Book

Kōdansha Sensho Métier　
Designing with Sound — Why Does the Emergency Earthquake Alert Sound Create Tension?
Author : Takashi Kokubo
Release date : February 12, 2026
Price : ¥1,980 (tax included)
Amazon Bestseller #1

Kōdansha’s Sensho Métier series was launched in 1994. It is a monthly collection of humanities titles intended as books for thinking about how to live and for acquiring knowledge, covering philosophy, history, sociology, religion, and related academic fields.

In addition to serious themes, the series has also published well-received cultural titles that appeal to intellectually curious readers as hobbies — such as Gorō Yamada’s The Complete Guide to Mechanical Watches and Itoya’s The Fountain Pen Bible — books that have remained popular and widely read over time.

This new volume joins that distinguished lineup.

The book is the first publication by sound environment designer Takashi Kokubo, creator of many public sounds that people recognize instantly — including the mobile phone emergency earthquake alert, the iD electronic payment sound, and the City of Yokohama sound logo.

It explores what it means to “design sound,” what kinds of sounds society needs, how humans relate to sound, and what sounds the future will demand. Readers are guided through Kokubo’s creative process and can experience actual sounds and visuals via QR codes, making the book both reflective and interactive.

Available in Japanese only.