Series Cumulative Circulation 220,000 Copies! Fun for Kids and Adults Alike ♪ Latest Installment in the Popular Picture Book Series! ~Let's Decode the Mysteries of Landscapes~ "Shiraberu Fukei no Zukan" Now on Sale! (As of June 2026, according to our research)

Tokyo Shoseki Co., Ltd. released the book "Shiraberu Fukei no Zukan" (Text by Takashi Okabe, Photos by Takashi Yamade) on June 16, 2026.

Explanation

Why are roads "winding"? What is the reason for "swirling" rivers? Are there pools where "sea turtles" swim?!

The latest installment in the popular photo picture book series, exploring the "whys" and "whats" behind 32 surprising landscapes from across Japan.

From the "Introduction"

This book is a picture book that introduces various "landscapes" through photographs. When people think of landscape photos, they might imagine "postcard"-like images such as "lavender fields in pale purple" or "Mt. Fuji covered in snow," or "a sunset sinking below the horizon." However, this book introduces landscapes that make us think, "Huh?!" or "Hmm?" or "What is this?" such as "roads with winding lines," "chimneys spewing fire from their tops," or "a school swimming pool where sea turtles are swimming." This picture book investigates and introduces the reasons why such "What is this?" landscapes came to be and their true nature.

In this picture book, each landscape is presented across two facing pages. First, the photograph is shown large on the left page, so please look at it and think, "What is this?" Then, read the "explanation" on the right page to learn the reason. See the landscape -> Think -> Learn. This is how this book works.

This book is composed of three chapters.

Chapter 1: "Huh!" - Surprising Landscapes. Chapter 2: "Hmm?" - Mysterious Landscapes. Chapter 3: "What?" - Landscapes that make you wonder what they are.

You can start reading from any page you like. The text was handled by Takashi Okabe, and the photos by Takashi Yamade. We visited every location to conduct interviews and take photographs. In an era where much information is available online, we believe there are things that can only be felt by going there in person. We would be happy if that feeling could be conveyed. Please learn various things while enjoying the pleasure of "looking at landscapes."

Table of Contents

1 Why "Winding"?

Column 1 What is this Torii gate for?

12 Sea Turtles at School!

24 "Swirling" Rivers?

25 Why "Sideways"?

Author Information

Takashi Okabe (Text) was born in Kyoto Prefecture in 1972 and is a writer.

Takashi Yamade (Photos) was born in Mie Prefecture in 1970 and is a photographer.

Their joint works include "Me de Miru Kotoba no Zukan," "Shiraberu Chigai no Zukan," "Me de Miru Eigo no Zukan," "Shiraberu Tsunagari no Zukan," and "Kuraberu Tōzai" (Tokyo Shoseki).

Contents

Chapter 1: Huh! 1-11

Chapter 2: Hmm? 12-22

Chapter 3: What? 23-32

Why "Winding"?

Road? Wall?

Not Thin?

Road on a Building!

"Pee" from there?!

Fire from the Chimney!

Too "Dented"!

Steep Slope!

UFO?

Or, a Monster!

Oni on the Mountain?

Sea Turtles at School!

Pentagonal Tunnel?

No "Fence"!

Bus on the Train Tracks?

Why Full of "Holes"?

Why is it Tilted?

Neatened Up?

Chair for Looking at What?

Hanging!

Why "Jagged"?

Why "Sideways"?

Circle Here?

"Swirling" Rivers?

"Swirling" Roads?

What is this "Tower" for?

Just a Bench?

Gathered for What?

What is this "Indentation"?

City's "Sprouting"?

Rainbow-like Bridge?

Red "Wall"?

Columns

Landscape Column 1: What is it for?

Landscape Column 2: What does it look like from above?

Landscape Column 3: What's strange about it?

Takashi Yamade's Landscape Column / Talk about Interesting "Chimneys"

Takashi Okabe's Landscape Column / Let's Find Your Favorite Landscapes

Okabe and Yamade's "Landscapes We Want You to Look At More"

<Overview>

"Shiraberu Fukei no Zukan"

Text by Takashi Okabe / Photos by Takashi Yamade

Price: 2,200 yen (2,000 yen + 10% tax)

B5 variant size, 88 pages

https://www.tokyo-shoseki.co.jp/product/books/81895/

Tokyo Shoseki Co., Ltd.

Tokyo Shoseki was founded in 1909 (Meiji 42). With the corporate philosophy of "Nurturing people through education and culture," we aim to foster unique and creative individuals who challenge the new era. We are the largest textbook publisher in the industry, with the highest number of textbooks published for elementary, junior high, and high schools. In recent years, we have also focused on the development and sale of educational digital content, such as digital textbooks. In addition, we engage in a wide range of business activities related to education and culture, including operating an integrated education portal site, various assessment businesses such as academic and physical fitness tests, and publishing general books.