The Title of Book Coordinator

Chapter 9: How I Became a Bookseller (6)

In October 2005, "TOKYO HIPSTERS CLUB" opened in Jingumae, Harajuku, Tokyo. It was a concept store operated by the major apparel company World, featuring clothing, miscellaneous goods, and books on the first floor, a gallery on the second, and a cafe on the third. As the person in charge of the book section, I began the work of book selection, which would later lead me to adopt the title of "Book Coordinator."

True to the name "HIPSTERS," the concept for the book selection was to trace the lineage of counter-culture, starting with Beat Generation writers like Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, to depict the modern hipster. I was given the job of creating this section after being approached by a staff member who happened to visit "Shin-Seiki Shoten" (New Century Bookstore). Since it was a field I happened to like and read about often, I already had a little bit of knowledge. I can only say that it was a series of fortunate events, but this job led to me gradually receiving more work selecting books for book sections and libraries from other brands within the same company and from other companies as well. Initially, I called myself a freelance bookseller, but later, when I needed a title, I came up with "Book Coordinator" myself. I also needed a trade name, so I chose "NUMABOOKS." I thought it should be as easy to understand as possible, as I needed to sell my name.

It was around this time that I realized bookshelves could be a branding tool. Books have low profit margins and don't exactly fly off the shelves in stores like this. However, a bookshelf covering an entire wall that expresses the brand's concept is essential for representing the store's personality. I thought, this is branding. The context that cannot be fully conveyed through products, customer service, interior design, or music alone is naturally communicated by the spines, visuals, and contents of the books lined up on the shelves. It was the moment my university studies and my work aligned. Every time I was consulted about wanting to create a bookshelf, I explained this to the client. Dealing with people from different companies in various industries—apparel, miscellaneous goods, music, interior design, lodging, housing, food and beverage, medical, sports, advertising—gave me the habit of comparing and thinking about the differences from the publishing industry, which became the source of my next ideas.

Among these, my work as a producer for "BIBLIOPHILIC," a reading goods brand launched in 2011 with a company called Disk Union, has continued for a long time. It started when I was asked to create a book section inside a Disk Union CD and record store, but after working together on several projects, I hit it off with the president, and the idea was born to launch a brand that handles all kinds of "tools for a life with books," from book covers to bookshelves. Now, with over 200 bookstores and variety shops nationwide as wholesale accounts, new products are released every month, and I am involved in their development. There is a unique interest in thinking about how to enjoy books from the product side, which is different from my other work.

From around 2008, I began to be approached for various things, such as book features and bookstore features in magazines, in the form of editing, writing, and interviews. In addition to book selection, I also became involved in direction and production work for content related to books and bookstores, such as branding and promotion for publishers and e-book devices. It was also during this period that my work expanded in directions I had never imagined, such as being invited to various publishing industry meetings and helping with in-house projects through advisory contracts. In March 2009, I also published my first book, "The Work of Creating the Future of Books / Books that Create the Future of Work" (Asahi Shimbun Publications). Everything was triggered by an encounter with someone who found my work.

At the same time, I continued my activities as a "bookstore" on my own, creating experimental encounters between books and people, just as I had done during my time with "Book Pick Orchestra." In 2007, I held "Book/Paper/Hair," an exhibition where book-loving hairdressers cut hair based on their favorite books; in 2009, I created "Bunko Set Menu," a set menu of a paperback book and a drink; in 2010, I held "hon-ne," a DJ event where everyone reads the same book; and in 2011, I created "NUMABOOKFACE," an unmanned bookstore and installation. I made sure not to stop doing "unpaid work." If I only did client work, I would remain limited to what was requested of me. Thanks to the internet, I gradually began to be talked about more.

One lucky job leads to new experiences and encounters with people, which in turn leads to the next job. Every time, it's all new, and it often gives me a stomachache, but this kind of work has continued to the present day. Since client work and independent activities are interconnected, I consider all of them to be within the scope of my work under the title of "Book Coordinator."

※Reprinted from "A Reader for Future Bookstores," pp. 303-305