Morioka Shoten, the Bookshop with Only One Book
Faced with an abundance of literary releases, Yoshiyuki Morioka decided in 2015 to open his bookstore that offers just one book per week.
© Morioka Shoten
Located in Ginza district, the small bookshop Morioka Shoten offers just one book (but sells multiple copies of it). Customers can either buy it or wait until the next week for a new literary option. Novels, manga, biographies, and graphic novels—bookseller Yoshiyuki Morioka carefully selects the title that will be showcased each week, presented beautifully in the centre of the shop. This extreme approach to literary curation that favours quality over quantity, mirroring the lack of furniture decorating the space, seems to have won over its audience.
Arranging for authors and readers to meet
To enhance the experience, the bookseller slips a flower mentioned by the author between the pages, or exhibits photographs or ceramics that evoke the universe of a book. Where possible, Yoshiyuki Morioka invites the author to come and meet the readers. Thus, Morioka Shoten is a blend of a shop, gallery, and meeting place, infused with a passion for literature.
More information on Morioka Shoten can be found on the bookshop’s website (only in Japanese).
© Morioka Shoten
© Morioka Shoten
TRENDING
-
The Tattoos that Marked the Criminals of the Edo Period
Traditional tattoos were strong signifiers; murderers had head tattoos, while theft might result in an arm tattoo.
-
Colour Photos of Yakuza Tattoos from the Meiji Period
19th-century photographs have captured the usually hidden tattoos that covered the bodies of the members of Japanese organised crime gangs.
-
The Trendiest ‘Sento’ and Saunas in Tokyo
The bath culture remains vibrant in the capital city, where public baths and saunas designed by renowned architects are continuously opening.
-
Rituals of Ancient Gay Shunga Erotica
Shunga was prolific in Japan during the Edo period, with ‘nanshoku’ referring to the depiction of homosexual erotica.
-
‘LSD: Dream Emulator’, an Avant-Garde Game Released on PlayStation
In this video game created by Osamu Sato and released in 1998, the player explores the surrealist, psychedelic environment of a dream.