One of Japan’s largest book retailers, Books Kinokuniya, has opened its second store in Australia, 30 years after arriving in the country.
The Westfield Chatswood store in NSW follows the landmark 1996 opening in Neutral Bay. Its Sydney flagship, which was relocated to The Galeries in 2002, is home to more than 300,000 titles.
Founded in 1927 by Moichi Tanabe, Kinokuniya has more than 140 stores worldwide, primarily stocking titles in Japanese, Chinese and English.
“Chatswood is a uniquely vibrant community, making it an ideal environment for a bookstore that celebrates creativity and curiosity,” Satoshi Yada, MD of Kinokuniya Australia, said. “The new store aims to become a welcoming anchor point within this dynamic neighbourhood.”
Culture magazine Broadsheet reports that Kinokuniya is also planning to open a Melbourne store later this year.
“Starting the next chapter in Kinokuniya’s story is a feeling no words can adequately express,” Chatswood store manager Peri MacDonald added. “I know our Chatswood community will embrace us with a warm welcome and love our store just as much as our team. The new store will offer the thoughtfully curated selection our customers have come to know of Kinokuniya while tailoring our collection to the broad range of bibliophiles of Chatswood, creating a welcoming space for discovery, inspiration and connection.”
