Bookstores - Japanology Plus

Key Concepts

• Independent Bookstores (Indie Bookstores): Small, privately-owned bookstores often focusing on curated selections and community engagement.
• Shared Bookstores: Bookstores where individuals rent shelf space to sell their own books or book-related items.
• Hybrid Bookstores: Bookstores combining elements of traditional retail with innovative concepts like shared shelves or event spaces.
• Experiential Retail: Focusing on creating a unique and engaging experience for customers beyond simply purchasing a product.
• Book Curation: The careful selection and arrangement of books based on a specific theme, genre, or aesthetic.
• Washi Paper: Traditional Japanese paper known for its strength and durability.
• Edeto Period: A historical period in Japan (1603-1868) known for its flourishing arts and culture, including book printing.
• Ukio-e: A genre of Japanese art known for its woodblock prints and depictions of everyday life.

The Revitalization of Japanese Bookstores: A Japanology Plus Exploration

Introduction: The Decline and Rebirth of Japanese Book Retail

The episode begins by outlining the decline of bookstores in Japan, mirroring a global trend away from print media. Once ubiquitous, with a bookstore often found near every train station, the number of bookstores has dramatically decreased over the past decade, leaving some provincial towns without any. This decline prompted a wave of innovative efforts to revitalize the industry, which the episode explores.

Mr. Waki Masayuki and the Shared Bookstore Model

The program features Waki Masayuki, proprietor of an independent bookstore utilizing a “shared bookstore” model. Customers rent shelves for a monthly fee (a few thousand yen) to sell books they love, have written, or related items. Currently, approximately 100 people participate. Waki started by inviting people he knew involved with books, expanding through social media and email. The store operates as a hybrid, with half the space dedicated to rented shelves and the other half featuring books personally selected by Waki – focusing on science fiction, world literature, and travel books. He notes a growing trend of independent bookstores in Japan, each with a unique approach.

Innovative Bookstore Concepts: Beyond Traditional Retail

The episode showcases several innovative bookstore concepts emerging across Japan:

• Themed Bookstores (Ginza): A small Tokyo bookstore focuses on a single book each week, accompanied by related exhibits, photographs, and author events.
• Membership/Lounge Bookstores (Shimokawa): This bookstore charges an admission fee and offers 30,000 titles, reading desks, a study room, and a café, even serving beer. It aims to integrate books into daily life.
• Experiential Large-Scale Bookstores: A newly opened large bookstore in a business district adopts a “forest of knowledge” concept. It utilizes bookmarks with thought-provoking questions (e.g., “If there were no nations…”) to guide customers to relevant books, like George Orwell’s Animal Farm.
• Work/Relaxation Spaces: The large bookstore also features dedicated booths for focused work, equipped with power outlets, and a quiet meditation room designed for office workers seeking respite. Hourly rates for the booths start at 1,800 yen.

Book Hotels: Immersive Literary Experiences

The “Plus One” segment introduces book-themed hotels designed to reintroduce guests to the joy of reading.

• Book Hotel: This hotel organizes its floors by genre. For example, the ninth floor is dedicated exclusively to mystery novels. They also offer a “book matching service” – a questionnaire-based recommendation system, akin to a “book sommelier.”
• Manga Hotel: Dedicated entirely to manga, this hotel boasts a collection of 5,000 titles, including English translations, and features beds built into bookshelves. Approximately half of its guests are international visitors.

Historical Context: The Evolution of Japanese Bookstores

The program provides a historical overview of Japanese bookstores:

• 17th Century Origins: The first bookstores appeared in Kyoto in 1609, with Hanya Shinshi considered the first self-proclaimed bookseller.
• Late 17th Century Growth: By the end of the 17th century, Kyoto had approximately 400 bookstores, representing 90% of the national total.
• 18th Century Expansion: Bookstores spread to Edeto (present-day Tokyo), shifting from primarily educational texts to include entertainment literature like humorous travel diaries, love stories, and Ukio-e prints.
• Staya Juaburo’s Influence: Staya Juaburo played a key role in establishing the publishing industry in Edeto by focusing on popular entertainment books and promoting artists like Kitagawa Utamaro and Porschu Shaku.
• Late 19th/Early 20th Century Peak: The number of bookstores reached around 3,000 by the end of the 19th century and exceeded 20,000 by 2003.

Kanda Jimbo: A Hub for Used Books and New Concepts

The program visits Kanda Jimbo, a district renowned for its used bookstores, tracing its origins to the concentration of universities in the 19th century.

• OA Shobbo: A specialist bookstore dealing in Edeto-period books and documents, including old maps and Ukio-e prints. The durability of washi paper is highlighted, allowing these items to last for centuries.
• Passage: A newer bookstore in Kanda Jimbo, also utilizing the shared bookstore model, created by French literature scholar Kashima Shigeru.

The Future of Bookstores: Trust and Experience in the Digital Age

Waki Masayuki argues that bookstores will become increasingly valuable in an age of misinformation and AI-generated content. He emphasizes the importance of paper books, which cannot be altered after printing, and the role of bookstores as trustworthy spaces curated by knowledgeable proprietors. He predicts a “second golden age” for independent bookstores.

Community Revival: The Case of Kaya Station Bookstore

A final anecdote illustrates the power of community involvement. A bookstore near Kaya Station closed in 2023, but a local group, Tamagawa Toshou, organized a successful event called “50 Books I Want Someone to Read” in the vacant space. The event’s popularity led to the bookstore chain reopening the store with a community-curated section.

Conclusion: Adapting to Survive and Thrive

The episode demonstrates that while the number of bookstores in Japan is declining, the industry is not stagnant. Bookstores are adapting by embracing innovative concepts, focusing on creating unique experiences, and leveraging the power of community. The future of Japanese bookstores lies in their ability to offer something that online retailers cannot: a curated, trustworthy, and engaging space for discovering and connecting with books.