It publishes literature, manga novels, and women's magazines.

Kobunsha was established on October 1, 1945, and belongs to the Kodansha group.

The company has published Japanese authors such as Tetsuya Honda, Keigo Higashino, Jiro Akagawa, Miyuki Miyabe and Arimasa Osawa and foreign authors such as Arthur C. Clarke, Jean Genet, Malcolm Gladwell, Jon Ronson, JD Vance, Hanya Yanagihara and Zhao Ziyang.

From 1994 it established the Kobun Foundation and publishing more mystery novels.

The Foundation has been awarding a Grand Prize for Best Mystery Novels each year.