The Okayama Literature Festival 2024

   From March 9 to 10, the Okayama Literary Elementary School was held at the former Uchisange Elementary School. 1,700 visitors came to the event to look for books they wanted. 

   On the morning of the first day, almost 30 people lined up in front of the school waiting for the opening. The weather was pleasant and sunny on second day, the line grew even longer, extending outside the school gate!

   At Okayama Literary Elementary School, classrooms and corridors were used to display books selected by each store. At each bookshop's booth, customers and bookshop staffs were smiling and chatting with each other. We could hear such voices such as "I love this author!" "The cover is so beautiful!" "I want one!"

   The staffs of bookshops said that they were so happy when a customer bought a book they recommended.

   Various independent bookstores, citizens' organizations and cafes opened their shops at the school. A lot of people spent time relaxing in the courtyard of the school and the food and beverage corner on the second floor with delicious bento lunches, snacks and drinks.

   Book cars and automobile libraries came to the event creating a space people could enjoy books outside.

   The “Okayama Omote-cho Book Street” was held at the shopping street where the history of castle town of Okayama began. This "Book Street" was a collection of secondhand book market, one-box used book market and talk events.

   The shopping street is usually crowded with people. And the used book market invited more customers here.

   The slogan of this event is "The world needs literature. Let's make Okayama a City of Literature!"  One of a shop staff dressed up in Buddha statues when she sold books!

   A variety of items such as picture books, Western books, old books, new books and postcards are lined up. The individuality of the owners is also attraction of this event.

   Volunteer staffs were on hand to guide visitors to the shopping street. All the staffs and people of stores aimed to hold the event in a safe and secure manner.

   “Okayama ZINE Stadium” an event to sell pamphlets (ZINEs) made by collecting illustrations, fashion, photos, writings and various other favorite things. This was the first time to hold this ZINE Stadium, and about 700 people came to the event.

   We received more than 80 applications for the initial 60. Due to space limitations, we asked some of the applicants to open a booth at another event.

   A number of unique ZINEs were lined up in each booth. Some were about hemp palms, some were about issues in mountainous areas, some were about island exploration maps.... we also found ZINEs of poetry collections, tanka collections, photo collections of stores in various areas... We had never thought of these themes!

   Some of the participants were veterans creating various ZINEs, while others wrote their first novel for this ZINE Stadium.

   Some book store staffs said "there were so many zines that I bought more ZINEs than I sold!"

   Workshops on making small-books and ZINEs were held. Children excitedly chose a pattern for the cover of their books.

   Picture book readings and book talks were also held on the stage. Yusuke Norishiro, a writer who stayed in Okayama City as a programme of Writer-in-Residence talked about his experience creating the ZINE and his works. 

   The Okayama Zine Stadium offered many delicious items, including Japanese and Western-style confections and boxed lunches. All of them made us happy.