Kinokuniya Bookstore Co., Ltd.

Japanese: 紀伊国屋書店[株] - きのくにやしょてん

A major publishing retailer. Founded in 1927 by Tanabe Shigekazu (1905-81) as a private company in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Reorganized as a joint-stock company in 1946. During this time, Kinokuniya Bookstore Publishing Co., Ltd. was established in 1933. In 1948, the company began importing foreign books. Advocating the "bookstore space industry theory," the company built its flagship store building with nine floors above ground and two below in 1964, leading the way in making bookstores larger. In 1969, the company opened a bookstore in Umeda, Osaka that was the largest on a single floor in Japan (2330m2). It also had a theater inside its flagship store, and contributed to cultural movements such as the Kinokuniya Drama Award.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

出版物小売商の最大手。1927年田辺茂一(1905‐81)が，東京･新宿で個人企業として創業。46年株式会社に改組。この間1933年株式会社紀伊国屋書店出版部を創設。48年洋書輸入を開始。〈書店スペース産業論〉を唱えて，64年地上9階，地下2階の本店ビルを建築，書店大型化を先導。69年には大阪･梅田にワンフロアでは日本最大(700坪)の書店を開設した。本店内に劇場を併設，紀伊国屋演劇賞など文化運動でも貢献。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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