Magazine House, a publishing company based in Ginza, Tokyo, is marking its 80th anniversary with a bold step toward international expansion. The company recently released English editions of its popular magazines, POPEYE and BRUTUS.
The excitement surrounding Magazine House’s 80th anniversary also reached New York City. As part of the anniversary celebrations, a special bookazine fair was held recently at the SoHo branch of McNally Jackson Books. Following strong sales at U.S. branches of Japanese bookstores such as Kinokuniya, the collaboration with the renowned New York independent bookseller took place over two days, October 10 and 11. A total of 12 titles, including the newly released English editions of POPEYE and BRUTUS featuring Tokyo, as well as two additional Magazine House publications, Casa BRUTUS and &Premium, captivated New Yorkers.
“The McNally Jackson Books owner, Sarah McNally, and I share intense enthusiasm and appreciation for culture around printed matter in Japan,” said store manager Jack Kyono, who elaborated about how the fair came together. “New York, ‘the reading capital of the country,’ is a very important city in terms of literature, magazines and culture and we can feel that same energy in Tokyo. There is the enthusiasm for ephemera, actual tangible work.”
“Japanese magazines have a sensibility, a focus on the visual design. It’s like why Japanese stationery is praised around the world – the quality of the paper and printing is exceptional. POPEYE is my personal favorite. The photography, art direction, and product features are all extraordinary. The Japanese edition is stocked in our shop every month and it always sells out, even though 95 percent of the people who come in and buy it from us cannot understand Japanese. I think very few magazines would you be able to appreciate as much without the ability to read the words as POPEYE.”
A world hungry for Japan’s unique culture.
Visitors to the event arrived one after another, flipping through the pages with curiosity. One browser, Robert, who was absorbed in POPEYE and Casa BRUTUS, commented, “I’m very interested in Japanese architecture and art. I even have Japanese woodblock prints at home— called ukiyo-e.”
Giulia, who was visiting New York from Italy, said with a smile as she picked up several magazines including the Tokyo issue of BRUTUS and &Premium, “I was lucky to stumble upon this fair. Every magazine is truly beautiful. I now want to travel around Japan and visit the places that were suggested in these articles.”
Another visitor commented, “I often buy Japanese stationery, but this is my first time with magazines. Both show that Japanese craftsmanship is incredibly meticulous. I love that it also includes deep cultural perspectives and Tokyo information that you won’t find in traditional travel guides.”
Many people excitedly opened the bonus trading cards that came with Casa BRUTUS’s special issue “Takashi Murakami and the World of Trading Cards,” and responded enthusiastically to the pens and notebooks that were given out as survey gifts – demonstrating Japan’s strong reputation for quality products.
A bookstore where real discoveries happen – beyond the internet.
It may have been inevitable that this fair was held at such a notable retail location. McNally Jackson has established itself as a cultural hub rooted in New York, with a strong focus on foreign literature and global culture. While many bookstores face challenges, McNally Jackson has grown to five locations in one of the world’s most multilingual, multicultural cities since its founding in 2004. “There are hardly any other bookstores that dedicate separate sections to the literature of many countries – Russia and Africa to Japan and Taiwan,” says Jack Kyono. “Reinvigorating international literature is also one of Sarah’s goals.” The store carries everything from highly talked-about works such as Asako Yuzuki’s Butter to classics by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, contemporary writers like Mieko Kawakami, and even works by online creator Uketsu – an impressive lineup.
Since opening, Sarah McNally has been our buyer for all new and forthcoming titles, supported by a team of booksellers with diverse backgrounds and a keen sense of aesthetics. In addition to extensive and diverse foreign literature offerings, McNally Jackson features carefully curated selections of rare small-press chapbooks, art books from overseas, reissues, long-forgotten popular favorites and alt-classics that had fallen out of circulation – books you may only find here. The store also hosts new book launch events and book clubs. Last year, the store welcomed Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, who recently won the Nobel Prize in Literature, for a signing event. Going far beyond a traditional bookstore, it has become a cultural hub where communities gather and cultures intersect. “The best curatorial vision and the best environment. Even in an age when books can be bought online, we want people to come for the experience of discovering books and connecting with others.”
“The number of magazines has been declining in recent years, but they remain an important part of reading culture,” concludes Jack Kyono. “Classic magazines like The New Yorker, as well as free periodicals like The Brooklyn Rail and many self-published magazines, offer excellent content on a wide array of topics. There is an energy and a fervor for magazines in New York City that will never go away.”
Source: Press Release
