Rilakkuma and the 'Love Hormone' Foster Attachment! 'Touch Touch Rilakkuma' Released on June 3, 2026! Limited Store Benefits and Launch Campaigns!

KADOKAWA Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Director, Representative Executive President & CEO: Takeshi Natsuno) released a picture book for children aged 0-3 featuring the immensely popular character 'Rilakkuma', titled 'Rilakkuma Go Yururi Skin-ship Ehon Touch Touch Rilakkuma', on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

[Limited Bonus] A limited-edition original bookmark for purchases at select stores!
Customers who purchase the book at participating stores will receive a 'Message Bookmark'. This is a set of four bookmarks featuring adorable Rilakkuma characters. *Limited quantities available. Distribution ends when stock runs out.

Launch Commemorative Giveaway Campaign on Social Media!
To celebrate the book's release, a campaign is being held on X (Twitter) and Instagram. A set including the picture book 'Rilakkuma Go Yururi Skin-ship Ehon Touch Touch Rilakkuma' and the 'Rilakkuma Baby Washable & Safe Plush Toy Rilakkuma' will be given away to 5 winners by lottery.

Content Introduction
◆ Bring out your baby's 'round smile'! A first book for parents and children to relax together.
This book allows you to play with your baby through skin-ship (physical affection) alongside Rilakkuma and friends, characters loved by children and adults alike. Rilakkuma is always relaxed and goes at his own pace. The book was created hoping that it will be a fun picture book time for babies and a relaxing time for parents amidst their busy childcare schedules.

◆ Supervised by Professor So Yamaguchi, a leading authority on 'Touchology'. Scientifically supports development.
The book is supervised by Professor So Yamaguchi (J. F. Oberlin University), a leading researcher of 'Touchology' who studies touch from both scientific and psychological perspectives. The goal is to scientifically promote development and attachment formation through skin-ship. The sense of touch is the first of the five senses to develop. Stimulating it not only nurtures a baby's brain and heart but is also key to scientifically deepening the parent-child bond.

◆ Why is 'Skin-ship' important now?
The 'love hormone' oxytocin, secreted through physical contact, offers many benefits for babies. ◎Promotes attachment formation: Stable trust relationships (attachment) are formed through skin-ship. ◎Supports brain development: Stimulation to the skin reaches the brain directly and is noted for enhancing memory and other cognitive functions. ◎Builds resilience to stress: Children who consistently secrete oxytocin are said to be better equipped to overcome difficulties. Furthermore, oxytocin secretion is also expected in the parents who are engaging in the touch, offering stress relief and refreshment effects.

◆ Excellent visibility! Specially designed Rilakkuma characters easy for babies to recognize.
The Rilakkuma characters use high-contrast colors to capture a baby's attention, even for very young infants. The book also uses calls like 'Touch Touch' that appeal to babies and rhythmic, repetitive language that creates excitement, allowing parents and children to enjoy the book together with anticipation.

◆ Favorable reviews from parents and children who experienced it early!
● 'I think it's a picture book full of the child's 'love' that naturally makes you smile while reading.' (Parent of a 2-year-old) ● 'Because it's not just reading but includes actions, my child wanted to repeat it many times without getting bored. The thick pages are great because they don't tear easily for 0 and 1-year-olds.' (Parent of a 3-year-old) ● 'My child looked happy actually touching Rilakkuma on the 'Touch Touch' page. On the tickle page, they hugged their own tummy, and I was surprised to see they understood the pictures and words.' (Parent of a 1-year-old) ● 'My child was just starting to point to and play with body parts like 'tummy' and 'cheek', so they really enjoyed it. They especially liked the tickling and kept asking for 'one more time'.' (Parent of a 1-year-old) ● 'The illustrations are very cute, and my daughter, who loves Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma, was overjoyed the moment she saw it. It ends with 'roll, roll, relax~', making it perfect for bedtime! Saying 'Let's do Touch Touch and go to sleep!' gets her into bed quickly, which is a huge help.' (Parent of a 2-year-old)

Copyright Notice
©2026 San-X Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Bibliographic Information
Author & Illustrator: Pekori Hara, Supervisor: So Yamaguchi, Original Work & Supervision: San-X Co., Ltd., Publisher: KADOKAWA Corporation, Price: 1,430 yen (1,300 yen + tax), Release Date: June 3, 2026, Specifications: 175mm x 175mm, 20 pages, Board Book, ISBN: 9784049520941