Our Mission: Tuttle Publishing was founded in 1832 in the small town of Rutland, Vermont, New England, USA, making it one of the oldest American publishing houses operating today. Our core values remain as strong as they were then: publishing outstanding books that bring people together, page after page. Since 1948, when the company established a subsidiary in Japan, Tuttle has been a leader in the production of English-language books on the arts, languages, and cultures of Asia. The world today has become a small village, while it has grownAsia's economic and cultural influence has grown tremendously. However, the need for meaningful dialogue and comprehensive information about this diverse region has never been greater than today.
History: Many are surprised to learn that the world's largest publisher of books about Asia is located in the small town of Rutland, Vermont. The company's modern founder, Charles E. Tuttle, came to a New England family with a long history in publishing, but the war in the Pacific led him to a new career in Japan.Tuttle's father was a prominent antique book dealer, and Charles honed his knowledge of that trade by working in the family library, and later in the rare books department of the Columbia University Library. His passion for beautiful books - old and new - has never wavered throughout his long career as a bookseller and publisher.After graduating from Harvard, Tuttle joined the Army, and in 1945 was sent to Tokyo to serve on General MacArthur's staff. He was tasked with reviving Japan's war-ravaged publishing industry. After his tour of service, he left the army, married the talented and beautiful singer Reiko Chiba, and in 1948 started several successful business ventures.To his surprise, Tuttle discovered that post-war Tokyo was a paradise for book lovers. He established relationships with book dealers in the Kanda neighborhood, and began supplying American bookstores with rare Japanese copies. He also imported American books to sell to millions of American soldiers stationed in Japan. By 1949, Tuttle's business was thriving, and he opened Tokyo's first English-language bookstore inside the Takashimaya department store in Nihonbashi, with great success. Two years later, he began publishing books to meet growing interest in the WestWith everything Asian.
Although a Westerner, Tuttle was a central figure in introducing a world hungry for information about the East to Japan and Asia. By the time of his death in 1993, he had published more than 6,000 books on Asian culture, history, and art, a legacy that Emperor Hirohito honored in 1983 by awarding him the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Japan's highest honor for non-Japanese.
