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Toranoana Dōjinshi Chain Closes All But 1 Standalone Store in Japan
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The official website for the Toranoana Inc. dōjinshi store chain announced on Tuesday that it will close six of its seven current standalone stores in Japan, including the main Akihabara store and Shinjuku store in Tokyo, the Chiba store, and the Nanba A store and Umeda store in Osaka, on August 31. In addition, the chain's Nagoya branch, which had closed temporarily last year with tentative plans to reopen, will now remain closed instead.
Its Ikebukuro store catering to dōjinshi for female audiences will remain open in Tokyo.
The chain will still operate its more than 10 miniature stores within other chains' stores, such as Surugaya stores, and plans to open new shops in Toyama, Aichi, and Shizuoka in July, August, and September. (The chain did not specify if the three new shops are standalone stores or stores within other chains' stores.)
The store chain noted that its business was greatly affected by COVID-19, and still shows no signs of recovery.
Toranoana had two more Akihabara branches and one more Nanba branch, but all three already closed in 2021. Both the company's Taipei store and the separate ToraCon matchmaking and dating service's branches will remain open.
The chain opened its first and main branch in Akihabara in 1994, and is primarily known for selling dōjin or independent works. It is a primary venue for purchasing such works after their creators' release in events such as Comic Market. The store also offers merchandise and other hobby products. The company is part of the production committee of numerous anime.
The store chain's parent company Yumenosora Group acquired the game development circle AQUAPLUS (Utawarerumono, White Album, To Heart) in 2013.
Source: Toranoana's website via Hachima Kikō
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