[Tokyo, Kiyosumi-Shirakawa] "Try running a bookstore!" Nihon Shigoto Hyakka to hold a 4-session seminar on how to deliver books, including participating in a book market. Application deadline: May 20 (Wed).

Shigotohito Inc. (Representative Director: Kenta Nakamura/Kenta Nakamura), which operates the job search site "Nihon Shigoto Hyakka," will host a continuous seminar titled "Try running a bookstore and thinking about delivery methods," focusing on the theme of "how to deliver books." The seminar, aiming for participants to exhibit at a book market while engaging in dialogue with guest lecturers, will be held from Friday, May 29, 2026, in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, Tokyo, and online.

Bookstore Seminar Details & Application

■ Shigoto Seminar

"Shigoto Seminar" is a seminar-style school where professionals from various fields act as instructors, sharing their knowledge, experience, and achievements to facilitate practical learning.
In the past, we have operated seminars such as "Seminar on living by writing," "Seminar on eating," and "How to create a place where people gather: Building a good team," inviting various guests.

■ Guest Lecturers who "Independently" Run Bookstores

Junichiro Shimada (Natsuhasha), a pioneer of solo publishing, who handles almost everything from planning, editing, sales, to shipping by himself. Teruyuki Kotani (Yohosha BOOKS&PUBLISHING), an independent bookstore and publisher in Ota Ward, Tokyo, who, leveraging his long-standing expertise in selling books, continuously devises ways to deliver books without being constrained by conventional frameworks.

With these two guest lecturers, we will explore connections with people through books and the joy of handing over books at Little Tokyo in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, an area deeply rooted in coffee and craft food culture.

Junichiro Shimada / Natsuhasha

Established in 2009, Natsuhasha is a pioneering solo publisher that handles almost everything from planning, editing, sales, to shipping by himself.

He primarily publishes reprints of out-of-print masterpieces and literary works. He aims to create books for a specific individual reader.

He prints an initial edition of 2,500 copies, which are then sold at 150 affiliated stores nationwide. Without flashy promotions, many of his books steadily go through multiple editions, based on trust with readers beyond the local bookstores.

His sincere approach to bookmaking became the subject of a documentary film titled "About Jun," gaining considerable attention.

Teruyuki Kotani / Yohosha BOOKS&PUBLISHING

Yohosha is an independent bookstore and publisher opened in Ota Ward, Tokyo, in 2022.

Mr. Kotani, who has about 25 years of editing experience in weekly magazines, camera magazines, and online content, handles new and used books under the theme of "a book that provides an opportunity to think."

He actively organizes talk events inviting authors, and gatherings where people bring snacks and books to discuss them.

Leveraging his long-standing expertise in selling books, he actively works on devising ways to deliver books without being constrained by conventional frameworks.

■ Lectures, Workshops, and Practice

Lectures

In the first and second sessions, guest lecturers will hold talk sessions.
Participants will learn about the business of "delivering books" by listening to their experiences, such as the background behind starting a bookstore, and their approaches to shelf building and book selection.

Additionally, on the 3rd floor of Little Tokyo, Nihon Shigoto Hyakka will display a bookshelf featuring "a book that marked a turning point in life or work," selected by individuals associated with companies they have interviewed. Participants will deepen their perspective on bookstore creation by engaging with actual book selection and display methods.

Workshops

Participants will be divided into teams of 3-4 people and engage in group work.

They will plan the concept for their respective bookstores, considering questions such as "Who do we want to deliver books to?", "What theme should the shelves have?", and "How do we create POPs and introductory texts?" Ideas will be concretized with feedback from guest lecturers.

Practice

In the final session, each team will exhibit at a book market. The venue will be Little Tokyo in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, Tokyo, the same location as the seminar. During the course, participants will experience delivering books displayed on the 3rd-floor bookshelf of Little Tokyo to actual visitors. Additionally, those who wish can bring and sell/introduce books they have personally selected.

Beyond merely "selecting" and "arranging" books, they will try handing them directly to someone. Through this practice, they will create encounters between books and people.

■ The Meaning of Holding a "Book Delivery" Seminar Now

The environment surrounding books is often harsh, with news of publishing slumps and declining numbers of bookstores. Nevertheless, people who need books still exist.

They want to be encouraged by someone's words. They want to spend quiet time. They want to encounter unknown worlds. They want to learn, to cry, to think.
Books have gently accompanied each person through such moments.

That is why, now, there might be a need for a place to consider "how to deliver books," rather than just "selling books."

This seminar is not just about learning bookstore knowledge and know-how. Participants will open a bookstore together for two days only.

They will try handing books they selected themselves to someone.