Open the cover of a thick book, and a scene unlike anything you’ve ever seen leaps out at you: a “movable book.”
You’ll want to turn page after page, and before you know it, you’ll be so absorbed that you lose track of time.
Movable books are full of magical charm that fills you with excitement and anticipation.
“Movable Book Specialty Shop Mori no Kakurenbo” is one of only two specialty shops for movable books in Japan, and the only one in western Japan.
Inside, it’s truly a sea of movable books!
There are books as beautiful as works of art, as well as books with delightful features that make you want to give them as gifts.
Take your time looking through them one by one, and you’ll enjoy a wonderful experience that feels like being a child again.
Why not go and see what kinds of movable books are hiding in the shop?
The information presented here was accurate when this article was published in December 2019. Please note that it may differ from current information.
An impressive collection of around 1,300 books! Take your time finding your favorites
The interior of “Movable Book Shop Mori no Kakurenbo” is a delightful space that book lovers will adore.
Movable books, selected picture books, and goods related to picture books are packed into every available space.
Movable books cover an entire wall.
It’s amazing to see how many different kinds there are.
The collection of movable books numbers around 1,300.
It includes out-of-print titles and rare books from overseas.
Books line the shelves all the way to the back.
You can open and look through any of them.
It was impressive to see the owner, Mori Mutsuko, carefully choosing books while talking with customers.
▲There are also sophisticated picture books from overseas. This one isn’t a movable book, but a cut-paper picture book.
The delicate cut-paper illustrations seem to rise up from the page.
Be enchanted by movable books like works of art! Don’t miss the cute goods, either
Apparently, once picture books are purchased, they aren’t returned to the publisher, so the owner grows attached to every one of them.
“I’m happy when a book sells, but I also feel a little sad,” says owner Mori.
A scene from “Sleeping Beauty.”
Just look at this delicate craftsmanship!
Perhaps because Mori’s care for the books comes through, in the four years since the shop opened, only one book has been damaged.
The colors are also sophisticated, and this is one book I wanted for myself rather than for a child.
She lets you look through wonderful books like these to your heart’s content.
This movable book opens up 360 degrees and is sure to captivate girls.
It can also be used for playing with dolls, so apparently many customers buy it as a gift.
For boys, a spectacular pop-up dinosaur book is just the thing.
The dinosaurs leap right out of the book with such realism, you can almost hear them roar.
A collection that could tempt any picture-book fan to splurge, including books by Leo Lionni and “Pam and Kero.”
The tableware is just too cute!
The antique goods are mainly from Britain and Germany.
I fell in love at first sight with a beautiful mug that showcases the charm of handmade craftsmanship.
The Bikan Historical Area through a peephole!? From the London Exposition to Alice
There are many kinds of “movable books,” and their history apparently goes back as far as the 17th century.
At Mori no Kakurenbo, the following types of books are considered movable books:
- Pop-up books
- Popup books
- Mechanical books
- Books with holes
- Touch-and-feel books
- Light-up books
- Sound books
- Theater books
- Picture books with some kind of special feature
There was an antique-style movable book next to the register.
Wait, doesn’t the scene in the lower-left picture book look familiar…?
Antique movable books are accordion-folded, and you enjoy them by peering inside through a round hole.
What kind of scene do you think you’ll see in this book?
Have you figured it out yet?
Willows, swans, a little boat, a bridge…
This is unmistakably the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Area!
The accordion-fold perspective creates a sense of depth.
It would make a lovely souvenir, too.
This pop-up book depicts the first Great Exhibition, held in London in the 19th century.
The depth is wonderful, and the incredible detail of the people coming and going and even the ceiling is truly impressive.
Since the accordion-fold books of the 18th century, pop-up books have evolved by leaps and bounds.
In particular, you may have seen Alice in Wonderland, released in 2006.
Robert Sabuda, the creator of the pop-up book Alice in Wonderland, is an American pop-up book artist.
There are still only a handful of “pop-up book artists” in Japan.
The United States, the United Kingdom, France, and other countries have produced many pop-up book artists, and Hide-and-Seek in the Forest has a large collection of their works.
A Christmas Pop-Up Book Makes a Great Gift!
It was late November when we visited.
A Christmas tree stood in the middle of the shop, and the store was full of Christmas books.
We asked them to pick out some recommended Christmas pop-up books.
First is The Night Before Christmas. The English title, “The Night Before Christmas,” is well known.
Did you know that this story created the image of Santa Claus we have today?
Santa in a red suit, arriving from the sky in a sleigh, pulled by reindeer…
It’s a Christmas story that has been passed down for years, across countries and in different illustrations.
Here’s the perfect book to enjoy while eagerly awaiting Christmas: The Secret of Santa’s Workshop.
At Santa’s house, preparations for Christmas are in full swing.
Go around to the outside of the house and…
There’s lots out here, too!
With the inside and outside of the house on a single page, this book is twice the fun—you’ll want to circle around it and take it all in.
There’s also a book about Bethlehem that looks like a little puppet theater.
The selection is truly varied, including a pentagonal pop-up book that would also make a lovely antique.
It would be lovely to count down to Christmas while reading pop-up books.
We interviewed Mutsuko Mori, the owner of the shop, which carries such wonderful pop-up books.
Hide-and-Seek in the Forest Pop-Up Book Specialty Shop: Information
| Name | Hide-and-Seek in the Forest Pop-Up Book Specialty Shop |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-3-3 Tsurugata, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-424-0696 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | Weekdays, Sundays, and holidays: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Thursday |
| Payment methods |
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| Website | Hide-and-Seek in the Forest Pop-Up Book Specialty Shop |
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