Books&Cafe Wonderland" in Muko City, Kyoto Prefecture. I have passed the road near here about 1,000 times by car, but this is my first time coming to Mukomachi Station😅 Parked at a coin parking lot about a 1-minute walk away. A great location right next to Mukomachi Station. This is a long-established store that has been in business for 29 years this year, and when you enter the store, the front right is a bookstore, the front and back are cafes, and the front left wall is an exhibition space, and on that day, an original picture exhibition of "Chili and Chiriri 2024 Calendar" by Kaya Doi was being held. Bookshelves are installed with a large pillar on the front right as an accent, and new books, topical books, seasonal products, and books to be promoted are developed with contrast, and the years that have passed are conveyed from between the shelves. Had a quick chat with the shop owner, Mr. Hasegawa. I was very impressed after hearing briefly about the origin of the shop and its history so far. You also do outside sales, huh. On the way, other customers came, and Mr. Hasegawa, who introduced picture books very specifically, was impressive. Thank you very much🙂

Many picture books that make you want to pick them up are gathered here, and original picture exhibitions are often held. There is also a cafe, and you can relax comfortably. It takes less than 1 minute to walk from the station. It is a favorite shop that I want to visit again.

+3

I searched on the internet and used it for a meeting just because it was close to Mukomachi Station. All I got was coffee. It was very delicious. More than that... after entering the store, I learned that it is a store with the theme of meeting picture books. I learned that a lot of recommended books are displayed in the store. What a wonderful concept. I wandered around the store until I forgot that my precious coffee was getting cold... I was happy to find a picture book I had seen in my childhood. Even after the person I was meeting arrived, we wandered around together... I was allowed to stay for a long time with just one cup of coffee. I was surprised that the picture books on display could be bought along the way. If someday there is someone I want to give a picture book to, I will definitely use it again!

I visited for an event. I don't know the usual business form of the store, so let me evaluate the points I cared about when participating in the event. At the reception, the first sentence asked was "Don't you have a mask?". Since nothing was written in the precautions for event participation, when I said I didn't have one, a box of masks was handed to me without a word. (That means put it on, right?) If that was a condition for participation, I silently followed the store's policy, but when I watched, at the reception after that, nothing was asked of people without masks, and they were let through without masks, so I felt very uncomfortable. I was judged as if only I had germs. Also, regarding the event, which is the most important thing, despite collecting a participation fee, it was full of a feeling of no plan, and that was also unsatisfactory. I understand that it is an event to listen to stories from the author, but basically the content of the story is small talk or forced requests. Among them, personal topics of the store staff (store manager?) and topics of other authors from events held on other days, personally I was not interested at all and it was boring. In fact, the children who were participating were very bored and it was pitiful, but even as an adult, I was bored with the drawn-out atmosphere. If it was a free event, I would understand the content, but since they collect a participation fee (no drinks or anything), I want them to make an effort so that participants can also enjoy it to some extent. (At least the content of the talk should not be haphazard, I want them to prepare topics to some extent with a good tempo) The author himself was a very very wonderful person, so that was the only savior. (The reason I didn't give ⭐︎1 is because the author was a wonderful person)

I went with a stroller without knowing there was a step in the store, but they gladly accepted it and helped carry the stroller. Even though I only ordered toast, they made it without showing any displeasure. I was impressed, so I thought about buying a picture book to take home, and when I looked at the picture books, they were all wonderful and fun to choose from. They also introduced recommended picture books. I was able to buy a picture book that parents and children can enjoy.