Commemorative Event for the Final Issue of Magazine 'spin' — 'Talks on Paper' by Ban Obara and Takuto Okamoto to Be Held at Takeo Shohoncho Main Store on July 17

Kawade Shobo Shinsha Co., Ltd. (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo / President and CEO Yu Onodera) will hold a commemorative event for the final issue of the magazine 'spin' at Takeo Shohoncho Main Store — a shop and showroom operated by Takeo Co., Ltd. (Kanda-Nishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) — starting at 18:30 on Friday, July 17. Hear 'Stories About Paper' on the 2nd floor of Takeo Shohoncho Main Store, a space where countless varieties of paper gather. Launched in September 2022 as a limited 16-issue countdown project commemorating the 140th anniversary of Kawade Shobo Shinsha's founding, the magazine 'spin' will conclude with its 16th issue, released on June 29. To celebrate the conclusion of 'spin' — a magazine published with a different paper used for the cover and table of contents in each issue — a commemorative talk event will be held at Takeo Shohoncho Main Store, the retail space of Takeo Co., Ltd., a paper specialist that has partnered with the magazine since its first issue. Speakers include writer Ban Obara, who contributed short stories to issues 12 and 16 of 'spin,' and Takuto Okamoto, who handled the book design for Obara's debut novel 'How to Keep the Wind.' They will share insights ranging from behind-the-scenes writing stories in 'spin,' how those works evolved into standalone books, to the selection of paper and the creation of design concepts. The event will be moderated by Sukemaru Watanabe, a game writer and book critic whose column 'Talks on Poetry' in the inaugural issue of 'spin' received widespread acclaim. On a Friday evening as summer truly begins, please join us at the 2nd floor of Takeo Shohoncho Main Store — a space filled with countless papers — to enjoy thoughtful conversations about paper. [Event Details & Registration] https://kawade.zaiko.io/e/spin-last Date & Time: Friday, July 17, 2026, from 18:30 (Doors open at 18:00) Venue: 2F, Takeo Shohoncho Main Store (3-18-3 Kanda-Nishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) Capacity: 50 people Admission: 1,000 JPY (tax included) Attendee Benefits: All participants will receive the following: ① Kawade Shobo Shinsha 140th Anniversary Company History (Commemorative booklet) ② 140th Anniversary Bookmark (1 piece) * A collaborative item with Takeo Co., Ltd. ※ Commemorative goods for Kawade Shobo Shinsha's 140th anniversary and more will also be available for purchase. Please register for the event via the link below: https://kawade.zaiko.io/e/spin-last Speaker Profiles Ban Obara (Obara Ban) Born in Tokyo in 1996. In 2022, self-published (privately printed) 'Please Don't Eat Your Fried Chicken Lunch Here,' which became a major talking point and was commercially published in 2024. Other works include the essay collection 'Is This Life?' and the debut short story collection 'How to Keep the Wind.' Takuto Okamoto (Okamoto Takuto) Born in 1998 in Tokyo. Graduated from the Visual Design program at the University of Tsukuba's School of Art. Working across multiple fields including video, photography, and music production, with graphic design as a core, he explores new creative systems that resist existing frameworks. Recent works include music videos for Gen Hoshino and Tele, artwork for Homecomings, ano, and LAUSBUB, advertising videos for UNIQLO, and animation for the monthly Japan Pavilion at Expo2025. Sukemaru Watanabe (Watanabe Sukemaru) Born in 1992 in Tokyo. Writer, book critic, book-review YouTuber, and game creator. Publications include 'The Key to Stories' (Kasama Shoin) and 'Reading Kukai Changed My Life' (Yamato Shobo). Edited works include 'Everyone Reading The Tale of Genji' (Hayakawa Shobo) and 'The Afterword Isn't Over Yet: Tawara Machi's Selected Tanka' (Tanka Kenkyusha). 'spin/spin' Issue 16 — Bibliographic Information Title/Issue: spin/spin Issue 16 Magazine Code: 07822-07 (Bungei Summer 2026 Special Issue) Price: 330 JPY (tax included) Specifications: A5 size / Paperback, saddle-stitched / 160 pages Release Date: Monday, June 29, 2026 Book Design: Akatsuki Sasaki Cover Art: Paul Cox Illustrations: Izumi Shiokawa http://shiokawaizumi.com Cooperation: Takeo Co., Ltd. https://www.takeo.co.jp Bibliographic Page https://www.kawade.co.jp/np/isbn/9784309980980/ 'spin/spin' Website https://spin.kawade.co.jp/