Educational YouTuber 'Dont Tell Me Arai's' New Book 'Otona no Kyoyo BOOK' Goes into Reprint Just 10 Days After Launch

Crossmedia Publishing, a company focusing on business and practical books (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Koichiro Kobayakawa), initiated the second printing of the book 'Otona no Kyoyo BOOK' on May 25, 2026. Since its release on April 17, sales have been strong, leading to this reprint decision in just over 10 days.

This book is a liberal arts compilation by Dont Tell Me Arai, an educational YouTuber with over 1 million subscribers, who has condensed his experiences visiting over 150 domestic and international cities and creating nearly 1,000 videos. With clear and lively writing, the book provides deep explanations of 40 themes across 440 pages. Guided by the author's belief that 'knowing is essentially the greatest entertainment,' the book delivers the moment 'knowledge' transforms into 'liberal arts education.'

Not 'Rote Memorization' but the 'Joy of Understanding' — Making Life Interesting Through Liberal Arts

Author Dont Tell Me Arai recalls believing as a child that 'adults know everything about the world.' However, as an adult, he found himself unable to understand news terminology, or how Middle East politics or Taiwan contingencies connect to his own life. He attributes this to Japanese education being centered on 'memorization that leaves out the fun.'

This book aims to change that 'blurred' view of the world. Instead of memorizing dates or names, it delivers the moments when fragmented knowledge turns into liberal arts through stories that reveal the 'why' and 'what lay behind' events. In neuroscience, it is known that dopamine is released in the moment when 'things you didn't understand connect,' and the book is structured to provide that exact pleasure.

Learning Japan and the World Multidimensionally Across 7 Chapters and 40 Themes

The book consists of 7 chapters: 'High Economic Growth and Bubble Era,' 'Remote Islands,' 'Deep Spots,' 'Incidents and Accidents,' 'World Religions,' 'Japanese Religions,' and 'Pro-Japanese Countries.'

In the 'High Economic Growth and Bubble Era' chapter, it depicts the dynamism of Japan's prosperity and decline, from the stories of men who risked their lives building the Kurobe Dam, to Yubari City's bankruptcy, the 100,000-yen condos born from bubble madness in Yuzawa, and abandoned grand hotels in Kinugawa Onsen.

In the 'Remote Islands' chapter, it shines a light on Japan's hidden history invisible from the mainland, such as Himejima, the 'North Korea of Japan' with no elections for 61 years; Nagashima, where leprosy patients were isolated; the remote Aogashima; and Oshima, once known as 'Slave Island.'

In the 'Deep Spots' chapter, it carefully explains Japan's 'hidden side,' including Kabukicho, the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter, Tobita Shinchi, and the Airin district in Nishinari, from their origins to their current state. It answers simple questions like 'Why is pachinko legal?' and delves into the power structures of the pachinko industry.

In the 'Incidents and Accidents' chapter, it examines shocking incidents etched in Japanese history, such as the Tsuyama massacre, the JAL Flight 123 crash, the 300 million yen robbery, the Asama-Sanso incident, the Narita Airport struggle, the Sankebetsu brown bear incident, and Abashiri Prison, deciphering the social structures behind them.

In the 'World Religions' chapter, it explains the four major religions—Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism—from their origins to their modern impact. The 'Japanese Religions' chapter explores Shinto, the Kojiki, Soka Gakkai, Tenrikyo, and Aum Shinrikyo, approaching the mysterious distance between Japanese people and religion.

In the 'Pro-Japanese Countries' chapter, it explores the historical backgrounds of why Palau, Taiwan, Poland, and Turkey love Japan.

The 'Atmosphere of the Field' Captured Only by an Author Who Visited 150 Cities

A feature of the book is that it is written based on the author's own experience visiting these locations. It vividly depicts the 'atmosphere of the field' that cannot be conveyed by book knowledge alone.