A Chef's Other Face
Last June, I published my own book, "&RAW LIVING Step1." I handled everything from planning, structure, and editing to submission myself.
Then in December, I produced the book "Textbook of Happy Sweets" by culinary expert Hiroko Sako. This also achieved Amazon bestseller status.
Creating these two books changed something within me.
When I created my own book
"&RAW LIVING Step1" is a compilation of the raw food knowledge I have accumulated over 10 years as a culinary expert, condensed into a single textbook.
I had received several offers for books before. But first, the desire to "write this" came before anything else.
I thought that to convey that to others, it would be faster to actually make it into a book and show it, rather than writing a proposal and taking it to a publisher.
By nature, if I'm going to do something, I want to finish it completely. Before I knew it, it had become a book.
Thanks to everyone, it achieved bestseller status immediately after release, and it continues to be picked up as the best-selling raw food book even now.
This is what is known as "indie publishing," without the backing of a publisher. Even so, on Amazon, as of today, January 24, 2026, it continues to receive a solid response.
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9 in Nutritional Science, #11 in Food Science
Customer Reviews: 4.7 stars (25 reviews)
Consistently ranked high in "Frequently Gifted Items"
This is by no means self-satisfaction. It has properly reached "someone who needed" this book. I have a solid feeling that I can think that.
And next week, the English version will also be released.
▶︎ View "&RAW LIVING Step1" on Amazon
It has also been introduced by the Raw Food Meisters (Japan Living Beauty Association) that I teach, and it is recommended by Raw Food Meister instructors across the country and around the world.
When I created a book for someone else
When Hiroko Sakawa consulted me about wanting to create a book, it was the first time I stood in the position of a companion.
I conducted interviews, listened to the author's thoughts, understood the story that led to them, and put those into words.
For the past ten years, I have been creating original texts. Many books of about 100 pages each. I have also taken the food photographs myself.
That is precisely why I knew the importance of organizing the structure, being particular about every single font, and having photos retaken many times.
There were days when we stayed connected online for the entire day. During a very busy time for Hiroko-san before a Christmas event, we started working late and continued past midnight until morning.
Even so, on the other side of the screen, we built the pages while confirming things one by one, asking, "To ensure the reader doesn't get lost," and "Might they stumble here?"
I never imagined this work would be so enjoyable.
[Photo: Cover of "Textbook for Happy Sweets"]
What it means to create a book
Cooking and bookmaking are essentially the same.
You face the ingredients, find a way to make the most of them, and deliver them to someone.
However, cooking was my own expression. Bookmaking was a job of nurturing someone else's expression.
And I realized that both are different facets of the act of "conveying."
Teaching cooking and creating books are both, for me, jobs of "conveying."
Hiroko-san as a culinary expert
Hiroko-san is endlessly sincere and kind, and she is someone who deeply values her "responsibility to the person making it."
Retaking photos many times despite being busy, and never compromising on even a single expression. Her attitude of "for the sake of the reader" made me straighten my posture many times as well.
This book breathes with the very warmth of Hiroko-san's heart.
"The Textbook of Happy Sweets" contains 22 sweets. Every one of them is easy to make and a recipe that will make you want to bake for someone else.
I believe this book will gently support those who haven't baked in a while, as well as those trying it for the first time.
▶︎See The Textbook of Happy Sweets on Amazon
From now on
There are still many books I want to write.
A sequel to "&RAW LIVING," Step 2, Step 3. A textbook for the Fermentation Planner course. The world's first recipe book specializing in spirulina. Raw sweets, raw chocolate.
Everything is built upon the foundation of courses and recipes I have spent 10 years creating.
(Volumes of over 100 pages each for fermentation, raw sweets, and raw chocolate course texts)
The original course texts I have created so far. I would like to publish these as books.
And I also want to create books in genres other than cooking.
This is because creating a book is the act of understanding a person's life and philosophy and presenting it to the world in the form of words.
That is not limited to the genre of cooking.
Like a small publishing house
Bookmaking is a job like that of a small publishing house, from planning to editing, design, submission, and promotion.
I will write my own books. I will also create books for others. And I want to work with publishers to create books that reach even more readers.
While cherishing both, as a culinary expert and as a person who makes books, I will continue to work in "conveying" things.
If you are interested, I also offer support through the Creative Book Lab.
▶︎ Learn more about Creative Book Lab
Afterword
A book is the crystallization of a person's life.
That is precisely why I want to create it carefully and beautifully for the reader.
I am already very excited about what kind of book I can create next, and with whom I can create it.
I have just started creating something new once again.
I would be happy if everyone who reads this book could spend even a little bit of happy time through it.
If you have any consultations about book creation or would like to talk about creating a book together, please feel free to reach out at any time.
Inquiries
For consultations regarding book creation or inquiries about Creative Book Lab, please feel free to contact us via the link below.
&LAB TOKYO
We also accept inquiries regarding raw food, fermentation, and raw chocolate courses here.