Elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools... textbooks are absolutely necessary when studying at school, right?
There are also libraries in schools.
Did you know that local small bookstores support the textbooks and books in school libraries?
Yamana Bookstore is a long-established store that has been supporting schools mainly in the Tsurajima area since the early Meiji period.
Even today, it supports several schools in Kurashiki City.
However, due to the spread of the internet and the digitization of books, the publishing industry may be said to be in a winter period.
In this harsh era, Yamana Bookstore is actively engaging in new activities, seeking ways for "small town bookstores" to survive.
Here, we introduce Yamana Bookstore, a long-established store that has supported the local community for over 140 years.
Yamana Bookstore was founded in Tsurajima in 1874
Yamana Bookstore is located in the Mizushima area in the southern part of Kurashiki City.
The location is in the western part of the Mizushima area, in the district of Tsurajima called Nishinoura.
Nishinoura prospered as a port town during the Edo period, and even now, there are remains of the port town era, old buildings, and shrines and temples.
Furthermore, the area is a historical walking area called Tsurano Komichi.
Yamana Bookstore is located in a corner of this historically rich Nishinoura.
The founding of Yamana Bookstore dates back to 1874 (Meiji 7).
It is said that the clear period of business was Meiji 7, but it is possible that it is older than that.
In its early days, it handled not only books but also various items such as stationery.
Additionally, the building of Yamana Bookstore is very historic.
The current building is the second store, built in 1918 (Taisho 7).
Since the surrounding area was the center of Nishinoura, there are many other stores with character, making it quite impressive.
In addition to supporting schools, it also operates as a bookstore for local residents
Yamana Bookstore currently operates only one main store in Nishinoura.
The main business is delivering textbooks and books for school libraries to public elementary and junior high schools and prefectural high schools centered in the Tsurajima area.
It is active as a partner that closely supports the community and schools.
On the other hand, it continues its traditional bookstore operations.
Yamana Bookstore is loved by local residents as a "traditional small town bookstore" for children and the elderly in Nishinoura.
In addition, we also handle reservations and orders for various books.
The bookshelves are made of solid wood and focus on traditional Japanese colors
Although Yamana Bookstore operates for the local community, there are particularities in the store.
First, the bookshelves are made of solid wood.
Furthermore, the colors used are mainly traditional Japanese colors.
The main colors used are toki-iro (pink), moegi-iro (fresh green), and kohada-iro (wood color).
We value colors that evoke a calm atmosphere reminiscent of nature.
A group of bookstores in the city established the "Kurashiki City Bookstore Cooperative"
A group of long-established bookstores in Kurashiki City, including Yamana Bookstore, established the Kurashiki City Bookstore Cooperative.
Bookstores that have supported schools in Kurashiki City for many years cooperate under the mission of continuing to deliver good books to children, conducting various projects and collaborations.
The "Kurashiki Book Marche" is held by the Kurashiki City Bookstore Cooperative
A representative activity of the Kurashiki City Bookstore Cooperative is the Kurashiki Book Marche.
The first Kurashiki Book Marche was held in 2011 and is held once a year (it was canceled in 2020).
It is held as a venue for communication between publishers and teachers of school libraries, showcasing excellent books at the venue.
The Kurashiki Book Marche is gaining national attention as a place for collaboration between educational administration, bookstores, school teachers, and publishers.
Initiated by the "New First-Year Reading Promotion Project"
The Kurashiki Book Marche has also led to the creation of something.
That is the "New First-Year Reading Promotion Project," which has been conducted by Kurashiki City since 2017.
This project establishes a dedicated space for first graders in elementary school libraries, where recommended books selected by the city are purchased and displayed.
From the 2024 fiscal year, the nickname "First Grader Exciting Book Corner" will be used.
This is likely a result of the collaboration between bookstores and the administration that expanded through the Kurashiki Book Marche.
The bookstore version of goshuin, "Goshoin"
Do you know about Goshoin?
You may know that "goshuin" is a stamp you receive as proof when visiting shrines and temples.
The bookstore version of goshuin is Goshoin.
Goshoin was initiated by Shogakukan Publishing Service due to the decrease in opportunities to visit bookstores because of online book purchases and the spread of e-books.
It started in March 2020 with the aim of creating opportunities to visit bookstores.
▼ Below is the Goshoin you can receive at Yamana Bookstore.
The Goshoin from Yamana Bookstore features the phrase, "Reading for a lifetime, every encounter is the beginning of everything," along with a depiction of the nearby Yaku Shrine's autumn festival, "Yaku Shrine Autumn Festival Chitosegaku (one of the four town areas)."
As of October 2023, 11 bookstores, including Yamana Bookstore, are participating in the Goshoin project in Okayama Prefecture.
Each bookstore has its own unique Goshoin, so why not visit a bookstore to collect them?
For more details about Goshoin, please visit the official Goshoin project website.
Yamana Bookstore, a historic bookstore that has supported local schools for many years.
We interviewed the managing director of Yamana Bookstore, Yamana Fumiaki.
Data on Yamana Bookstore, Ltd.
| Organization Name | Yamana Bookstore, Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Bookstore) |
| Representative Name | Yamana Yasuhiro |
| Year Established | Established: 1953, Founded: 1874 |
| Address | 33 Nishinoura, Tsurajima-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-445-1111 |
| Website | Yamana Bookstore, a bookstore specialized in external sales |
We mainly sell lifestyle magazines for housewives and husbands, as well as the first books and picture books that people encounter in their lives.
The situation remains very tough due to the spread of the internet, but as long as there are people who say, "I'm glad the store is open," I will continue to do my best.