*This post is best read from a webpage, one that’s opened separately in another window if you want to zoom into the pictures.*

My birthday was about less than 2 weeks ago and yes, we headed to a bookstore to ‘celebrate’, as is the tradition LOL Coincidentally, one just opened a day before my birthday. AND it’s not just any bookstore, it’s the largest bookstore chain in Japan!

I really wasn’t expecting to go there because Pavilion Bukit Jalil is just waaaaaay too far from where we live. So when the hubs drove us there, I was pleasantly surprised, but also anxious because I knew there was going to be a long wait (see picture below) and coincidentally, I didn’t have a good night sleep, and a long wait with two restless kids isn’t going to help. We were told by the person in charge there was about a thirty to forty-minute wait.

We were glad we decided to wait because it wasn’t that long. After all, we have travelled this far just to come here. So, here’s my take on Tsutaya Books.

In a nutshell:

This largest bookstore chain in Japan had opened its first in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Its floor space of 31,000 sq ft comprises over 240,000 books. These categories ranges from art, travel, comic, literature, to children’s books.

According to Hideyuki Uemoto, CEO of Tsutaya Books Malaysia who spoke to Tatler Malaysia, “We hope to create a space that will evoke curiosity and encourage exploration for Malaysian families and children who love books, design, and art.”

My thoughts:

The store is aesthetically pleasing. Everything is beautiful, from placement of books to its decorative items on the shelves, even the flowers, greenery and dim lighting add to its ‘come-on-in-and-chill’ vibes. I thought the reflective mirrors is a nice touch to make it look as though the store has books from floor to ceiling.

As visitors come in, they would be greeted by Japanese handmade items like totes that cost a bomb (I recall seeing one that cost about RM800++!!), pouches, mugs, some Japanese fans and such (spotted Doraemon too!). There are even a few pieces of designer apparel displayed (But none were specifically for book lovers. Maybe a good idea to add them in the future?)

Its stationery section was impressive, boasting a variety of products from writing tools to bookmarks and stickers, even socks. As beautiful as the bookmarks were, they cost an arm and leg LOL From the ones I checked out, they ranged from RM28 – RM108 (there’s a possibility some costing more). Maybe it would be a great idea to add some bookish face masks, as these would appeal to book lovers.

There were ample sitting areas around the store too, making it a reader and family-friendly store. As pictured above, there were also tables and chairs facing a waterfall cascading from a flight of stairs outside. Strategically located was its cafe (pictured below), just a few steps away. A regular latte cost RM15, a classic dorayaki RM10, a cheesecake RM12.

Books were arranged beautifully, even color-themed on some shelves (as pictured above). Some visitors have mentioned that they weren’t arranged according to author’s names and genres, some finding an author’s same book placed in one section (a copy or two), then finding the same one in a different section.

Some areas though, needed some ‘life’; the Japanese literature display for instance.

These dedicated displays like Japanese literature, New Arrivals etc, in my opinion, is pale in comparison to Kino, a bookstore they could learn a thing or two from. Check out one of Kino’s display below. Look at how beautifully Kino’s books were arranged on the shelf. It got me all excited about reading every book displayed, while my reaction to Tsutaya’s was “That’s it?”

The children’s section was said to be the largest in the store. Although it did feel so, the books weren’t impressive. There were ample sitting areas though, circular nooks built into the shelves, some low enough for a child to sit inside and read (the design space was said to be tree-inspired I think?) and there’s also a long cushioned bench alongside the entrance.

As far as lighting goes, it does serves its purpose of creating a relaxing ambience, and it’s great for taking pictures too, although I personally prefer bright lighting for a bookshop.

For a book lover, were I to compare Tsutaya Store to Kinokuniya, another Japanese bookstore in Malaysia, the latter wins hands down. Entering Kinokuniya is like entering book paradise. Its bright lighting and massive selection of books (if I can’t find a particular book in my usual go-to bookstores, I can most likely find it in Kino) and in every nook and cranny of the store just screams, ‘Welcome, reader! Books galore here!’ And they too, have a book cafe. Oh, have I mentioned they sell they sell their books and items online too?

So question is, will I return to Tsutaya Books? Doubt so, unless I happened to be, or living nearby. There are other bookstores near where we live, like Lit Books and Pages Book Cafe, that I have yet to check out. Hopefully, one day when things are more settled. My book shopping these days are mostly done online.

Here are my go-to online bookstores: BooksnBobs, Bookurve, BookXcess, MPH Online, Popular Online, Shopee BBW, and Shopee Gerakbudaya

To end this post, here’s my haul from Tsutaya Books:

The Mad Women’s Ball cost RM56.95 (same price in Kino online store, BookDepository RM45.71), The Penguin Book of Hell, RM 79.95 (same price in Kino online store, BookDepository RM58.16), Beyond Belief RM86.95 (this was quite a ‘find’ in a way that my daughter loved it, and I couldn’t find it elsewhere, not even in Kino).

Have you visited this bookstore? Did you enjoy your visit? If you haven’t, do you intend to? If you’re not from here, does your place also have a books/lifestyle store similar to this? Please share with me your thoughts!