Tsutaya Opens First Directly Managed Store in Songshan, Kazuma Otsuka: 'Not for Business, but to be a Bridge Between Taiwan and Japan' [Interview]
Japan's Tsutaya Bookstore is opening its first-ever directly managed overseas store in Taipei's Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. Kazuma Otsuka, Chairman of Tsutaya Taiwan, stated, 'The goal isn't to do business here, but to become a cultural bridge between Taiwan and Japan.' He also expressed a desire for cooperation with Eslite rather than direct confrontation. Tsutaya plans to open three more franchise stores in Taiwan this year, including its first in the eastern region.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 14, 2026 at 20:49
- 🔍 Collected: May 14, 2026 at 21:02 (12 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 14, 2026 at 21:14 (12 min after Collected)
(Central News Agency, Reporter Chiang Ming-yen, Taipei, 14th) Japan's Tsutaya Bookstore is set to open its only directly managed overseas store in Taipei's Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. Kazuma Otsuka, Chairman of Tsutaya Taiwan, stated, 'The goal isn't to do business here, but to become a cultural bridge between Taiwan and Japan.' He also expressed that he is not seeking a head-on confrontation with Eslite, but rather hopes for opportunities for cooperation. This year, Tsutaya will open three more franchise stores in Taiwan and will establish its first presence in eastern Taiwan.
Culture Convenience Club (CCC) and Tsutaya Taiwan announced today that TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Songyan will open on the 16th. The press conference was attended by many dignitaries, including Kazuyuki Katayama, Representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association's Taipei Office, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Tsai Shih-ping, Commissioner of Taipei's Department of Cultural Affairs, demonstrating the importance placed on Taiwan-Japan exchange.
The Songshan Cultural and Creative Park is a representative cultural and creative hub in Taiwan, attracting over 11 million visitors annually. Tsutaya's choice to open its first overseas directly managed store here, despite its modest size of about 100 pings and a book volume only 1/10th of a typical store, signals a distinctly different positioning. The space also houses the operational headquarters of Tsutaya Taiwan and incorporates a SHARE LOUNGE for co-working and exhibition space.
In an exclusive interview with the Central News Agency, Kazuma Otsuka, Chairman of Tsutaya Taiwan, stated frankly, 'The Songshan Cultural and Creative Park not only preserves historic buildings but also injects a lot of new energy. When I received the invitation to open a store, I wasn't thinking about doing business here, but about becoming a cultural bridge between Taiwan and Japan.'
Speaking of his understanding of Taiwanese culture, Otsuka, who has lived in Taiwan for over 10 years, smiled and said that for a Japanese person to truly become Taiwanese, three things must be accomplished: 'Climb Yushan, swim across Sun Moon Lake, and circle the island.' He has done all three, which has given him a deeper understanding of Taiwan.
He explained the decision to operate directly instead of through a licensing model: 'If we do it ourselves, we can more freely promote Taiwan-Japan cultural exchange and become an important base for creator collaborations and exchange events.'
However, Otsuka emphasized that whether directly managed or franchised, Tsutaya's core has always been 'lifestyle proposals.' Besides bringing good Japanese content to Taiwan, he also hopes to export Taiwanese creativity, outstanding creators, and brands overseas. 'With 700 stores in Japan, the Songyan store is like an experimental base. If it receives a good response, it can be replicated in other franchise stores and brought back to Japan.'
He cited past examples, such as bringing Taiwanese brands like Kavalan Whisky to Tsutaya's locations in Japan. This time, they are also collaborating with Taiwanese artist-designer Chien Chun-yuan, with opportunities for her work to be exhibited in Tsutaya stores in places like Kyoto.
Tsutaya vs. Eslite? Otsuka: Not for Competition, Hopes for Cooperation
With Tsutaya setting up shop in the Songshan park, right in front of Eslite Songyan, the move has been perceived by outsiders as a direct challenge.
In response, Otsuka laughed and said, 'The number of bookshelves and general goods you see here is actually not large. The main purpose is not to compete or do big business, but to promote Japan-Taiwan exchange.'
He also expressed high regard for Eslite. 'As Taiwan's largest bookstore, Eslite has long promoted reading and culture, and I have great respect for them. In the future, I even hope we can work together to expand the energy of the reading industry.' He also hopes for joint events, information sharing, and even brainstorming together on how to offer better lifestyle proposals to consumers.
Comparing the two from an industry perspective, Tsutaya and Eslite do share similarities, both originating from a culture of reading. But Otsuka believes the biggest difference lies in their business models. 'Eslite is directly operated, while Tsutaya is mainly a franchise model. This overseas direct management is our first attempt.'
He stressed that he is not deliberately trying to differentiate from Eslite. 'We don't think about needing to be vastly different, nor will we intentionally avoid selling things that Eslite has. Our starting point is always how to make our customers' lives better.'
Regarding market competition, he appeared calm. 'It has the TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE sign, but when you walk in, you'll find that 70% of the space is for relaxation and experience. This means we are not just selling products, but the value of space and experience.'
Tsutaya Taiwan: 13 Stores in 9 Years, Ultimate Goal Revised to 40
Tsutaya entered Taiwan in 2017, using a franchise model in cooperation with developers and other businesses. Including the upcoming directly managed Songyan store, the total number of locations in Taiwan will reach 13, all of which are profitable. Otsuka revealed that the group initially set a target of 50 stores in Taiwan, which has now been revised to 30 to 40.
'Scale is not the most important thing. Eslite currently has about 50 stores, and Tsutaya doesn't necessarily need to chase that number. We want to do a good job with the content of each store first.' After October this year, Tsutaya will add three more locations in Banqiao, Taichung, and Yilan, with the Yilan store marking its first entry into the eastern Taiwan market.
He stated that the Yilan store is a collaboration with developer De-jhu, while the Taichung store, located near the Port of Taichung in Wuqi, will be a collaboration with the team of Japanese architect Norihiko Dan to open a standalone store on the first three floors of a local community building. In addition to retail, Tsutaya has also been actively involved in planning office spaces and residential public facilities in recent years, with over a hundred collaboration projects, gradually penetrating non-retail areas.
On the question of 'is culture good business,' Otsuka admitted it's a difficult question, a push and pull between rationality and romance. 'If you're just selling books, the profit is actually very limited. But if you can collaborate with creators, combining knowledge, content, and lifestyle proposals, the value created is very different.' (Editor: Pan Yi-ching) 1150514
Culture Convenience Club (CCC) and Tsutaya Taiwan announced today that TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Songyan will open on the 16th. The press conference was attended by many dignitaries, including Kazuyuki Katayama, Representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association's Taipei Office, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Tsai Shih-ping, Commissioner of Taipei's Department of Cultural Affairs, demonstrating the importance placed on Taiwan-Japan exchange.
The Songshan Cultural and Creative Park is a representative cultural and creative hub in Taiwan, attracting over 11 million visitors annually. Tsutaya's choice to open its first overseas directly managed store here, despite its modest size of about 100 pings and a book volume only 1/10th of a typical store, signals a distinctly different positioning. The space also houses the operational headquarters of Tsutaya Taiwan and incorporates a SHARE LOUNGE for co-working and exhibition space.
In an exclusive interview with the Central News Agency, Kazuma Otsuka, Chairman of Tsutaya Taiwan, stated frankly, 'The Songshan Cultural and Creative Park not only preserves historic buildings but also injects a lot of new energy. When I received the invitation to open a store, I wasn't thinking about doing business here, but about becoming a cultural bridge between Taiwan and Japan.'
Speaking of his understanding of Taiwanese culture, Otsuka, who has lived in Taiwan for over 10 years, smiled and said that for a Japanese person to truly become Taiwanese, three things must be accomplished: 'Climb Yushan, swim across Sun Moon Lake, and circle the island.' He has done all three, which has given him a deeper understanding of Taiwan.
He explained the decision to operate directly instead of through a licensing model: 'If we do it ourselves, we can more freely promote Taiwan-Japan cultural exchange and become an important base for creator collaborations and exchange events.'
However, Otsuka emphasized that whether directly managed or franchised, Tsutaya's core has always been 'lifestyle proposals.' Besides bringing good Japanese content to Taiwan, he also hopes to export Taiwanese creativity, outstanding creators, and brands overseas. 'With 700 stores in Japan, the Songyan store is like an experimental base. If it receives a good response, it can be replicated in other franchise stores and brought back to Japan.'
He cited past examples, such as bringing Taiwanese brands like Kavalan Whisky to Tsutaya's locations in Japan. This time, they are also collaborating with Taiwanese artist-designer Chien Chun-yuan, with opportunities for her work to be exhibited in Tsutaya stores in places like Kyoto.
Tsutaya vs. Eslite? Otsuka: Not for Competition, Hopes for Cooperation
With Tsutaya setting up shop in the Songshan park, right in front of Eslite Songyan, the move has been perceived by outsiders as a direct challenge.
In response, Otsuka laughed and said, 'The number of bookshelves and general goods you see here is actually not large. The main purpose is not to compete or do big business, but to promote Japan-Taiwan exchange.'
He also expressed high regard for Eslite. 'As Taiwan's largest bookstore, Eslite has long promoted reading and culture, and I have great respect for them. In the future, I even hope we can work together to expand the energy of the reading industry.' He also hopes for joint events, information sharing, and even brainstorming together on how to offer better lifestyle proposals to consumers.
Comparing the two from an industry perspective, Tsutaya and Eslite do share similarities, both originating from a culture of reading. But Otsuka believes the biggest difference lies in their business models. 'Eslite is directly operated, while Tsutaya is mainly a franchise model. This overseas direct management is our first attempt.'
He stressed that he is not deliberately trying to differentiate from Eslite. 'We don't think about needing to be vastly different, nor will we intentionally avoid selling things that Eslite has. Our starting point is always how to make our customers' lives better.'
Regarding market competition, he appeared calm. 'It has the TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE sign, but when you walk in, you'll find that 70% of the space is for relaxation and experience. This means we are not just selling products, but the value of space and experience.'
Tsutaya Taiwan: 13 Stores in 9 Years, Ultimate Goal Revised to 40
Tsutaya entered Taiwan in 2017, using a franchise model in cooperation with developers and other businesses. Including the upcoming directly managed Songyan store, the total number of locations in Taiwan will reach 13, all of which are profitable. Otsuka revealed that the group initially set a target of 50 stores in Taiwan, which has now been revised to 30 to 40.
'Scale is not the most important thing. Eslite currently has about 50 stores, and Tsutaya doesn't necessarily need to chase that number. We want to do a good job with the content of each store first.' After October this year, Tsutaya will add three more locations in Banqiao, Taichung, and Yilan, with the Yilan store marking its first entry into the eastern Taiwan market.
He stated that the Yilan store is a collaboration with developer De-jhu, while the Taichung store, located near the Port of Taichung in Wuqi, will be a collaboration with the team of Japanese architect Norihiko Dan to open a standalone store on the first three floors of a local community building. In addition to retail, Tsutaya has also been actively involved in planning office spaces and residential public facilities in recent years, with over a hundred collaboration projects, gradually penetrating non-retail areas.
On the question of 'is culture good business,' Otsuka admitted it's a difficult question, a push and pull between rationality and romance. 'If you're just selling books, the profit is actually very limited. But if you can collaborate with creators, combining knowledge, content, and lifestyle proposals, the value created is very different.' (Editor: Pan Yi-ching) 1150514