【Benesse】 Actually secretly involved in game development too! What kind of company is Benesse Holdings, Inc., which reigns supreme as the largest educational material manufacturer in Japan?

Hearing “Benesse,” what comes to mind for everyone? Many people might first recall Shinken Zemi or Kodomo Challenge. Actually, Benesse Corporation is a company providing useful information and services not only for children's studying, but also in various situations like pregnancy/childbirth, childcare, daily life, and living with pets. Headquartered in Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, the company has expanded businesses centered on correspondence education and publishing. Being close to questions and worries born at life's milestones and delivering necessary knowledge is a major feature. When wanting to support children's growth, wanting to know household chores ideas, or wanting to prepare for a new life. As a reliable existence in such familiar situations, it is familiar to a wide range of generations.

The moment when a child remembers something for the first time or things they can do by themselves increase is delightful even for family, isn't it? “Kodomo Challenge” expanded by Benesse is a correspondence education service matched to the developmental stages of infants and toddlers. What is important for young children is not unilaterally drilling difficult knowledge, but naturally heading toward learning while holding interest. In the point of providing learning opportunities matched to that growth process lies the feature of Kodomo Challenge. Even for guardians, it will become an option when thinking of initiatives according to the child's age. It is a service we want people who want to connect time spent at home to learning or want to cherish children's curiosity to pay attention to.

Wanting to keep up with school classes, wanting to overcome weak subjects, wanting to aim to pass candidate schools. Goals regarding studying change greatly depending on age and grade, don't they? What corresponds to such diverse learning needs is Benesse's representative correspondence education service “Shinken Zemi.” Starting with Elementary School Courses, Junior High School Courses, and High School Courses, courses targeting a wide range of learning stages such as Difficult Private Integrated Junior and Senior High School Courses, Todai Special Lecture, and Kyodai Special Lecture are expanded. From people wanting to acquire basic academic ability to people aiming to advance to difficult universities, being able to examine learning according to respective purposes is the charm. Correspondence education capable of advancing learning at home is a powerful option even for households thinking of compatibility with school life or club activities. It can be called a business where Benesse's experience cultivated in education and entrance examination fields is utilized.

For first-time pregnancy or childbirth, there are many unknown things just as much as joy. “What should I start with for preparations to welcome a baby?” “What are things I want to know about childcare?” What has delivered useful information for such questions are “Tamago Club” and “Hiyoko Club.” They are known as information magazines handling various themes faced by families from the pregnancy period through childcare after childbirth. Also, “Bon Merci!” aimed at households with children from toddlers to elementary school students is one of the featured media Benesse has expanded. This places emphasis on supporting family dietary life, becoming interesting content for guardians thinking of daily meals. Not limited to studying alone, an attitude trying to support children's healthy growth from living overall can be felt, can't it?

In Benesse's publishing business, there are also information magazines enriching adults' daily life. For example, “Thank You!” is a magazine handling a wide range of useful information for living, interactions between readers, lifestyle ideas, etc. When wanting to review household chores or living habits, or wanting to adopt new ideas, being able to search for helpful information is likely the feature. Furthermore, for people living with pets, there are familiar media called “Inu no Kimochi” and “Neko no Kimochi.” Because habits and precautions in living differ between dogs and cats, being able to obtain information specialized in each is a delightful point. Answering the feelings of owners wanting to make every day with beloved dogs or cats more comfortable, it can be called a Benesse-like lifestyle support initiative.

Currently Benesse holds a strong impression in education and lifestyle information, but did you know that in the past it also put strength into literary fields? Previously it published the literary magazine “Kaien” and “Fukutake Bunko,” performing publishing activities related to literature as well. After that, withdrawing from literary publishing by the late 1990s, it shifted its pivot to businesses centered on education, language, living, and welfare. Also, in 2005 it participated in management support for the computer school “Aviva.” Advancing management improvement and realizing profitability in the fiscal year ending March 2009, considering synergy effects between businesses etc., it transferred held shares in March 2010. From such a history, it can be inferred that it adjusted management directionality while discerning changes of eras and possibilities of businesses.

Looking back once more at the features of Benesse Corporation, what is common is the attitude trying to deliver useful information for people's growth and daily life. In early childhood Kodomo Challenge, in student days Shinken Zemi, and upon becoming an adult information magazines regarding childcare and living, a business structure where contact points are born according to life stages holds something interesting. Of course, choosing services to use according to respective purposes and living environments is important, but the point that options are prepared in a wide range of fields is attractive. “Learning ends when graduating school” is not the case. Obtaining new knowledge or devising living is also one of daily learnings. Benesse is a company that has handled learning and information provision close to such a life for many years.