The "Kumamoto Smile Project: Read a Book and Smile!" campaign will begin on Friday, April 14th at 28 bookstores in Kumamoto Prefecture.
Campaign stores will hold a fair featuring "books that will make you smile" selected by bookstore staff, and customers who purchase paperbacks will receive a "Kumamon" book cover as a gift (until April 23rd).
The book covers come in two colors, green and cherry blossom, and for each one distributed, 1 yen will be donated to Kumamoto earthquake reconstruction efforts.
Additionally, customers who spend over 1,000 yen will receive a ticket to participate in a lottery. Details vary by store, so please check with your local bookstore.
We will also be collaborating with the Kumamoto International Manga Festival, and a special "Smile Operation" panel will be on display at the festival venue.
Five stores - Kameya Uto City, Kinokuniya Kumamoto Hamasen, TSUTAYA Yatsushiro Matsue, BOOKS Antoku Arao, and BOOKS Antoku Yamaga - will be hosting a "Disaster Panel Exhibition" that looks back on how Kumamoto bookstores have recovered from the disaster.
In addition to newspaper articles from the time, messages of support from children's literature authors will also be on display.
Campaign locations
・Ashine Kumamoto
・Kameya Main Store
・Kameya Uto City Store
・Kinokuniya Bookstore Kumamoto Hamasen Store
・Tsutaya Bookstore Ogawamachi
・Tsutaya Bookstore Kashima
・Tsutaya Bookstore Kumamoto Sannenzaka
・TSUTAYA Sakuranomori Store
・TSUTAYA Tazaki Store
・TSUTAYA Yatsushiro Matsue Store
・TSUTAYA AV Club Ueki Store
・TSUTAYA AV Club Obiyama Store
・TSUTAYA AV Club Kikuchi Store
・TSUTAYA AV Club Kikuyo Store
・TSUTAYA AV Club Kengun Store
・TSUTAYA AV Club Kotohira Store
・TSUTAYA AV Club Goryo Store
・TSUTAYA AV Club Shimizu Bypass Store
・TSUTAYA AV Club Chikami Store
・TSUTAYA AV Club Tamana Store
・TSUTAYA AV Club Hamasen Store
・TSUTAYA AV Club Hikari no Mori store
Book Garden Otsu store
BOOKS Antoku Arao store
BOOKS Antoku Yamaga store
Books Misumi Hitoyoshi store
muchcolorbooks JR Kumamoto Station store
Miraiya Bookstore Yatsushiro