Get ready, Otakus! Books Kinokuniya is officially heading to Raffles City Shopping Centre in Singapore this upcoming August 2025.
NBC Stationery and Gifts closed its doors last May and thanked their valued customers for supporting them throughout the years in an Instagram post. The stationery brand also said that they are looking forward to welcoming their customers back in the near future, as they rebrand the store to Books Kinokuniya.
An approximate 3,500 square foot space will be designated for the upcoming branch in Raffles City Shopping Centre, which will house a mix of books and stationery, catering to a wide range of customers.
Books Kinokuniya is best known for selling Japanese books to local customers. With more than 95 years in the market, Japan’s largest bookstore chain has expanded its business in different countries worldwide, including Southeast Asia.
Fully Booked x Books Kinokuniya opening at SM North Edsa last year | Photo courtesy of Fully Booked
Japanese literature selection at Fully Booked x Books Kinokuniya SM North Edsa last year | Photo courtesy of Fully Booked
Japanese and Western literature selection at Fully Booked SM branches | Photo courtesy of Fully Booked
In the Philippines, the famous Japanese bookstore collaborated with Fully Booked and has opened 3 joint branches since 2022—the first branch opened at Mitsukoshi BGC in Taguig City, Metro Manila, followed by the branch at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City and SM North EDSA’s The Block in Quezon City.
The collaboration between Fully Booked and Books Kinokuniya started in 2019, according to Fully Booked’s Managing Director, Jaime Daez. He also expressed that the opening of Mitsukoshi BGC, a Japanese-themed mall, was the right time and place for them to start offering Filipino readers an extensive range of Japanese books.
So if you’re on the lookout for specific manga, books about Japan’s history, culture, cuisine, and fashion, or simply a language textbook—whether written in English or Japanese—you can find them in any Books Kinokuniya branch near you.