Quote:
Originally Posted by Stitchawl
Maruzen closed up its Kyoto's store a couple of years ago. I figured they were gone for good. Kinokuniya has stores all over S.E. Asia (S'pore, Hong Kong, etc.) and I thought they would be good for the long haul. But as I said, the Osaka Kinokuniya is carrying far less books, but Maruzen opened an entire building! Nothing special about this new one other than its gigantic size and huge English Language Section. BTW, both chain have reduced prices on English language books and magazines. We no longer have to pay $25 for a copy of 'Time.'
Stitchawl
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I have fond memories of the Kyoto Maruzen store and my student days there. I'm sorry to hear that it has closed.
The Kinokuniya in the Paragon building in central Bangkok is very pleasant and I always spend a few hours there when I am in Bangkok. It is the only place where I can browse English, Japanese and Chinese books in the same place.
There was a big Kinokuniya near Town Hall in Sydney when I was last there a few years ago. I wonder if it is still there. It was the only place in town where you could get cute Japanese stationary.
BookOff, the Japanese used-book chain, has a big store near Opera in the centre of Paris and they opened a French and English department across the street only a year or so ago. Looks like some shops survive the recent downturn in bookshops better than others.