Morioka Shoten designed by Kotaro Watananbe, Tokyo. Photography: Nacasa & Partners, Miyuki Kaneko Morioka Shoten designed by Kotaro Watananbe, Tokyo. Photography: Nacasa & Partners, Miyuki Kaneko
Morioka Shoten designed by Kotaro Watananbe, Tokyo. Photography: Nacasa & Partners, Miyuki Kaneko Morioka Shoten designed by Kotaro Watananbe, Tokyo. Photography: Nacasa & Partners, Miyuki Kaneko
Morioka Shoten designed by Kotaro Watananbe, Tokyo. Photography: Nacasa & Partners, Miyuki Kaneko Morioka Shoten designed by Kotaro Watananbe, Tokyo. Photography: Nacasa & Partners, Miyuki Kaneko

Single-minded

28 : 08 : 2015 Morioka Shoten : Bookstore : Ginza

Tokyo – Morioka Shoten is a book store that has made the bold decision to stock only one book at a time.

  • Part gallery, part book store, Morioka Shoten applies the Japanese philosophy of zen to the retail experience
  • The store occupies a small room in Ginza’s Suzuki Building, former office of legendary graphic design office Nippon Kobo

Each week Morioka stocks a different book, inviting visitors to learn more about the author by curating the remaining space around some aspect of their work. For its opening exhibition, for example, Morioka featured a portfolio entitled PUNK by Japanese textile artist Junko Oki and used the remaining space to exhibit a series of her embroidery artworks.

‘An ordinary store would have a number of books, and a reader would buy a book and then start to imagine what the author might be like,’ says creative director Kotaro Watanabe. ‘Morioka Shoten, on the other hand, has the opposite relationship, in which a reader visits the venue, encounters the author and other readers, then purchases a book.’

The Big Picture: Brands that enable us to explore, discover and reveal qualities about the environments we are keen to engage with are coming to the fore. Find out more by booking your place at Beyond Borders, our Autumn/Winter 2015 Trend Briefing.

Discover More Daily Signals
How Maison Margiela is turning behind-the-scenes access into brand value

Daily Signals

How Maison Margiela is turning behind-the-scenes access into brand value

Maison Margiela has unveiled unprecedented access to its digital archives, releasing its internal Dropbox folders to the public for free alongside ...
Fashion : Luxury : Design
Stat: Global waste is projected to surge as circular design becomes critical

Daily Signals

Stat: Global waste is projected to surge as circular design becomes critical

Waste volumes are projected to rise more than 80% by 2050, according to a new report from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP)...
Sustainability : Climate Crisis : Waste Management
Foresight Friday: Alice Crossley, deputy foresight editor

Daily Signals

Foresight Friday: Alice Crossley, deputy foresight editor

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, deputy foresight editor A...
Foresight Friday : Sport : Music
Ferrari Luce redefines electric performance through tactile design

Daily Signals

Ferrari Luce redefines electric performance through tactile design

Ferrari has unveiled the interior and interface of its first fully electric sports car, the Ferrari Luce.
Mobility : Luxury : Design
Japan cancels cherry blossom festival amid overtourism pressures

Daily Signals

Japan cancels cherry blossom festival amid overtourism pressures

A major cherry blossom festival near Mount Fuji has been cancelled after authorities warned that tourism pressures were tipping into a civic crisis.
Travel & Hospitality : Tourism : Overtourism
Stat: How different generations are really using AI

Daily Signals

Stat: How different generations are really using AI

A new survey of 3,000 Americans by Edubrain reveals Millennials are the most avid users of AI, with 37% using it daily, compared to 25% o...
Technology : AI : Statistic
Under Armour backs the rise of the women’s sports economy

Daily Signals

Under Armour backs the rise of the women’s sports economy

American athletic brand Under Armour has unveiled Click Clack: The Next Era, a new campaign reimagining its original Click-Clack football advert fr...
Sport : Womens Sports : Football
Levi’s launches Wear Longer Project to teach Gen Z clothing repair skills

Daily Signals

Levi’s launches Wear Longer Project to teach Gen Z clothing repair skills

Levi’s has unveiled the Wear Longer Project, a new education initiative designed to equip young people with practical skills to repair, refresh and...
Sustainability : Fashion : Levis
Stat: Britain’s stiff upper lip still shapes modern masculinity

Daily Signals

Stat: Britain’s stiff upper lip still shapes modern masculinity

A new YouGov study of 4,403 UK adults highlights how attitudes to crying are still deeply gendered in Britain.
Health & Wellness : Masculinity : Statistic
Chevrolet revives its ‘See the USA’ jingle to celebrate America’s semiquincentennial

Daily Signals

Chevrolet revives its ‘See the USA’ jingle to celebrate America’s semiquincentennial

As the US celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026, Chevrolet is inviting Americans to hit the road with a new ad campaign that reimagines its icon...
Mobility : Branding : Advertising
You have 2 free Daily Signals remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN