notice unexpected foreshadowing within the illustrations. For example, that hero who appears later—actually shows up earlier in the book too. How many playful details hidden by illustrator Ayumi Uekaki can you spot?

[4] Characters come alive! Inspires imagination of side stories!

Illustrator Ayumi Uekaki fully spreads her wings of imagination, bringing to life the food characters in Kajita Sumiko's uniquely creative story. Each character seems to have its own personality and life. You can feel how much fun the artist had, imagining even unseen backstories. Staring at the pages, you'll find yourself wondering, "What's the relationship between these two?" "Are they having conversations like this?"—sparking your own story ideas.

'Mochi at the Seaside (New Edition)' is a picture book that both children and adults can enjoy in many ways, offering new discoveries with every read, making it a book you'll want to return to again and again. Despite its simple text, the illustrations are rich in detail, making it ideal for reading aloud to young children or for early elementary schoolers to enjoy independently. Please read it with your children at home, in daycare, or at kindergarten.

■ Author Profiles

【Sumiko Kajita】

Author of picture books including 'Anchovy Gyoza' (illustrated by Taeko Oshima / Kosei Publishing), 'Hell Ramen Shop' (illustrated by Shigeo Nishimura / Kyoiku Gageki), the 'Great Buddha-sama' series (illustrated by Manabu Nakagawa / Alice Publishing), 'Department Store of Birds' (illustrated by Ayako Maruyama / Sekaibunka Publishing), and the 'Chameleon Dron' series (illustrated by Natsuki Ito / Akane Shobo). Lives in Tokyo.

A message from Sumiko Kajita:

When I think of "mochi"... it's white and square (round in Kansai), and delicious when grilled and puffed up. So, I thought, maybe mochi likes sunbathing? And if it's going to sunbathe, the beach is definitely the best place! But wait a second... there are many other delicious foods that get grilled, so surely they'd all flock to the beach too. Among them, there might be other white, square foods like mochi... If one gets lost on the beach, it'd be really hard to find... I wrote this while thinking about such things.

【Ayumi Uekaki】

Picture book illustrator. Notable works include 'Carrot, Radish, Burdock' (Fukutake Shoten), 'Corn Kernel-chan's Transformation Salon' and 'Mr. Burdock's Busy Day' (both Kosei Publishing), 'Hide-and-Seek with Ghosts' and 'Yokai Bath' (both Horupu Publishing), 'Kame no Cameri-san Fixes the House' (Rironsha), and 'The Futon is Waiting for You' (Gakken). Lives in Kanagawa Prefecture.

A message from Ayumi Uekaki:

This time, Mō-chan and Chī-chan are going to the beach! When I was a child, I often went to the beach in Kyushu, my parents' hometown. As I drew the two playing in the waves on floaties and building sandcastles, I was filled with nostalgic emotions. The sea is wonderful, isn't it? In the final scene where everyone sunbathes together, I imagined many delicious-looking foods getting nicely tanned. It was so much fun, but it made me hungry. By the way, before disappearing, Mō-chan actually left a message for Chī-chan. See if you can find it!

[Product Details]

■ 'Mochi at the Seaside (New Edition)'

Text: Sumiko Kajita Illustrations: Ayumi Uekaki

Price: ¥1,650 (tax included)

Release Date: June 19, 2026

Format: A4 modified (240×218mm) / 32 pages

E-book: Available

ISBN: 978-4-05-206378-7

Publisher: Gakken Inc.

Gakken Publishing Site: https://hon.gakken.jp/book/1020637800

【Where to Purchase】

・Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4052063783

・Rakuten Books: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb/18591400/

・Sevennet: https://7net.omni7.jp/detail/1107704387

■ Gakken Inc.

https://www.corp-gakken.co.jp/