Magazine 'Sarai' Latest Issue Features 'Remote Islands'! Deep Dive into the Charms of Islands with Unique Cultures and Untouched Nature!

'Sarai' 2026 July Issue

36th Anniversary, Midsummer Commemorative Issue
On Sale: June 9, 2026
Price: 1080 yen (tax included)
Shogakukan

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https://serai.jp/

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● Major Feature／
To the 'Remote Islands' Where You Can Encounter Japan's Original Scenery

Kunio Yanagita, the founder of Japanese folklore studies who traveled all over the country until his later years, described remote islands as the 'source of Japanese culture.' Japan, with over 14,000 islands, is one of the world's leading archipelagic nations. Each island group, whether in food, history, nature, or living creatures, preserves its unique culture and maintains its own ecosystem. By traveling to these remote islands, one can glimpse the true form of Japan, continuing from ancient times to the present. From this perspective, Shunsuke Nagashima, former president of the Japanese Association for Island Studies, and other experts guide us on a 'journey to the remote islands.'

The islands covered are as follows:

'Yakushima and Amami Islands' (Kagoshima Prefecture), where abundant endemic species inhabit the forests of a World Natural Heritage site, including Yakushima, Amami Oshima, and Tokunoshima.

'Goto Islands' (Nagasaki Prefecture), where churches, shaped by people's prayers transcending a history of suffering, remain on the islands, including Kuka Island, Fukue Island, Narushima Island, Nakadōri Island, and Kashiragashima.

'Iki Island and Tsushima Island' (Nagasaki Prefecture), a crucial point for maritime transport that connected ancient Japan with the continent.

'Yaeyama Islands' (Okinawa Prefecture), where the presence of gods bestowing happiness is enshrined in festivals, including Ishigaki Island and Taketomi Island.

'Izu Islands' (Tokyo Metropolis), where one can enjoy spectacular hot springs connected to the sea and mountains and experience the Earth's pulse, including Izu Oshima and Hachijojima.

Photography by Futa Hamada

A Banyan tree in the Akon district of Tokunoshima (Kagoshima Prefecture), about 90 km south of Amami Oshima, said to have been rooted for 300 years. Witness the vitality growing on the calcareous soil formed by uplifted coral reefs.

Photography by Naoki Matsukuma

Seafood dishes served at 'Iketsu Kappo Shinsei' on Fukue Island (Nagasaki Prefecture). In the back is 'Kibinago Sashimi' (1200 yen), caught fresh that morning. In the center is 'Ika Somen' (1300 yen), whose elegant umami spreads with each bite. In the foreground is 'Hako Fugu Miso-yaki' (2000-3000 yen, depending on size). The sweetness of the miso pairs well with Shochu from Fukue Island.

As part of the 'Setouchi 'Cat Island' Travelogue,' we visit cats living leisurely on remote islands: Sanagijima (Kagawa Prefecture) and Manabe Island (Okayama Prefecture). Additionally, author Mitsuyo Kakuta travels to Iriomote Island, where untouched nature still thrives, to spend a rich island time.

Photography by Takafumi Okuda

A cat on Sanagijima (Kagawa Prefecture) lightly leaps over a gap in the breakwater against the backdrop of the Seto Inland Sea. Cats jump over one after another. This is the daily life of the cats living on the island.

Feature／
Blissful Melons

Melons have maintained their image as 'luxury fruits' both in the past and present. Where did this fruit come from, and when did Japanese people start eating them? This feature provides a multifaceted explanation, emphasizing that a deeper understanding of their history, varieties, and origins enhances the enjoyment of their blissful aroma and elegant sweetness.

Breeder Daigaku Takeshita explains the relationship between 'Japanese people and melons,' tracing back to the Yayoi period. The article also introduces major cultivated varieties in Japan and visits producers in the three major production areas: Hokota City (Ibaraki Prefecture), Kakegawa City (Shizuoka Prefecture), and Uto City (Kumamoto Prefecture) to uncover the secrets behind their exquisite flavors.

While delicious on their own, melons are also exceptional when paired with sweets, further enhancing their appeal. The feature also introduces highly-rated dessert shops that use melons.

Photography by Akira Saito

At 'Mizoguchi Farm' (Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture), premium greenhouse melons are shipped year-round under strict management. Three fruits are grown per vine, but only the best-shaped one is selected, and the other two are removed. The chosen melon is then suspended in the air for cultivation.

Photography by Koichi Miyaji

'Musk Melon Parfait' (4620 yen) at the long-established 'Senbikiya Sōhonten Nihonbashi Main Store Fruit Parlor,' which opened as a 'Fruit Dining Hall' alongside the Meiji Restoration. The ripe melon emits a fragrant aroma.

【Serial Interview】 Sarai Interview／
Denjiro Yonemura (Science Producer, 71 years old)

Born in Chiba Prefecture in 1955, Denjiro Yonemura entered Tokyo Gakugei University after three years of ronin (studying for entrance exams). After completing the graduate program in Science Education at the same university, he worked as a lecturer at Jiyū Gakuen and a high school teacher in Tokyo before becoming an independent science producer in 1996. Around that time, his science experiments, designed to capture the attention of children and students, were featured in an NHK special program titled 'I am Japan's Galileo!?' and gained significant popularity, leading him to become a regular on science experiment segments of variety shows.

Yonemura, who admits he was 'shy and introverted' as a child, loved experiments and crafts but was not interested in academics, found school difficult, and had poor grades. He became a teacher after realizing, 'Teachers don't need to be brilliant. And by teaching others, you also see what you don't understand.' However, he eventually quit, feeling he was not suited to be a teacher.

He shares, 'Discoveries and inventions that can overturn society are born from waste and failure.' We interviewed Denjiro Yonemura about his early days filled with setbacks and failures, his ongoing efforts in developing science experiments, the challenges he faces, and his future goals.

Photography by Koichi Miyaji

An 'Air Cannon,' named after a secret gadget from Doraemon. A round hole is made in one side of a cardboard box, filled with incense smoke or similar. When the side of the box is tapped, a vortex ring is created. This is a fluid dynamics experiment.

Sarai Premium／
Objects and Experiences to Color Your Quality Time

'Sarai Premium' introduces objects and experiences that color quality time, with the theme of 'Inheritance.' This section unfolds a sophisticated world where one doesn't just acquire products for the next generation, but inherits techniques and manufacturing methods, or embraces the philosophy embedded in the products. It's about weaving stories that begin with ownership.

The new series 'Koichi Namiki's Watch Tales' features Koichi Namiki, a professor at Toin University of Yokohama and a watch journalist, discussing the cultural heritage value of wristwatches.

'Evolving Masterpiece Wristwatches' reports on exquisite new timepieces from renowned brands at 'Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026,' the world's largest luxury watch trade show.

Patek Philippe 'Calatrava Ref. 6196P.' Manual winding, platinum case, 38mm case diameter, rose gold-plated opaline dial, alligator strap, 30m water resistance. 8.47 million yen.

The fashion series, which began in the April 2025 issue, has also been upgraded. Under the title 'Wearing is Fun - The Art of Combination,' one item is picked up each issue with various styling suggestions. This issue, titled 'Shirts are a Second Skin,' introduces styling inspired by director Yasujiro Ozu. It also proposes various combinations based on materials, weaves, patterns, and colors.