本屋

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 本屋で本を買った。▶ —
   I bought a book at the bookstore.
2. 駅前の本屋が閉店した。▶ —
   The bookstore in front of the station closed.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Honya (本屋) is "bookstore" — a precise Japanese cluster (B + cluster). Kanji "hon (book) + ya (shop)" = book shop; synonym shoten formal. Cluster: (1) oogata shoten top three: Kinokuniya (1927), Maruzen (1869), Sanseidou (1881); (2) Jinbouchou furuhonya gai (Chiyoda Tokyo, 180 shops over a century, Kanda Kosho Matsuri Oct 27-Nov 3, global rare-book pilgrimage); (3) furuhonya / kosho-ten (BOOKOFF chain plus Jimbocho); (4) chain stores (Junkudou, TSUTAYA, Village Vanguard) integrating cafe and music; (5) honya taishou (Bookstore Grand Prize, since 2004, voted by nationwide bookstore staff each April, uniquely Japanese). Korean seojeom is generic; Japans Jimbocho precision has no Korean parallel; Chinese shu-dian generic. JLPT N5 plus a Japanese publishing-and-bookstore precision cultural cluster.

Quick check

1. Core of Jimbocho used-book district?

   • Chiyoda Tokyo, around 180 shops over a century, annual Kanda Kosho Matsuri Oct 27-Nov 3, global rare-book pilgrimage
   • New Shinjuku
   • Osaka wholesale
   • Kyoto museum