...It's Village Vanguard. And it's gonna be Village Vanguard every time. To me, Village Vanguard screams "Japan" in all the ways I want it to. It's quirky and unpredictable and a little confusing at times, and it's just the kind of thing you're hoping to find in a country that's often also quirky, unpredictable and confusing. If you're looking for something bewildering and strange, you've got to come to Village Vanguard.
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| Holy shit, is there anything normal on this shelf? |
The shop claims itself to be an "Exciting Book Store," and truly, it's all that and everything in between. On top of books, one can expect to find trinkets, home deco, toys, games, music albums, DVDs, accessories, magazines and a variety of items with an unusual flavor. From wall-stickers of Jesus to giant plush Gremlins, the shop has some kind of world-class indie appeal going for it. Hell, a lot of what you'll find in Village Vanguard doesn't seem to have any other use or purpose other than being unique.
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| Just look at all this stuff! |
Truth be told, I've never even bought a single thing from Village Vanguard. And maybe I never will. None of the merchandise is actually cheap by any stretch of the imagination. But it's a safe bet that if you ever have 30 minutes or so to kill with a few friends, browsing the shop will feel like time well wasted. It's delightfully refreshing every time. Bring a tourist!
Village Vanguard is a chain store. You can find one at almost every busy shop-ish corner of Tokyo.
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