Mirai Publishing to release award-winning menstruation education book

Mirai Publishing has announced the release of a new picture book titled ‘Hajimete no Seiri: Watashi to Nakayoku naru Ehon’ (My First Period: A Picture Book to Become Friends with Myself), scheduled for release on August 25, 2026.

Written by physical therapist and yoga instructor Aika Kato, with illustrations by Maki Yamaguchi, the book won the top prize in the Learning Picture Book category at the 14th Picture Book Publication Awards. The book is designed to provide children, specifically around the fifth-grade level, with accurate knowledge regarding menstruation and self-care.

The content is structured in two parts: a narrative following a character named Yu-chan as she experiences bodily changes, and a practical guide to understanding the body's mechanisms. The authors aim to help children navigate the emotional and physical changes of puberty by framing menstruation as a way to practice taking care of one's own body.