By: Alex
“Is this a bookstore?” Although the photographer was here to take portraits, they didn’t seem entirely sure what kind of place they were in. Surrounded on all sides by giant bookshelves, it felt as if they had stepped into the magical world of Harry Potter, where reality and fantasy blurred.
Is this really a bookstore? pic.twitter.com/dqpc5MLAPq
— Ayane / Photoshop Lecture Person (@ikarh02) November 27, 2020
▲“Is this a bookstore?”
Strictly speaking, the “towering bookshelf walls” in the photo aren’t actually part of a bookstore but rather the Bookshelf Theater (Japanese: Honban Theater).Spanning two floors, the giant bookshelves rise up to 8 meters high. Being in this space brings to mind the libraries seen in movies and shows like Harry Potter, Detective Conan, and Beauty and the Beast. Some netizens even drew comparisons to a corner of the Tsutaya bookstore in Osaka, which also features two towering “bookshelf walls” with a floor-to-ceiling glass pane in between—creating a tranquil spot to sit and read.
▲Bookshelf Theater (photo by ikarh02 @Twitter)
▲Book Street (photo by ikarh02 @Twitter)
In fact, the Bookshelf Theater is one of the facilities of the Kadokawa Musashino Museum, which officially opened earlier this month. It’s located on the 4th and 5th floors of the museum. Designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma, the museum integrates a library, art gallery, and museum into one, and is situated in the newly built Saitama Sakura City in Tokorozawa, a suburb of Tokyo. The museum’s exterior is also worth noting—it resembles a multi-faceted rock. Its walls are made up of 20,000 pieces of granite, and the complex interplay of light and shadow across the undulating surfaces creates ever-changing visuals. No wonder it became a popular topic and an Instagram hotspot during its trial run in August.
▲(photo by sxbxr_69 @IG)
▲(photo by arata_kid @Twitter)
▲(photo by arata_kid @Twitter)
▲The Kadokawa Musashino Museum has five floors and stands about 30 meters tall. (photo by kemuri_niyan @IG)
▲The building’s exterior is made of 20,000 pieces of granite. (photo by nmm_______ @IG)
▲(photo by miyazaki_japan @IG)
▲(photo by katsukingram @IG)
▲(photo by obasan_oa_1012 @IG)
▲(photo by momogram3 @IG)
Source: @ikarh02, LINE Travel JP