Walking the path that leads from note. To "Honya to Hon".

A place I want to visit someday.
A painting I want to see someday.
A book I want to read someday.

Before I knew it, such "somedays" had piled up inside me.

I realized this one day shortly after the new year began, when I was facing my planner and writing out a list of shops I wanted to visit and books I wanted to read.
And so, I decided that this year, I want to make it a year where I fulfill my hopes of "wanting to do something someday," even if they are small things. I realized that if I keep saying "someday," it is possible that the time will never come.


First, starting with the bookstores, which are my favorite places.
While looking at my list, the place I thought I would visit when spring arrived was "Honya to Hon" in Yamatokoriyama City, Nara Prefecture.
The reason I learned about To-hon was an article by Iro-san that I read last May.

The moment I saw the snow letterpress bookmark that Iro-san purchased at To-hon's online shop, I thought how wonderful it was, and I also checked out To-hon's Instagram.
Just by looking at the titles of the books they had for sale, I intuitively felt that this was a bookstore I would love.
Although I could buy the bookmark at the online shop, I wanted to pick it up at the store if I could, and while I thought, "I'll definitely go someday," that period was quite busy for me, and the year ended without me being able to visit.

Koriyama Castle ruins, located near To-hon, is a famous spot for cherry blossoms.
Just as I was thinking that this year, when spring came, I would visit while also enjoying the cherry blossoms, I saw an unexpected announcement.

Micchi-san, who creates works that add a soft touch of color to daily life, such as adorable illustrated design paper and postcards.
It was an announcement that Micchi-san would also be participating in the "11th Bookmark Exhibition," a special exhibition at To-hon where original bookmarks from about 40 artists would be sold.
Furthermore, I was surprised by the coincidence when I learned that the reason she participated was because of the article by Iro-san that I mentioned above.

The special exhibition period is from Friday, 2/7 to Wednesday, 2/26.

I heard that they would be sold at Micchi-san's online shop after the exhibition ended, but I wanted to see the sight of the bookmarks lined up inside the To-hon store.

This was no time to be saying "when spring comes."
Whispering that to myself, I headed from Kyoto to Yamatokoriyama.

As I walked along the shopping street that continues from in front of Kintetsu Koriyama Station, colorful manhole covers caught my eye.

Although the wind was cold, the sky was clear, making it a perfect day for a walk. As I strolled leisurely along the street with few pedestrians on a weekday, I saw a rack of postcards placed in front of a shop.

I was happy to see Micchi-san's bookmarks right away on the platform table in front of the sliding door.
I cheered in my heart at the sight of bookmarks of various materials, shapes, and colors lined up across the surface.
Every one of them was something that would make my face light up just by seeing it when tucking it between the pages of a book.
I also wanted to buy a book, so after consulting the contents of my wallet,
I decided to take home the ones that particularly captured my heart.

Now, after admiring the bookmarks to my heart's content, I wander through the bookshelves.
The moment I saw Akane Chihaya's "For Sleepless Nights" and Han Jeong-won's "Poetry and Strolling," which I mentioned in a recent article, placed on the display table closest to the entrance, my suspicion that this was a bookstore I would love turned into certainty.
　　
There was a shelf lined with books by Atsuhiro Yoshida, and a corner that brought to mind scenes of dining tables, with essays by Kazuko Horii, Yoshiko Ishii, Rein Kudo, and Naomi Takayama.
It felt as if the books were curated just for me; it was filled with nothing but books I love.

As I walked through the store, my feet stopped in front of a shelf lined with books with particularly simple bindings.
When I opened them, I felt how beautiful the sight of just letters lined up on white paper could be.
As I followed the letters with my eyes, I realized that what I love are quiet books, where clear winds seem to pass through the margins and the spaces between the lines.
　　

What I notice while looking at the books on display is the large number of ZINEs and small press books.
Books written about travel, about poetry, or about the small records of daily life...
As I gazed at the expressions on the covers, which seemed to hold the creators' thoughts within these small books, the feeling that books are truly wonderful welled up inside me.

I also find comfort in the way the books are arranged, as if the contents and atmospheres of adjacent books are resonating with each other.
When I am drawn to the atmosphere of a single book and pick it up, I feel as if I can hear a quietly echoing voice from the book next to it... and while savoring that, time passes in the blink of an eye.
Finally, I gently picked one book from the paperback shelf, headed to the register, and had them put a book cover on it.

Feeling the joy of having found a wonderful bookstore, I walked the path toward the station.　
I am reminded once again that I should try to visit the places I want to go as much as possible.

And above all, what made me happiest was that I was able to meet this place by following the path connected by my connection on note.

|Iro-san, who wrote the text that served as a guide, like a bookmark.
And Micchi-san, who made the bookmark that gently nudged me, as if saying "If you're going to go, now is the time."

Thanks to both of you, I have gained a new favorite place and something precious.
Thank you so, so much.
　　　

＊You can find Tohon's website here.
　There is a list of artists participating in the bookmark exhibition.

＊You can find their Instagram here.