 |
 |
|
||||
|
|
||||||
 |
|
|
|
| |||
|
|
|
|
|
| |||
| Caravan Books: Ikebukuro | |||
| |||
|
Tucked away at the back of a house that bears the name Caravan English, in a back street in west Ikebukuro, is Tokyo's newest specialist English-language second-hand bookshop.
Caravan Books is small, and as yet not particularly well stocked, with 'just' 7,000 volumes to hand. Popular fiction, priced at around 400 or 500 yen, predominates, and many of the books for sale come from owner Nick Ward's own collection. Yet if it can attract customers, this shop deserves to succeed. Some places just feel right the moment you walk in, and this is one of them. Nick saved the building, an annex to the main house, from demolition, and on removing the ceiling uncovered the solid timber beams that are the shop's main decorative feature. Nick himself sits behind the counter, cataloguing his stock on a computer, and is happy to talk books or provide recommendations. He is also keen to expand his stock by buying or trading. If Caravan Books had room for a couple of sofas, it would be the perfect place to escape for the afternoon. In addition to two floors of books, there's also a small cafe area, open all day, with sandwiches, coffee and Belgian beers. Check their website for regular activities, including poetry readings and monthly wine and cheese parties. by Nigel Kendall |
Caravan Books
| ||
|
|||
 |
