“Sanctuary of the weather” What is the overly dense world ... September 24, 20:26
A bookstore that keeps its business quietly in the middle of Tokyo.
The only weather bookstore in Japan has everything from introductory books to academic books that are unreadable to amateurs.
The bookstore, which is not widely known but has been loved by many people, will close its history next month.
Except for the store, there was a world of profound and dense weather.
(Social Department reporter Hirokazu Uchiyama)
Out of print production stopped One book that can only be bought here
Enter from the front entrance of the Japan Meteorological Agency and walk down the dim corridor for 50 meters, and you will see the bookstore.
The name is Tsumura Bookstore.
Once inside, I was overwhelmed by the books piled up to the ceiling.
If you walk in a small store of about 30 square meters, the smell of books will cling to you.
From new books on weather, academic books on earthquakes and volcanoes, to novels on weather, the atmosphere is like a specialized bookstore.
I picked up one large book that was stacked flat.
"Easy Breakthrough Weather Forecaster Easy Pass Text" (3520 yen)
Eh, is there 450 pages?
"It says'easy', but it's not easy at all,"
said the owner, Yukio Tsumura.
My wife, Kyoko, and I are running the store together.
The number of books lined up is in the thousands.
When I looked inside the store, I found a series of books for weather professionals that are not found in ordinary bookstores.
Although the meteorological book series "Promenade" (3000 yen to 4500 yen per book) is already out of print, it seems that there are still young people who come to buy it.
Let's open the "Physical Chemistry of the Atmosphere" section selected by Yukio.
"Tropospheric photochemistry" "Precursor reaction of aerosol particle formation".
Just the table of contents makes me crazy.
Then the text.
"To make ozone in the atmosphere, it is only necessary to generate oxygen atoms by some reaction. In the stratosphere, solar ultraviolet light (wavelength 242 nm or less) dissociates oxygen molecules and creates oxygen atoms ..."
What do you say to me as a liberal arts reporter? I can hardly understand if it is.
It is natural that the staff of the Japan Meteorological Agency and students studying the weather will buy it.
There were also products unique to bookstores in the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The "Forecast Training Textbook" (about 1000 yen to 3000 yen) is a so-called internal material used in the training of the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Since this is the only bookstore in Japan that sells all the time, not only the people concerned but also many weather forecasters and their eggs come to buy.
When I asked Kyoko about the best-selling products in this store, she introduced me with a smile on the "Weather Map for Radio" (50 sheets spelled 660 yen).
It is familiar to weather fans who can make weather maps all over Japan by writing down the wind direction, wind force, weather, atmospheric pressure, and temperature of each place based on the weather report broadcast every evening on NHK Radio 2. Product.
It seems that the product itself will eventually disappear from the world because the publisher has stopped production.
Yukio
"Meteorological books often have a small circulation, and many books are out of print soon. Even if they are not top-selling products, as a specialized bookstore, I have tried to have all the weather-related books."
It will be closed at the end of next month
Tsumura Bookstore is called "Sacred place for weather" and "Sacred place for forecasters" because of its product lineup that even weather forecasters can use.
Due to the strict management, we decided to close the store by the end of next month (October).
Surprising posts were posted on SNS by people who knew the news, and active forecasters who were active on the front lines of the weather also said that they were reluctant to close the store.
Yuu Tashiro, a weather forecaster
"When I was aiming to become a forecaster, I came to the store and had my back pushed and passed the test. If it weren't here at the origin, I might not have been a forecaster myself. And I don't want it to disappear. "
Weather forecaster Ryosuke Masuda
"It was a happy time to find the book I saw for the first time in the store and talk about the contents of the book. I'm really sorry that the store was closed and I still think that it will not be possible. Forecast with the same feeling I think there are many other people. "
Aniki talks about the charm of Tsumura Bookstore
Nobuyuki Hirai, a weather forecaster who is familiar with NHK's weather commentary and is also known as Aniki, is one of the regular customers who are reluctant to close the store.
Mr. Hirai, who has been going to the store for 30 years, taught me the charm.
I was involved with bookstores when I was a university student.
It all started when I went to the Japan Meteorological Agency to get the sea surface temperature data needed to study the El Nino phenomenon.
Even at that time, there were one or two customers in the store.
He remembers well that the shop staff told me the recommended book and shelf locations one-on-one.
The "Climate of Japan" (out of print) purchased at the recommendation of a university professor is still important.
The training text series of the Japan Meteorological Agency, which I introduced earlier, was purchased without fail from the practical point of view.
This text, which is lined with difficult meteorological terms, also includes the latest forecasting technology and explanations of the latest meteorological disasters, and it is said that you can learn practical trends in meteorology.
Hirai Weather Forecaster
"In order to convey weather information in an easy-to-understand manner, it is essential to constantly purchase new information and deeply understand the" back "of weather data. Based on the latest knowledge obtained at bookstores, it is essential to have the weather in mind. assemble the "story" of, we are facing the commentary.
in Tsumura bookstore special place to weather the world has been condensed, where knowledge gained gave me formed the now of their own. in addition to a place like this is I'm very sad to close the store. "
65 years since its founding
The history of Tsumura Bookstore, which has been loved by many people involved in meteorology, overlaps with the history of meteorology.
The founder is Yoshiyuki Tsumura, the predecessor.
I worked as an observer at the Meteorological Observatory, but after the Pacific War, I was forced to work in the so-called "Red Purge".
I used to make a living from peddling, but it is said that the store started when I was invited by a friend from the Meteorological Agency era to sell books at the Central Meteorological Agency and now on the premises of the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Sixty-five years ago, 1955 was the year Toyota Motor launched the Crown, Iwanami Shoten published the first edition of Kojien, and Korakuen Yuenchi opened in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo.
Surprisingly, at the beginning, he didn't deal with most weather-related books.
Since the late 1970s, when observation and forecasting technologies have advanced due to the launch of meteorological satellites and many related books have been published, the number of specialized books has increased steadily.
It is said that the store became busy and Yukio began to participate in the store's sales at the request of his predecessor.
Yukio
"Since it was an era when there was no internet, orders came in one after another from meteorological stations all over the country because it was necessary for studying. There were so many requests from customers, and it sold well."
Sanctuary and salon
It is said that it has become a salon-like place for the staff of the Japan Meteorological Agency to collect information and deepen exchanges.
Even after retirement, they still visit the store to warm up their old relationships.
Mr. Takehiko Furukawa, an alumnus of the Japan Meteorological Agency
"I usually get to know people in unrelated departments and have a positive effect on my work. It was such a place. It is easy to come even if I retire, and I can warm my memory and exchange information. Nice place "
Mr. Kunio Takase, an alumnus of the Japan Meteorological Agency
"Because the work of meteorology is also an experience industry, it was also a place to pass on that experience to young people. It was also a place where mysterious encounters occur."
When the weather forecaster system started in 1994, it began to handle test reference books, and weather forecasters and their eggs began to come and go.
Through word-of-mouth communication, it has become known as "Japan's only weather bookstore" and "Sacred place for weather forecasters".
I continued because I wanted to meet customers
However, for the past 10 years or so, the number of customers has been declining due to Internet sales, and the business situation has been severe.
And when the Japan Meteorological Agency moved to Toranomon by the end of this year, we finally decided to close the store.
I asked, "Why didn't you quit even though management was difficult?"
Yukio immediately said thank you for the presence of many customers who have supported us so far.
Yukio
"I continued with the feeling that I wanted to meet customers. I met various people here and learned various things and trained me. This store was not made by me, but by everyone. I think you made it. I'm really sorry that I can't meet you, but I'd like to do it again if I have a chance. "
One month left until the store closes, why don't you come visit us?
One month left until the closing of the "sacred place", which has been loved by many weather people.
It is said that business trip sales and online sales will continue even after the store is closed.
However, I can only enjoy the pleasure of picking up a book, turning pages, and gaining new knowledge through conversations with Yukio and his friends.
When you step into this place, you will surely be able to experience a part of the dense weather world.
Tsumura Bookstore
Location: 1-3-4 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (1st floor of the Japan Meteorological Agency) Admission after completing the procedures at the entrance of the Japan Meteorological Agency
Business hours: Weekdays 10 am-5pm (Saturday: 10
pm-3pm)
) Due to
the relocation of the Japan Meteorological Agency, business will be open until October 31st.