The museum is now in its second year since opening.
How to enjoy the "Magical Literature Museum"

As a comprehensive space production company, NOMURA GROUP not only designs and constructs spaces, but also manages facilities after they open. The Facilities Business Management Department of the Business Production Headquarters is responsible for the comprehensive and inclusive operation and management of entire facilities, including research and curatorial departments, with a focus on cultural facilities such as museums, science museums, and art galleries.

The Magical Literature Museum (Edogawa Ward Eiko Kadono Children's Literature Museum) is a public facility in Edogawa Ward planned to pass on to future generations the imaginative and dreamy worldview and achievements of Eiko Kadono, recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, often referred to as the Little Nobel Prize of children's literature. Opened in the fall of 2023, it aims to spread the wonder of children's literature to the world and foster the rich creativity that will inspire dreams by allowing children to freely choose, pick up, and enjoy books.
Our company is in charge of operation as a designated manager *. We are working to create an attractive facility in collaboration with the Eiko Kadono Children's Literature Foundation, a general incorporated foundation that handles curatorial and librarian duties.
*Designated manager: Magical Literature Museum Consortium N&K(Representative company: NOMURA Co., Ltd. Co., Ltd., Constituent company: Kinokuniya Bookstore Co., Ltd.)

When the Magical Museum of Literature first opened, it became a hot topic due to its strawberry-colored space, which was inspired by the town of Koriko from Eiko Kadono's masterpiece, Kiki's Delivery Service. How do customers discover books and enjoy reading in this space? We spoke to staff who welcome customers daily at the museum's reception, theater, and cafe. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the publication of Kiki's Delivery Service, and various events are being held within the museum. We asked them to share some recommended ways to spend your time as autumn, the season for reading, approaches.

Magical Literature Museum (Edogawa Ward Kadono Eiko Children's Literature Museum) * NOMURA Co., Ltd. was responsible for the planning, design, and construction of the exhibition (Photo courtesyofMagical Literature Museum)

Discover your favorite book and spend special time in your favorite place

The first person I spoke to was the flight attendant, Ms. Koizumi.

Magical Literature Museum Attendant
Misaki Koizumi
In addition to providing guidance at the reception, shop and on the floor, I am also in charge of events to help customers become familiar with the world of children's literature.

--The Magical Literature Museum is visited by a variety of visitors, including parents and children and adult groups. How do they spend their time in the museum?

Koizumi-san
The majority of visitors are parents and children, but we also see people sitting side by side reading a picture book and talking, or small children engrossed in reading a difficult book by themselves. There are truly many different ways to enjoy the museum.

--It seems like you've found your favorite book and are spending your time however you like.

Koizumi-san
Yes, each customer seems to have their own favorite spot, but the small, hideaway-like space on the first floor is particularly popular. There are plenty of other places to read books in the library, and there are plenty of books, so some customers spend time there from morning until closing time.

A small hideaway-like room that is popular with children

--As an attendant, you probably talk to customers on the floor a lot. Is there anything that stands out in your memory?

Koizumi-san
In fact, there is a product that was born from customer feedback. The Literature Museum has original bookends on its bookshelves, and we received many questions and requests such as "Where can I buy them?" and "I want them to be commercialized." The staff in charge of the shop mentioned this in a meeting, and it was decided that they would be commercialized.

The strawberry-colored bookshelf was designed with the image of the town of Koriko from "Kiki's Delivery Service." The triangular-roofed bookends were also original. (Photo courtesyofMagical Literature Museum)

--It's great that merchandise ideas come from conversations with customers.

Mr. Koizumi, you are also in charge of managing the event. What kind of experiences can people have at the event?

Koizumi-san
We have held book talks, storytelling sessions, and children's plays in the past, and when we use Eiko's books as the subject, many customers end up picking up the books themselves.

It was impressive to see people who came from far away participating enthusiastically, taking notes, and even coming back the next day to check the content. Some people have become repeat visitors after attending the event. It would be great if the event leads to encounters with new books and new reading experiences.

Book talk event with Eiko Kadono(Photo courtesy of the Magical Literature Museum)

--It seems like the number of repeat customers is increasing.

Koizumi-san
Yes, we are very happy when children who visit with their school groups later come back with their families and say, "We've come again." Some people even come carrying stuffed toys of "Acchi the Ghost" and "Ringo-chan," which are sold in the shop.

--So you have a lot of fans. Is there anything you'd like to do in the future to make your customers happy?

Koizumi-san
I would like to increase the number of events that allow visitors to make new discoveries every time they visit. Up until now, librarians and curators have created quizzes and bingo games to help visitors enjoy exploring the library, and many people enjoy these games not only with children but also with parents and children, and adult groups. I would like to continue these events in the future.

--Is there any recommended way to spend the autumn reading season?

Koizumi-san
When the weather cools down, we recommend reading a book on the terrace outside the building or on the hill. Many families enjoy going outside and reading under the blue sky. After spending the day at the building, take a look at the color of the sky in the background of "Koriko Town" on the first floor. The color changes in the evening, and it's very beautiful.

The strawberry-colored sky of "Koriko Town" turns purple in the evening.

"Black Cat Theater" - a place you'll want to visit again and again

Next, we spoke with Nakaoka and Ichino, who direct the interactive storytelling experience at the "Black Cat Theater." "Black Cat Theater" is a participatory theater with an interactive video program where you can enjoy conversations with "Acchi the Ghost" and "Ringo-chan," characters from Eiko Kadono's children's literature.
"After the show, we often hear people exclaim, 'That was fun!'" says attendant Koizumi, who also recommends the venue. What kind of experience can you have there?

Magical Literature Museum "Black Cat Theater" staff
Akiko Nakaoka (left)
Making use of her experience as an MC, she excels at livening up the performance with cheerful words tailored to the audience.

Yuna Ichino(right)
Using what she learned at voice acting school and her experience working in a library, she draws participants into the world of the story.

--I'd like to ask you about the interactive programs at Kuroneko Theater. It's interesting how the reactions vary depending on the show and the audience each time.

Nakaoka-san
That's right. We perform the play more than 20 times every day, and the audience's reaction is really different every time.

Children who come in school groups are a little hesitant at first, but then they quickly become more and more involved. It's also nice when elementary school boys who were shy when we spoke to them say things like "It was fun" and "I want to see it again" after the performance. The best part of this job is seeing the moment when children become immersed in the world of the story. Even adult groups get quite excited. They may be hesitant at first, but once we start talking to them, they return to their childhood and start enjoying themselves.

- Has anything stood out to you so far?

Ichino-san
At my previous library job, "Acchi the Ghost" was popular with children, but few knew about "Ringo-chan." However, at the Magical Literature Museum, many children encounter "Ringo-chan" in the theater and decide to read the book. I was touched to hear this from not only children, but adults as well.

-- Perhaps everyone can relate to Ringo-chan, who expresses her emotions directly, whether it's anger, crying, or happiness.

Nakaoka-san
The "Ringo-chan" books in the library have been read so much that they are falling apart, and some children even come back to play with their "Ringo-chan" stuffed toys. It feels like the world of the story is connected to reality. Eiko herself has said that she sees her own feelings in "Ringo-chan." The story is filled with the feelings of a child without a mother, and many people have said that they were "moved" by it.

Eiko Kadono's "Ringo-chan" series (4works in total)
Many people who encounter "Ringo-chan" at the theater become fans (Photo courtesy of Magical Literature Museum)

--I've heard that there are many repeat customers, but has that actually happened to you?

Ichino-san
Yes. Visitors often tell us that they read one of Eiko's books featured in the production, or that they tried something from the cafe menu. When that happens, we know that we're seeing more and more repeat visitors. We have a lot of visitors on weekends, so we only hand out tickets that allow them to see the theater once a day, but some people say they want to see more. It makes me happy that people don't just see the theater once and think that's enough, but rather that they come back to experience it multiple times.

Nakaoka-san
I feel that the theater is not just a place to watch, but also a place for communication. Not only can you talk to "Acchi the Ghost" and "Ringo-chan," but customers can also call out to each other, cooperate, and communicate in various ways. I think the charm of "Black Cat Theater" is that even if you've experienced the content once, the dialogue and mutual communication with the other participants makes it a different experience each time.

--Mr. Nakaoka, you live in the local area. How would you like local people to use the facility?

Nakaoka-san
I feel that the Magical Literature Museum has become an opportunity for people to become familiar with children's literature, and it has become a local specialty that people are proud of. Nagisa Park also has Ponyland, so many people enjoy both there and the museum.

The design and colors of the building are wonderful, so I'd like young people to see it too. The attention to detail and the beautiful scenery are also great points that I would like everyone to experience.

The cherry blossoms seen from the second floor windows are the best. The strawberry-colored interior of the building frames the view, making it a very beautiful spot for taking photos.

Ponyland is located next to the Magical Literature Museum. Children up to elementary school age can experience horseback riding for free. (Photo courtesy of Magical Literature Museum)

Cafe Kiki is popular for its original menu

Finally, we spoke to Shirahama-san, the assistant manager of Cafe Kiki, located on the third floor of the Magical Literature Museum.

Assistant Manager of Cafe Kiki, the Magical Literature Museum
Yuka Shirahama
We are constantly updating our menus and services to allow our customers to experience the world of stories.

--We'd like to ask you about how to enjoy Cafe Kiki. Now in its second year since opening, the menu has expanded, but what would you recommend?

Shirahama-san
We recommend the "JIJI Curry" and the "Strawberry Cream Soda."

JIJI Curry," which Shirahama helped develop(Photo courtesy of the Magical Literature Museum)"

--Please tell us how it came about.

Shirahama-san
JIJI curry was developed together with the store manager when we decided to create a collaborative menu for the "Black Cat JIJI" exhibition. At first, we struggled to come up with a menu that would fit the theme of "Black Cat JIJI." After much trial and error, we finally decided that curry was the best fit. We focused on making it look cute. It was a limited-time menu item, but it was popular with customers, and it later became a regular menu item.

--Strawberry-colored cream soda is also popular.

Shirahama-san
Yes, our summer drink menu, "Stardust Soda," was very popular, so we decided to create a new soda menu. We planned it with the retro cafe atmosphere that I love in mind. Our customers have praised it, saying that it matches the strawberry-colored worldview of the Magical Literature Museum. Many people take photos with it, and it is ordered regardless of the season.

Strawberry-colored cream soda (Photo courtesy of Magical Literature Museum)

-Is there anything you keep in mind to ensure that many people can enjoy your work?

Shirahama-san
We have a wide variety of customers at our cafe. On weekdays, many adults come to spend a leisurely time enjoying a meal or tea. On the other hand, on weekends and holidays, many parents and children or three generations come together and order a variety of dishes. Therefore, our first priority is to create a menu that can be enjoyed by everyone, from small children to adults. For example, even though we serve the same curry, our "Hide and Seek Curry" has a spicy flavor for adults, while our "JIJI Curry" is mild and easy for children to eat. Vanilla ice cream, which is intended for children, is also served as an affogato with espresso for adults.

--I heard there are also menus for people with egg allergies.

Shirahama-san
Yes, "Kiki Rice" is an omelet rice, but it uses soy milk-based ingredients instead of eggs. It is safe for people with egg allergies to eat, and some people say that it is lighter than eggs, so they can enjoy it even with dessert.

"Kiki Rice" was developed as an omelet rice that can be eaten by people with egg allergies (Photo courtesy of the Magical Literature Museum)

--Are there any other cafes you'd recommend?

Shirahama-san
Our popular curries are now available to purchase as souvenirs. We offer two types of curry: "Kiki's Curry," which is spicy and aimed at adults, and "Jiji's Curry," which is mild and recommended for children.

Also, since many customers take photos in the cafe, we have created a photo spot at the entrance. Our staff decorates the cafe by hand for each season so that you can enjoy a different atmosphere every time you visit.

In autumn, many people enjoy picnics on the grass on the hill, so we also recommend ordering takeout from the cafe menu.

A photo spot created by the cafe staff for each season.There is also a display of"Kiki'sCurry" and "Jiji's Curry".

--The magical world of the Literary Museum and the changing seasons will surely add to the enjoyment of your visit.

Shirahama-san
The Magical Literature Museum has been featured in various media outlets since it first opened, but there are still many hidden charms. The cafe menu and services, the shop products, and various events are being added. We hope you will discover new ways to enjoy the museum.

Cafe menu here

"Kiki's Delivery Service"40thAnniversary Event Announcement Site
https://kikismuseum.jp/post-1629/

[Planning/Person in charge]
NOMURA Co., Ltd. Co., Ltd.
Business Production Headquarters, Third General Affairs Department, Facilities Business Operations Department, Development Promotion Section
Miki Mori Planning Director
Junji Yamazaki
Risa Aoki

Composition and text: Miki Mori, Risa Aoki Photography:Junji Yamazaki, Risa Aoki