In recent years, Ikebukuro has become even more attractive as urban development accelerates. Theaters and cultural facilities are appearing one after another, and urban development is underway to make Ikebukuro a place where "art and culture" is a part of everyday life.

About a nine-minute walk from any station in Ikebukuro, at the end of a residential area, you will find the "Book Gallery Popotamus," a complex of books and art. Since opening in 2005, the store has sold books and art, and has held exhibitions and collaboration projects by various artists, becoming a beloved art spot in Ikebukuro.

The product lineup is the product of the connections the owner has built with people.

When you enter the store, your eyes are greeted by a wide selection of books and art goods collected not only from Japan but also from all over the world, including Korea, Taiwan, Europe, and the United States. The owner, Mr. Obayashi, has loved picture books since he was a child, and each and every one of them has been carefully selected.

Obayashi became fascinated with Korean art after his first visit to Korea in 2013. He expanded his network of fascinating artists while participating in book fairs in Seoul and repeatedly traveling to Korea to purchase books. As he made more friends, he naturally started dealing in more Korean books.

Obayashi, who was originally unable to read Korean, began to want to learn Korean after reading books and meeting people he knew, and he obtained a student visa and studied abroad for three months to learn the language. He is currently working on writing an essay book about his experiences studying abroad.

"Rather than dealing in a wide variety of books from all over the world, it feels more like our selection is made possible through human connections." Popotame is alive with the many connections that Obayashi has treasured.

It's fun to watch the artist's work closely

Once you leave the book sales area, you'll find yourself in a spacious gallery space. There are a number of artworks that will make you want to take your time to look at them. On the day of our visit, there was an exhibition (organized by HandSawPressKyoto) of "risograph printing," which is created by layering multiple plates and inks. (This exhibition has now closed.)

▲A sales space for the works of artist Maiko Take, who has held solo exhibitions at Popotam for over 10 years.

Since opening, Popotam has provided gallery space to many artists. We have had relationships with some of these artists for 10 years, and have worked with them to create collections and goods.

"Each time we do an exhibition, the number of people who support the artist gradually increases, and the artist's opportunities expand. It's fun to watch the process of moving forward." Obayashi's tone is bright as he talks about the charms of the artists more than about himself, and his deep affection and support can be felt in every word.

We want people to enjoy the excitement of "What's there?"

Looking out over the streets of Ikebukuro, you can see a row of restaurants from various countries, and see people from many different countries living there. Obayashi loves this side of Ikebukuro, and is excited by the sight of "different things all coexisting together in the same space." He said he wants customers to feel excited and wonder, "What's waiting for me in this shop?", and to enjoy discovering new books, art, and artists.

Book Gallery Popotam has been a part of Ikebukuro's history for a long time. This place was created through the connections between people, and even today it continues to produce encounters between people and many artworks.

ブックギャラリー ポポタム
電話：03-5952-0114
住所：東京都豊島区西池袋2-15-17
アクセス：池袋駅から徒歩9分
HP：https://popotame.net/
SNS：https://www.instagram.com/popotame_shop/

*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.