[Kobunsha Inc.] Satisfaction rate exceeds 90% for the
reader-participation event “On-site Editorial Meeting” of “STORY,” the No. 1 selling magazine for middle-aged women!
Kobunsha Co., Ltd. Press release: October 24, 2025 To Members of the Press “STORY,” the No. 1 selling magazine for middle-aged women, holds a reader participation event, the “On-site Editorial Meeting,” with a satisfaction rate of over 90%!
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editor-in-chief at the event is then featured in the magazine. For many years, the STORY editorial department has placed importance on basing its planning on in-depth qualitative reader surveys known as “Dokucho.” This “On-site Editorial Meeting” is an event designed to better reflect the voices of women, primarily in their 40s, in the magazine and on the web. It began in October 2024 and has had a total of over 100 participants. –What was the “On-site Editorial Meeting in Kyoto” like? ―
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/21468/2222/21468-2222-256b34ff8d3280010ff029b2db08fa3e-702×468.jpg Editor-in-Chief Kawai and writer Konaka gave opening remarks. A lot of passionate questions were asked, such as new challenges for women in their 40s who are starting to settle down after raising their children, mothers who are still overwhelmed with their
responsibilities but still want to look fashionable, but don’t know where to start, couples who have more time together now that their children are older, but don’t know what to talk about when they finally get together for a meal together for the first time in a while, and ways to redesign their relationship as a couple. The discussion was heated as participants listened to their opinions, concerns, and suggestions! Editor-in-Chief Yoshinori Kawai, a native of Kyoto, shared his personal experiences with the attendees, who responded with “That’s right, that’s right,” and “I’m glad you understand,” creating a buzz at the meeting! Applications were required in advance, and 17 people participated. Most were between the ages of 40 and 54. Reasons for participating: – I like “STORY.” I empathize with its worldview. – I want to hear what the
editor-in-chief has to say. I want to see the editorial team’s work up close. – I want to exchange opinions with women of my generation. We also saw comments like these, as well as active STORY readers’ interest in their future lives, such as “I want to find a way of life that suits me.” — “On-site Editorial Meeting,” a “talking event” where people of the same generation can share their worries and values, has a 93.3% satisfaction rate– This event is notable for its high participant satisfaction rate, exceeding 90% every time. In a post-event survey of participants at the “On-site Editorial Meeting” held in Kyoto on June 3, 2025, 80% of participants were “very satisfied” with the event, while 13.3% were “satisfied,” resulting in a total satisfaction rate of 93.3%. Furthermore, when asked “Would you like to participate again if it were held in a nearby area?”, all participants answered “Yes.” Many participants commented that “time flew by!”, demonstrating the high level of enthusiasm at the event.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/21468/2222/21468-2222-7ce1698458084b5c3185d654f8f932e1-680×422.png *From a post-event survey of 15 people who attended the event in Kyoto on June 3, 2025 –A project born from a “mobile editorial meeting” has been published in “STORY”! ― A proposal born from a participant’s idea at the heated “Editorial Meeting in Kyoto” was actually featured in the October issue of “STORY.” The plan adopted this time was themed around parent-child extracurricular activities. The person who came up with the idea said, “When my child was little, I took an art class, and the teacher encouraged me to take up the challenge. Once I started drawing, I enjoyed it, and before I knew it, I was hooked. I think my son was inspired by seeing me like that. I also felt like I was returning to being the main character in my life, which had been child-first for so many years, and he wanted to show my sons how I was taking on challenges. I hope that by showing my children how hard I work, I can inspire them and create a cycle of learning. My goal for the future is for my children to try golf together. I hope to enjoy the rest of my life while inspiring each other as a family.” This is a new way of creating magazines, where we create “STORY” together with readers’ feedback!
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/21468/2222/21468-2222-9400bb17c605aac23e16c9e4af0b6915-1200×800.jpg Feature planned at the “On-Site Editorial Meeting” published in the October 2025 issue of “STORY” –From Yoshinori Kawai, Editor-in-Chief of “STORY”– “The events are almost always fully booked and run for a lengthy three hours, but the time always flies by, with everyone’s stories so passionate and intense that I’m always at a loss as to when to stop. As an editor, I’m deeply inspired. Furthermore, the content of the presentations often goes beyond the simple categories of fashion and beauty, conveying a passionate desire to build a second career. It’s heartening to have such opinionated, active STORY readers and fans from all over the country. I hope that this ‘on-site editorial meeting’ will spark major change in the world.” Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/21468/2222/21468-2222-1aa57f1b42885feaf38fd6e572bb4b1d-420×420.jpg 【Profile】 Born in Kyoto Prefecture in 1973. Joined Kobunsha in 1996. After working in the “JJ” editorial department, he was assigned to the “STORY” editorial department in 2006. He became editor-in-chief in September 2020. He has also served as the First Editor-in-Chief since September 2025. He is the father of two children. We’re launching a marketing agency centered on reader surveys (Dokucho)!
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/21468/2222/21468-2222-e64944223905dbddcf1a93a5ef30e9dd-550×244.png Kobunsha’s first marketing institute was established in October 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of the company’s founding. The
institute’s name, “Dokucho” (surveys in which readers are met face-to-face and listened to in-depth) reflects the qualitative reader surveys of highly sensitive readers that Kobunsha’s editors have conducted over the years. By combining the insights uncovered through qualitative analysis with quantitative data obtained from surveys of members and social media, we transform this data into
higher-resolution, “face-to-face data” and provide new data solutions that can be utilized in corporate marketing activities. ■Service details and case studies can be viewed on the official website Kobunsha Dokucho Research Institute: https://dokucho.kobunsha.com ■For interviews and other inquiries regarding Kobunsha Dokucho Research Institute, please contact us using the details below. Contact us: https://forms.gle/wbSiJRdnQDad1yoQ6 *If you would like to feature the contents of this release, please contact Kobunsha Dokucho Research Institute. 【STORY】
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/21468/2222/21468-2222-d4f6d15d749b04992551929918420583-1644×2104.jpg Catchphrase: “The fun of fashion and life begins when you start to waver!” Media supporting people in their 40s who are “re-inventing” themselves STORY web● https://storyweb.jp/ Instagram●@story_love40 YouTube_Magazine STORY official
channel●https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClrcJy9UQja5Pp5vxUP8Oew [Kobunsha Inc.] Founded in 1945, Kobunsha is a comprehensive publishing company that will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2025. We operate media outlets that support women at all stages of life, spanning print, digital, and social media, including “JJ,” “CLASSY,” “VERY,” “STORY,” “BiST,” and “NaVY.” Our magazines are characterized by in-depth content creation based on insight surveys of our readers and fans, known as “dokucho.” This insight survey is not only used to create our own content, but is also highly acclaimed for its ability to solve client problems. https://www.kobunsha.com/ ~Excitement for tomorrow’s you~