Why Choose Kinokunia?
I wanted to buy a book in Singapore and thought the best selection would be in a large bookshop, easily located, near an underground railway station. (MRT for short - remember it as standing for mass railway transit.)
I looked up bookshops and found three major bookshops, Kinokunia, Popular and Times. I remembered that Kinokunia is accessible via an underground walkway lined with shops, from the central railway station Orchard (on Orchard Road). That seemed a good idea on a rainy day. I did not want to get wet, nor risk my freshly bought books and stationery getting wet.
The Name, Kinokunia
Kinokunia is a Japanese bookshop. It is upstairs in the office tower housing the glamorous, oriental department store Takashimaya, which is also Japanese.
The name Kinokunia is two words forming a compound word. Kino is Japanese for country. Kuniya means trees.
How do you remember this if your first language is English? The first syllable or word Kino sounds like cinema or kinetic. The second word starts with another k. Then the third vowel follow the pattern AEIOU, the IOU part. Notice the I and Y. Finally a. Say it three times. Japanese words give each word or syllable equal emphasis. Key-no/know-cun-ya. (or ear or ee-ya - listen to how a Japanese or Chinese employee of the company pronounces it.
Getting There
The underground walkway (underpass, basements 1 and 2) is lined with enticing shops, a very pleasant walk.
When you reach Takashimaya department store in the basement of one of the two towers of Ngee Ann City (a 26 storey skyscraper complex), you see the semi circular fountain and Takashimaya Plaza.
Kinokunia - How To See Inside Shrink-Wrapped Books
In Kinokunia the books are all sealed inside a transparent shrink-wrapping. Whilst this ensures they reach you undamaged and uncontaminated by other human hands, it does make it hard to browse and choose books.
By chance, I went to ask a question and the assistant was busy helping another customer. He removed the shrink-wrapping from two books for her. I was delighted to discover this was possible. Apparently all the assistants carry a small knife so they can help customers see inside books.
Choosing A Baby Record book
Having narrowed down my choice to the two cheapest baby books, I asked for them to be opened up.
One was a flashcard box. The cards were not what I wanted at all. They had patterns on the back and images on the front, no empty frames where you could add pictures. So that was a fast decision.
The Baby Record Book Bought
I bought a baby book.
Then watercolour pencils and a small thick paper sketch book for doing little pictures of people and places when I travel.
The Learn Chinese Language Books I Could Have Bought
Then a Chinese language book. The book Chinese For Dummies looked excellent but was beyond my budget, and rather large and heavy for reading in bed and lugging around. I found half a dozen books which all looked excellent and bought the two cheapest items.
The Laminated learn Chinese Card
The laminated card was not tow sections like a book but in three sections with two vertical folds like an old fashioned dressing table mirror or altar picture. It was large but very light to pack.
Learn Chinese Book
The cheapest and thinnest book was Chinese Made Super Easy. My main reason for choosing it was the large print. I could read it in bed at night. Or in semi-darkness on a plane.
The outing was a delight. The whole of the Takashimaya building is decorated with the theme of orchids. Up the massive multi-storey pillars. The orchid is the national flower of Singapore.
(More photos of location and books later.)
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