Today is a public holiday, so the shop is closed. I'm off on Mondays, so I'm off too. Even though it's a day off, since around last night I've been working with an instructor to exchange ideas and create flyers for new events. One is a talk event by Shinichi Ikeo, the author of the nonfiction 'Children on Provisional Release: Targets of "Japan First"' that I learned about on social media. Ikeo is a commentary writer for the Tokyo Shimbun, so he fits our shop's concept of 'connections to Nagoya', and although the theme is on the serious side, in my last year at the library I worked on initiatives using 'simple Japanese' (やさしい日本語) for people of foreign origin, so I connected with the author on social media, greeted him by message, and asked him to hold a talk event. Mr. Ikeo kindly agreed, so we immediately set the event date and started making the flyer. The other is that our regular customer Chiharu asked, 'Are you looking for someone to run a book club?' so I asked her to hold one right away. I had Chiharu decide the book club's theme, and she also provided a flyer design draft, so I made the flyer based on that draft. As for the two events, we'll publish them after confirming dates and details within the company. Please look forward to it.

Even though I'm inside the house... For now, I'll just fix some small bugs and call it a day...

A zine exhibition and sales event. It will be held on Sunday, April 4, 2027, from 11:00 to 16:00 at the Matsuyama City General Community Center, 3rd-floor large conference room. Admission is 500 yen. Information for exhibitors, including booth rules, exhibition fees, and assembly time, will be provided. Organized by BOOK CULTURE CLUB.

I use an Android device and don't own an iPhone. For developing the Zindies app it would be helpful to have an iPhone, so I was looking around. Since it's for development rather than everyday use, I searched for a used one. From what I found, the iPhone SE (2nd generation) seems to be sufficient. When I checked Amazon it was about ¥15,000. When the one I ordered arrived, it was in very good condition. Apparently used devices can be hit or miss, so I was lucky. The small screen is actually convenient for testing. Compared to recent smartphones it's very light and easy to carry, so it might end up becoming my everyday phone.

It was hot again today. There were few customers today too, but a young woman spent a long time looking at the shelves, so when she came near the register I called out to her and she talked with me a lot. She was a girl with big, round eyes and said she had come to Nagoya for work from another prefecture. She said there are many things she dislikes about her appearance and other aspects of herself. I wonder if many young women say “I hate myself.” As we talked, she told me she had broken up with her boyfriend a little while ago, and now she might be starting to date a man from Tokyo. She’s quite popular, isn’t she? She really talked a lot. She said she had been good at drawing since childhood, had placed in book-report-drawing contests many times, and is good at reading a story and turning the image into a picture. So I gave her a ZINE of a short story collection and asked her to draw something from a story she likes and come show me. I hope she brings me one of her drawings someday. In the evening there was a tanka gathering hosted by our regular, Chiharu. It was the first meeting, with senior poet Suzuki assisting as support. Including me, five people participated. Four of them I met for the first time! I was happy to have new encounters. One of the participants was a man who might be older than me. He’s a fan of Chiharu and attends various tanka gatherings and seems to be improving rapidly. I couldn’t finish my work at the shop, so I joined partway through. It was a bit disappointing that the critiques of my tanka had already finished by the time I arrived, but afterwards Chiharu told me, “There were expressions not normally used in tanka, and everyone found them interesting,” so I felt a bit relieved. My revising is insufficient, or rather lately my ability to compose tanka has weakened, and I can’t quite get them into a good shape, but I think it’s important to keep going without stopping. The reason I started composing tanka was that, at this shop, I began stocking and selling poetry collections and ZINEs by Nagoya poets — I never imagined I would come to write tanka myself. The tanka everyone composed at the gathering are written on tanzaku strips and posted at the first-floor coffee shop “River.” We have a notebook where you can write your impressions, so please take a look. The second meeting has been decided. I’ll register it with Zindies events soon.

ZINE exhibition and sales event "ZINE Fest Nara." Held on February 14, 2027, 11:00–16:00 at the Nara Prefectural Convention Center, Rooms 203–204. The event is expected to have around 120 booths. Photos of visitors and exhibitors may be taken and posted on social media. There are paid plans for exhibitors, and fees vary by type. No refunds after application.

We will hold an in-store event with zine creators and handmade artists setting up booths. This is a two-day event on Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23. Manila Books & Gift, which carries overseas zines, and moku-zakka, who makes wooden goshuin-cho (temple-stamp notebooks), will also hold pop-up shops. The pop-ups will be held from Tuesday, August 18 through Sunday, August 23. While browsing the shop, please also check out the zine and handmade creators' booths!

We will hold an in-store pop-up event featuring zine creators and handmade artists. It's a two-day event on Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23. There will also be pop-ups by Manila Books & Gift, which carries overseas zines, and moku-zakka, which produces wooden goshuin-cho (temple stamp books). The pop-ups will run from Tuesday, August 18 through Sunday, August 23. While browsing the store, please take a look at the zine and handmade creators' booths!

I'm developing apps for Android and iPhone separately. Even now, you can use "Add to Home Screen" to create an icon and launch it like an app, but it's still a web browser under the hood, and notification settings can change without you noticing, so the usability isn't great. I haven't built either before, but if you ask an AI it can create a basic framework. Starting from scratch is tough, but once you have a foundation, development goes faster. The app still has room to improve, but the most tedious part is registering with the app stores. That's also part of the experience.

Last night I received an email. It was from a doujinshi (self-published) creator who visited from Mie Prefecture last month. During their visit they asked how to boost the ZINE scene in Mie — what should they do? I had never met them before; they were introduced to me by a former Shonan librarian I knew from my librarian days. Since I became the manager of this shop I've started carrying ZINEs by creators active in Nagoya and nearby, but I know nothing about the ZINE situation in Mie, so I was at a loss for what advice to give. I suggested they try consulting the prefectural library first. The email last night updated me on their progress, and what energetic people they are. In no time they connected with the Mie Prefectural Library, and also got in touch with a school librarian at a prefectural high school (that famous librarian who used to be at Tsu High School), and they reported they might be able to plan a ZINE-making workshop involving high school students. Amazing. I'm looking forward to how it develops. This Mie story doesn't directly relate to this shop, but it's fun to see the ZINE scene getting lively. The next story is even less related to the shop (though not entirely unrelated): the cancer-education event I pushed when I was a librarian, "Minna no Gan Kyōshitsu" (Everyone's Cancer Class), might start at a library in M City in Tohoku. I heard that a librarian from M City might visit to observe the "Minna no Gan Kyōshitsu @ Libraries" sessions that are already continuing at a library in S City outside Aichi Prefecture. (For more about "Minna no Gan Kyōshitsu," please read the ZINE 『ここは本をかりるだけじゃない図書館』.) This movement started after I was invited to M City last autumn to talk to librarians about the projects I worked on during my librarian days. Today the shop has few visitors, probably because of the heat. A little while ago someone came in sweating, looking for a photo book of Nagoya from the Showa 20s–40s (roughly the 1940s–1960s). Unfortunately the publisher is out of print and we have no stock. For now we'll try to find a used copy. I'm worried because turnout for next Saturday's event is far below what we need. I thought it was a good program, but reality isn't cooperating. I just have to keep working for another week. Lately I've been feeling down because of this attendance issue. Like purchasing books and ZINEs, events help shape the character of this shop. We need to keep steadily working to increase even a single customer who likes the shop enough to drop by once a year; otherwise the shop won't grow. If 300 people come once a year, that's an average of one customer per day. 600 would be two per day; 3,000 would be an average of ten per day. With an average spend around ¥2,000, that's about ¥20,000 in sales per day. It's tough. I have a business meeting scheduled shortly, and tonight there's a talk event by Kenji Kuroda. I'll add an update tonight. Someone from a new hotel opening near the shop came by to ask about placing books about Nagoya in the hotel's lounge. The interior work was almost finished, so they showed me the site. After hearing about the hotel's concept, the expected guests, and which books and comics the staff wanted, I returned to the shop and immediately started searching for titles. I also thought it would be a good opportunity to include ZINEs by Nagoya ZINE creators. From 7:00 PM there was a talk by Mephisto Prize author Kenji Kuroda, celebrating the publication of his first full-fledged mystery in 14 years, "Kanzen Misshitsu no Matryoshka" (The Perfect Locked-Room Matryoshka). Mr. Kuroda, who loves "puzzle-solving" as a theme, told us in detail about shops in Nagoya and nearby where you can enjoy puzzle-solving activities. Between stories he introduced several "boke questions" he posts daily on X, and everyone enjoyed solving the puzzles together. Since Mr. Kuroda is so into puzzle-solving, I asked at the end, "Would you create a puzzle-solving event using our gallery?" He immediately said, "By all means!" so we'll be planning that. If it's decided, puzzle fans please join!

It was hot again today. There were fewer customers. When I hide out in the backroom (though it's really a cramped spot like the hollow of a tree where a bear lives), I feel like I might get heatstroke. In the morning, it seems someone bought Mr. Tsujiyama's book from the bookstore Title before I arrived. I found that in the sales data. I would have liked to meet the customer who bought it. In the afternoon a job-hunting student who lives in the prefecture and came to Nagoya for job hunting bought a collection of tanka. When I asked if they submit poems anywhere, they said they send work to a well-known literary magazine but have never been published, so I recommended submitting to the newspapers. Since they subscribe to the Chunichi Shimbun, I suggested the Chunichi tanka page (?), and of course the Tokai tanka column in the Nagoya edition of the Asahi Shimbun! The reason I mentioned that is because one of my tanka was just published in this morning's Tokai tanka column. I handed them a flyer about events and invited them to come to various tanka events (poetry gatherings) if they find a convenient date. I hope they get a job at a company in Nagoya. In the afternoon an acquaintance from Iwakura dropped by. They and a friend made an interesting handcraft zine, so they said they'd bring it next time. Zines on niche hobbies are popular, so I'm looking forward to it. A woman who came in just before closing, I asked (more politely in person) 'Do you like books?'—the obvious question—and she showed me a paperback of a translated novel, saying 'I always have one in my bag.' We had a lively talk about translated fiction. I hope she'll come back. Sales were a bit disappointing, but every customer who came in loves books, so it was a very enjoyable day. Here is the tanka that was published today: Sea-viewing, the stars of the sky—and the shape of an elephant swallowed by an uwabami I always think afterward that I should have revised it a bit more seriously. Oh, and before that, longtime customer Chiharu stopped by after a long time (it's a little odd to call a regular 'long time'). She was all dressed for summer and looked fresh. She was the one who told me about this morning's Tokai tanka publication, so when I thanked her she scolded me, 'From now on, find out for yourself!' Sorry, sensei. Chiharu's hosted poetry gathering, 'Ekinishi Small Tanka Gathering', supported by Satsuki Suzuki, is this weekend on the 18th, Saturday at 7:00 PM. Beginners are very welcome. Please feel free to join. For details, see the store's event information.

"We wanted to provide a venue for people with a short history of composing tanka to present!" This project started from that passionate desire. Two tanka poets who were responsible for planning, editing, and publishing will talk about their motivations. Speakers are Satsuki Suzuki and Bunchō Nagai, with guest Hiroyuki Ogiwara. Please note the event's end time may be subject to change.

A record of 3 nights and 4 days in Nagoya spent “living rather than sightseeing.” Visiting supermarkets, coffee shops, and bookstores, I remeasured where my daily life stands. This small book collects the quiet realizations I picked up during unremarkable times. A5 / 38 pages / perfect binding / left-opening ——————————————— Lately I've started to think about "loving the everyday." It's not glamorous, but I find myself wondering how to spend my plain, steady life. From my student days through my twenties I used to head out somewhere to get through a flat routine or schedule a few monthly events to taste the extraordinary. That was enjoyable in its way, but in my thirties I've increasingly reexamined how to live day to day and how to enjoy it. I live in a small town in Ehime Prefecture with a population of about 10,000, where forests occupy more than half of the area. Nagoya, on the other hand, is a large city and the opposite in many ways. I spent four days in Nagoya to see what happens when I live in such a contrasting place — aiming not to tour the sights but to spend my time as if I were a Nagoya resident. This is a personal record of visiting Nagoya to check the current position of my life. I hope it can be a trigger for readers to reconsider their own “likes” and values. From the "Preface" —————————————— #loving the everyday #fan activities #introspection #spark #bookstore #countryside_and_city Recommended for: ▶︎ People who want to know Nagoya beyond tourist spots ▶︎ Those who want to experience Nagoya from the viewpoint of someone living outside the prefecture ▶︎ People interested in other people's lives and lifestyles ▶︎ Those who want to reexamine their own “likes” and values

Today I spent the day working on updates for a service called Librize that I've been running for over ten years. After operating something for that long, little cracks inevitably appear throughout the code. I could fix them as I notice them, but they tend to have wide-ranging effects, so it takes focused effort to tackle them properly. Thanks to the hard work, things improved considerably. That's good.

It seems to be the hottest temperature of the summer, so there are few customers. Even so, two or three groups came; one person came from Nagano. A student? Maybe, but they also seem to be working, and this time came to Nagoya on business. They said they were born in Aichi Prefecture. They and their friends publish a criticism journal, so I asked them to send back issues if they'd like us to sell them at our shop. Purchased Mr. Ito's 'Palestine Report'. One person came from Okayama City on business to Nagoya. This time it was work-related, but a friend of theirs lives in Nagoya and they come here often. Bought a zine by Yodaka. And so on. The 2nd Ekinishi Yunagi tanka gathering has been scheduled for September 25, so I immediately registered the event on Zindies. From this time we added "tanka gathering" to the event categories, so I registered it under that category. There are two other tanka gatherings as well, so I changed their categories too. When I checked just now, two people applied right after it went public! Maybe it's because I sent a mass notice to the participants from the previous meeting about the second one! Tanka gatherings are enjoyable events because tanka lovers and people interested in tanka come. I'd also like to increase the number of book clubs — would anyone like to run one?

NAgoya BOOK CENTER's events have all been impressive, and that has driven an increase in site traffic. I'm very grateful. The other day someone asked if we could add a "歌会" category, and after I set it up an event was already registered. Fast! I occasionally review the structure of the event pages, and I adjusted things because the sign-up button can be hard to see on smartphones. Also, since I heard that people couldn't find where to cancel, I decided to include that information in the registration confirmation email. Ideally it would be nice to show a list on the user's settings page, but I'll consider that if sign-ups increase.

This is a tanka gathering hosted by tanka poet Miyako Asai. Beginners and those who have not yet started writing tanka are welcome to participate. If you will participate, please compose one tanka and send it by email to [email protected] by September 18. The theme is free. Also, drinks will not be sold on the day, so please feel free to bring your own beverages.

A ZINE event focused on printmaking, "ZINE Fest: Printmaking." It will be held on January 9, 2027 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM on the 2nd floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Hamamatsucho Building. Admission is 500 yen. Information is provided on exhibitor applications and plans, assembly times, move-in/loading procedures, and prohibited items. Organized by BOOK CULTURE CLUB.

An event to enjoy zines, “ZINE Fest: Travel & Food.” It will be held on January 9, 2027 on the 2nd floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Hamamatsucho. Exhibits and sales will focus on printmaking, typography, and the themes of travel and food. Admission is 500 yen. Information for exhibitors is provided regarding applications, move-in rules, and cooperation for event operations on the day.