Sanma Issue 47: Editors' Cafes, Bookstores, and Record Shops

Michelin, the ultimate authority in gastronomic travel guides, rates restaurants as follows: one star, worth a stop; two stars, worth a detour; and three stars, worth a special journey. I often wonder, people can always make a special trip to a restaurant for a meal, no matter how difficult it is to book or how remote its location, and nothing can deter their resolve to dine there. What about bookstores? Will we make a special trip for the desire for knowledge? Recently, "SKWAT," an art bookstore located in Tokyo's old downtown area of Kameido, has created a buzz among Taiwan's editorial circles. This is not only due to its creative use of the space under an elevated highway to craft a unique atmosphere, but also because its curated selection of books, used vinyl records, and coffee precisely capture contemporary trends. Within its warehouse-like setting, it fosters an experimental and multifaceted space. The journey from central Tokyo by train takes over an hour, and as one editor, not even a fan of the manga "Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo" (which is set in Kameido), put it, "There's only this one store there, no other attractions." Those who haven't been yet are always contemplating: "So, did you go? Is it worth it?" On this particular morning, I had only one item on my itinerary: to make a special visit to this bookstore. As the train slowly arrived at the less crowded station, I followed my phone's map, passing by low-rise houses with laundry drying on balconies and a small park adjacent to a kindergarten. I didn't encounter many local residents. Finally, under the unassuming overpass, I found the bookstore's neon-lit sign. I entered as soon as it opened and stayed for a full three hours until I left completely satisfied. More than the art books or the vintage vinyl records that have passed through many hands, what held my attention were the anticipation during the journey there and the surprises discovered while exploring the unknown. For the profession of editing, curiosity and sensitivity are merely basic requirements. More importantly, it's about documenting what people don't yet know during the process of discovery. Both interviews and reading are ways to enter another's world and seek new perspectives. I've always believed that being an editor is the happiest profession. Initially, I wanted to know if other editors felt the same way. Fortunately, editors are generally warm and willing to share, which allowed "Sanma" to embark on this special visit. This journey brought together editors from legendary pop culture magazine "relax," tech and culture magazine "WIRED Japan," travel and culture magazine "TRANSIT," independent culture magazine "SPECTATOR," art and craft magazine "Subsequence," and online street culture magazine "McGuffin" – cultural media that have broadened people's horizons. Each editor-in-chief personally shared whether they too would make a special trip to a bookstore, cafe, or record shop to witness something they'd never encountered before. The issue also includes perspectives from editors of local zines, picture books, manga, and translated works, and features a dinner with the younger generation of editors from the long-established Japanese publisher MAGAZINE HOUSE, finding a balanced pace between slow-paced print and rapid information. So, you ask if it's worth spending an hour just to visit a bookstore? I think people always desire to read about things they haven't encountered before. I truly hope that one day, in our pursuit of inspiration and to witness a broader world firsthand, we will grant ourselves a three-star rating for making such a special journey.