Well, well. This was supposed to be written on the first month of the year, but unfortunately it got too much postponed until this point. So, I must admit, Japan had some of the best things a book lover can get. Remember Jinbocho? That's just a bitty bit. Here are some of the books that I found interesting while I'm having my trip to Japan almost a half year ago. Happy bibliophile-ing!
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1. This book is one of my favorites, and I got this while thrift shopping at Jinbocho for about JPY 1500 (approximately IDR 150,000) . It's an art book about one of my favorite Art Deco artist, Tamara de Lempicka. The size of the book is pretty big and it features some notable paintings with high resolution and fidelity.
The front cover.
Notice how beautiful that black and gold paper is.
The contents, featuring the title of de Lempicka's works.
Tamara de Lempicka herself. It is surprising on how de Lempicka's features whether it's physical or personality appear mostly in her paintings. Indeed, painting is really done with heart!
Her works part 1.
Her works part 2.
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2. These books are on my second favorite. Got these two for under JPY 2000. The first one with crayon styled drawing is an illustration compilation book and it contains a lot of great illustration across Japan. The second one is a cartoon compilation book which surprisingly a lot more interesting contents than it was looked like.
The books. The illustration book is not really good in condition (well, it was a used book), but I'll take a really good care of you baby!
One of my favorite pieces.
This one's too.
Some funny cartoons you've got there.
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3. I was strolling around at the Osaka Station's Umeda when I came across A STUDIO GHIBLI SOUVENIR SHOP (I must type it on uppercase because HEY IT'S GHIBLI). I literally screamed "Totoro! Totoro! Mom! Please let me go in there!" (And I never regret doing this thing) and so, I went in.
I'm in heaven on earth for the next 20 minutes. I really want to shop all things in there but well, my mom just let me buy one. And here it is, a story book based on Studio Ghibli's Whisper of the Heart (Mimi wo Sumaseba/ 耳をすませば). Please don't ask whether I understand Japanese or not, because no, I don't.
P. S. : I am a big fan of Seiji Amasawa. He's my type. Well.
The front cover.
A look inside the storybook. The artwork was taken directly from the animated movie.
Another look inside the storybook. Whoa Seiji.
This part's just amazing.
And this one's too. Ghibli never cease to amaze me.
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4. Japan is not Japan if you don't spend your time strolling around their manga aisle. I found it interesting when bookstores in Japan divide their mangas not only based on the genre, but also the age group. And oh, sexual orientation also. I'll explain later on. Anyway, these are some mangas I bought while I'm on my trip. Well, all of them are children's, I know. But those titles are my childhood.
Two mangas from my two favorite mangakas: Sakura Momoko and Ono Eriko! The Kocchimuite! Miiko one has been published in Indonesia for years and still going. The other one is supposedly another auto-biographical manga by the creator of Chibi Maruko Chan herself.
Inside Kocchimuite! Miiko.
And this one's a comic magazine tribute to the creator of Doraemon, Fujiko F. Fujio. It contains fan comics, and some articles about his works.
Inside the comic magazine. Those two characters might be Nobita and Shizuka, I guess.
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That's all that I got today! Thank you for reading, I hope you all enjoy it. By the way, here's some link on my Japan trip post if you have your time to read them:
Introduction | Universal Studio Japan | Shinkansen & Akihabara | Jinbocho bookstores | Shibuya & Harajuku | Meiji Shrine | and more coming soon!
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