What is "Shoujo Manga Kan" ?
It is a non-profitable private library for girls comic books only.
It is managed by Jun Nakano and Natsuyo Ooi (Sarusuberi) .
Open: Saturdays（April-October）
Hours: 1:00p.m.-6:00p.m.
Address: 155-5 Ajiro Akiruno-shi Tokyo, Japan
Access by walk :
From JR Itsukaichi Line - Musashi Masuko Station (From the rotary at the station
main entrance ),
Walk down a wide slope to an intersection and turn left. You go pass the Yamada
Kousaten-intersection,
right before the Yamda Oohasi- bridge, looking at the sign of Hotel Ajiro, there
is a steep slope on the right.
Go down to the Ajiro Bashi- bridge which is very old, then cross Akigawa keikoku-
gully and go up a steep slope.
Right before the top of the hill, there is a pass to the right. Walk down the
pass, then soon you get to a field.
Go along the field to the right. You see another field ahead on the right. There
is the Shoujo Manga Kan-
" The Library " next to the field on the right hand side!
(Access by bus :
Take a bus from one of these following train stations :
JR Itsukaichi Line- Musashi Itsukaichi Station, Keio Hachiouji Station, JR Hachiouji
Station ,
JR Oome Line- Fussa Station, or JR Itsukaichi Line- Akigawa Station.
Get off a bus at " Ajiro Iriguchi " bus stop. Then you walk to the
east (Akigawa district) for a short distance
till you get to Yamada Kousaten- intersection. Turn right at the intersection
and walk by a Soba noodle restaurant.
Right before the Yamada Oo10.5.7-bridge, looking at the sign of Hotel Ajiro and
the street sign of Bentenyama,
there is a steep slope on the right. Go down to the Ajiro Bashi- bridge which
is very old, then cross Akigawa Keikoku-
gully and go up a steep slope. Right before the top of the hill, there is a
pass to the right. Walk down the pass,
then soon you get to a field. Go along the field to the right. You see another
field ahead on the right. There is the
Shoujo Manga Kan- "The Library" next to the field on the right hand
side!
(Buses don't operate frequently, so we suggest that you should check the schedule
before you use.))
Library: Girls comic books, magazines and related books to girl's comics
The magazines in our collection†came with novelty goods from publishers
and related items to girl's comic books are able to view
when you visit our library.
Entrance Fee: There is no cost to enter the library.
It is free for anybody who wants to participate.
* Shoujo Manga kan was established in Mar.1997 in Hinode-machi Nishitama-gun
Tokyo, Japan for the purpose of preserving girl's comic books.We wanted to save
as
much as we could! It is commonly called "Jomakan".
*My friends, Jun and I rented an old yet large house (old fashioned Japanese
style house)
and started saving numbers of girl's comic books which people were just tossing
away
day by day.
*Shoujo Manga Kan was opened to the public in Aug.2002. It is only open once
a week
so far, but it is growing gradually.
It is very common that people just toss comic books and especially magazines
away
after they are read, and they don't even care. Well, I could say that's the
way it is, but wait!
I myself have read tons of girl's comic books and got rid of them after I read
,
and TRULY regret that I did not save any of them. That's why I want to say loudly
"Hold on!"
The work of some of the well-known and popular cartoonists will remain in the
future,
but what about the episode I once read in a comic magazine back in the 1960's
or 70's
and I still remember the story clearly? There wasn't just one!
If I didn't do anything about it, most of the girl's comics I have enjoyed reading
will be gone
for good! What about Ballet Hoshi? The work of Ikuko Sunako?
What about the book I now don't even remember the name of it, but I really enjoyed
the story?
Soon or later, almost all the comic books which girl's ( or boys) are reading
now will be gone
just like what happened to the ones I read in my childhood.
You could say that is not a big deal because it's only a comic book, but I on
the other hand
want to say " It's a big deal!!"
The comic books written and read today will need to be saved but I am concerned
about
the comics of the past. They might be at risk of extinction! If we do nothing
about it ,
they will become trash, then soon will be nothing but landfill!
That can not be happening! I once again wanna read the comic books which I
read a long
long time ago!!!
That is why Shoujo Manga Kan was established.
*Most of the comic books are basically donated.
Shoujo Manga Kan
Chief Librarian, Natsuyo Ooi
（2010. 5.07 Update）