One of my favorite bookstores is Book1st inside the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower.
They not only have a wide variety of books I can actually read (i.e. english books), but as the bookstore is located inside a school building of a designer school, they have a lot of art and design related books and magazines you wouldn't find in a regular bookstore. I especially love their photography book corner, which is usually where you'll find me when I need to kill time in Shinjuku.
I spotted this cute book called "Tokyo On Foot" the other day. It is a book filled with various tidbits about Tokyo, seen through the eyes of a French man and his drawings. Very interesting and lovely to look at...the colorful pages sort of reminded me of Evelyn and her drawings!
I like any city on foot and Tokyo would be an amazing surprise...
ReplyDeleteI love the lines and texture of your bookstore image! Very modern and unconventional and I can barely detect your shadow. I would call it "The Reader." It has a hint of mystery and menace to it. Sorta reminds me of the movie Vanishing on 7th Street. - I do like those drawings. I am a sucker for picture/travel books!
ReplyDeleteNothing nicer than spending time in a book store perusing Kaori, unfortunately a lot of our book shops are closing down.
ReplyDeleteI could spend many hours there!
ReplyDeletein the 1st i like the particular angle where the pic was taken
ReplyDeleteA place I'd like to be locked in.
ReplyDeletePlease have a good Thursday.
I love any photo of any books! How does this store compare to Kinokuniya? The latter is probably bigger, but it's a bit of a schlep to get there, isn't it? You've just persuaded me to try Book1st ...
ReplyDeleteIt’s funny but I placed that same book on my Amazon Shopping List on September 5th. Now, thanks to your recommendation, I have ordered a copy.
ReplyDeleteMaybe (just maybe...) you will have a book of photos for sale... 頑張って。Please let us know when...
I thought it sounded familiar. Lumine 1, not far from here around the corner of the South Exit, has another Book First on the 5th floor. Actually, I see there is a Book First on the 5th floor of both Lumine 1 and Lumine 2 in Shinjuku Station but you would have little need to visit them unless a book you want at Modo Gakuen is out of stock but available at Lumine.
Their Web site has a few shots of your store. The entrance looks so cool (maybe here). (Clickable photos but maybe they alternate stores). I could find the entrance separate, just in case. A bit out of this world. Love it.
Speaking of cool: Evelyn’s drawings are. That’s a nice origami crane, by the way!
Lots of books , not many people , except you ;)
ReplyDeleteHi everyone! Thanks for taking the time to comment! It's great to hear so many of you like books stores as much as I do :D
ReplyDeleteVP -- I'm sure you'd take amazing photos with one of your walk around Tokyo, too :D
Rachel -- Oh me, too! I love travel books, even if I've never been there yet ;D
Perth DP -- Isn't it a shame? I really wish there was something we could do about it. I love independent book shops :-D
Lois -- I could, too. Actually I do! ;D
Milanblogger -- Thank you! I had a fun time taking pictures while browsing through the aisles! ;-)
Robert -- Oh, I wouldn't mind at all either! They usually end up kicking me out :D
Rurousha -- Kinokuniya on the east side is much bigger. But the selection here is a little different, as Book1st has more artsy books for the students there. I also like the way their book shelves are scattered around the floor area. Hope you'll get a chance to go :-D
Tall Gary -- Hope you like it! I loved the drawings ;D
Babzy -- I shoo-ed them away to take this photo! hehe ;D
Count me in... for both the book story and the walk! And yes, Evie could create a series of e-books... and make a fortune... Are you listening, Evelyn?? :-)
ReplyDeleteHaha, thanks Francisca. Kaori, thanks for remembering me. Yeah, now that I see the cover, I do remember seeing this book...
ReplyDeleteReceived the book today a little over a week after this posting. It is now my favorite Tokyo tourist/memento book. I laughed a bunch of times at his sense of humor.
ReplyDeleteDid you know that those nearly identical houses on the cover were sketched in Ochiai, near Kōtokuji Temple? The writer/artist lived in Ochiai for most of his half-year in Tokyo—just south of Ochiai Chuo Park. He wasn’t kidding when he said he lived on a micro street.
Thank you for the recommendation.