How about spending your day off by putting on your favorite coat, wrapping a scarf around your neck, and strolling through the streets of Tokyo that you've always wanted to explore? Appearing in the first installment of our new series is Tomohiro Inaba, buyer at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building who says, "I used to drink in Jinbocho all the time when I was in college, but it's been a while since I've been here." He spends half a day off browsing for magazines he wants at Magnif, a used bookstore that every fashion lover knows, and visiting famous shops in Jinbocho. Let's occasionally indulge in some luxury by just wandering around our favorite neighborhoods and doing what we love!

Used bookstore "Magnif" | A conversation between owner Nakatake and fashion legend Kei.

In Jimbocho, a district known for its used bookstores, Inaba first visited "Magnif," a used bookstore specializing in vintage magazines, including fashion and culture magazines. For those in the fashion industry, it's practically a library or archive, filled with rare and valuable magazines. When Inaba entered the store, he was surprised to find that Keiichi Michihiko was already there, chatting with the owner, Nakatake Yasunori.


Hello, Mr. Kei Inaba. I'm Inaba, a buyer at ISETAN MEN'S . It's such a pleasure to meet you at "Magnif." Do you visit "Magnif" often?

Kei: I come here to learn. Mr. Nakatake knows a lot about fashion and trends, and he selects magazines with a good understanding of what he's looking for, so I can quickly find what I'm looking for. I often consult with Mr. Nakatake about exactly what I want. Previously, I focused on the 70s, but now I've narrowed it down to the 60s. That's because magazines are the best source of information about the fashion of that era.

Inaba: Why are you going back from the 70s to the 60s?


Kei: If anyone is just starting to study this, I recommend starting with the 70s. In Japan, the 70s marked the end of the Ivy League golden age and the beginning of a new preppy era, so you'll understand both the end and the beginning of a trend. Then you'll naturally want to learn about the 60s. Don't be arrogant and say you want to learn about the 60s from the start; it's better to study the 70s first.

Inaba: I see. Thank you for the advice!

Kei: For the early 70s, magazines like 'MEN'S CLUB' and 'Heibon Punch' would be good, and for the latter half, 'POPEYE' and 'HOT DOG PRESS' would be good choices.

If you want to learn about Ivy League fashion, check out the MEN'S CLUB special issue; if you want to learn about the styling of that era, check out American magazines.

Inaba: Today I came to Magnif to look for magazines that are like reference materials on Ivy League style.

Kei: In that case, I recommend the MEN'S CLUB special issue, the Ivy League special edition, as it's full of interesting facts and has great reference value.


Nakatake: There are five volumes of this series published in the 70s, and they cover everything about Ivy League style. The one with the red cover is the January 1973 issue of MEN'S CLUB, a special issue focusing on Ivy League style, Volume 2.

Inaba, you have a whole row of back issues of the monthly magazine MEN'S CLUB.

Nakatake: People who read MEN'S CLUB back then tend to keep their copies carefully, so we often get magazines in good condition.

Kei: It's not here now, but issue 43 of MEN'S CLUB from the early 60s had an Ivy League special, and that's the origin of Ivy League style in Japan. But a special issue is enough. If you want to know the intricacies of Ivy League style, a special issue of MEN'S CLUB is good, and if you want to know about the styling of that time, American magazines are better. MEN'S CLUB has thoroughly described the details of Ivy League style, just as they learned it from the source. Also, if you want to study the basics, catalogs from manufacturers of that time are good too.


Nakatake: More and more young people, like those of Generation Z, are coming to me after seeing the current issue of POPEYE and asking, "What is Ivy League style?" For those people, I recommend MEN'S CLUB from around the 1980s, as the real street style photos from overseas coverage during the preppy boom are excellent. It's recommended for those who want to see the visuals rather than the trivia.

What were you interested in during the 1980s, Mr. Kei Inaba?

Kei: In the 80s, I was really into clubs in NY. My basic style is traditional, but I loved NY's vintage style and wore vintage clothes from the 60s. Back then, the East Village culture was at its peak, and that's where I acquired a "culture that will last for 50 years." NY is like a country in itself.

Inaba: "A culture that will last for 50 years," that's cool!

The opening of the plastic bag containing the magazine was open.

Keiichi: When it comes to American magazines, it's helpful to remember that 'Esquire' is a culture and lifestyle magazine, 'GQ' is a fashion magazine, and 'LIFE' is a socially conscious photography magazine.

Nakatake LIFE is not a fashion magazine, but it contains many compelling visuals of the culture and war of the time, making it a suitable magazine for learning about the real fashion of ordinary people at that era.


If you want to learn about the new traditional style after the Ivy League boom, check out GQ issues from the early 80s that don't feature actors on the cover. It's also important to know about the post-Ralph Lauren style of 'M' from the 80s.

Inaba: So, "Magnif" covers all of those things, right?

Kei: Different magazines specialize in different categories and age groups.

Nakatake: Fashion trends do come and go, but at "Magnif," we aim to cover a wide range of styles without discrimination. We leave the bags open so that customers can freely browse through the magazines, so please handle them carefully.

Inaba: I could spend a whole day at "Magnif" (laughs). How did you acquire your knowledge from magazines and books, Nakatake-san?


Nakatake: I'm learning a lot from customers like Kei-san while I'm doing sales like this.

Keiichi Nakatake has an innate talent, so I trusted him.

Inaba: Do you get a lot of customers who come in to sell their own books?

Nakatake: "Magnif" is a used bookstore that sells books it has bought, so we can buy books, but we often have to select which ones we accept due to inventory limitations.

Inaba: What should I do if I want to find the magazine I'm looking for?


Nakatake: If you're looking for something specific, like the publication date or issue number, you're more likely to find it online. But if, for example, you want to learn about "American traditional style from the 1960s," please feel free to contact me and I'll recommend something.

Inaba: I learned a lot today. I'll buy the MEN'S CLUB Ivy League special issue that Kei-san recommended. Kei-san is truly an amazing walking encyclopedia. Thank you.

I'd love to ask Kei Nakatake to be our "daily manager."

Kei: If Nakatake-san asked me to be the store manager, I'd close the shop and look at magazines by myself (laughs).

Tempura "Hachimaki" | Savor the tempura that captivated literary giants.

After leaving "Magnif," Inaba went to "Tempura Hachimaki" in Kanda Jimbocho, which is on the same street, for lunch.

Inaba: I love tempura. Mr. Aoki, the owner, what do you recommend?

Aoki recommends the "Anago and Shrimp Tempura Rice Bowl" (conger eel, two shrimp, lotus root, and bell pepper) for 1,500 yen.


Inaba, the Anago Ebi Tendon (eel and shrimp tempura rice bowl) is related to this literary giant on this calligraphy, isn't it, Aoki-san? It reads, "Daytime is a dream, nighttime is reality." It's Edogawa Ranpo, isn't it?

Aoki: My grandfather, Torakichi Aoki, was a regular customer of ours, and Ranpo Edogawa was a patron of ours. In our Edo-style tempura, eel is served at the very end of the course. Ranpo asked Torakichi, "Dad, put some eel and two shrimp on a bowl and serve it." At the time, putting eel on a bowl was considered unorthodox, but when Torakichi made the eel and shrimp tempura bowl, it was a hit at banquets, with people saying, "Me too, me too!" So this is a bowl dish with a special connection to Ranpo Edogawa.

Inaba, thank you for sharing that wonderful story.

Aoki: Even now, writers, actors, and comedians come here to browse bookstores for their roles, flip through books, and eat tempura. Everyone comes to Jimbocho to "recharge."

"It's just like a morning drama," is the exclamation that goes, regarding the story of the headband.

Inaba's Anago Ebi Tendon (eel and shrimp tempura rice bowl) was delicious; the tempura batter was perfectly crisp. The batter was very crunchy, and it was lighter than it looked, which was very satisfying.

Aoki: At "Hachimaki," our motto for tempura is to use fresh ingredients and fry them thoroughly. Torakichi always said that "the tempura tastes best when it's just on the brink of burning," and I, the third generation, continue to uphold this tradition of frying until golden brown. We generously coat the tempura with sauce and are particular about using Koshihikari rice.

Inaba: Why is your shop named "Hachimaki"?

Aoki: In 1882 (Meiji 15), there was a shop called "Uoyasu" in Kanda Suehirocho (present-day Sotokanda) that supplied food to restaurants in Yushima, and it was apparently very prosperous catering to the geisha district, but the shop was destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 (Taisho 12). When the earthquake hit, my grandfather Torakichi was on his way to deliver food to a banquet when he fell into the river, but someone gave him a headband and saved him.

Inaba: I see!

Aoki: So Torakichi became the adopted son-in-law of Uoyasu and reopened his shop in front of Kanda Station in 1931. Because the shop had a narrow storefront, he made it a tempura specialty shop and named it "Hachimaki." However, in 1943, it was burned out in the Tokyo air raids, and he apparently sold suito (a type of dumpling soup) in the black market in Kanda and ran a restaurant for demobilized soldiers, but in 1945 he moved to Jimbocho. He opened "Hachimaki" in the former location of a clothing store. Fortunately, Jimbocho was spared from the air raids, so it is still in business today, but I think Torakichi must have gone through considerable hardship. People from the Meiji era were amazing.

Mr. Torakichi Inaba's life was like something out of a morning drama series, wasn't it? Thank you for sharing such a valuable story. How many years has it been since you took over the business, Mr. Aoki?

Aoki: It's been 13 years since I took over, and strangely enough, this "Suzuran Street" is the only place where old-fashioned shops remain, and it's used as a filming location for movies and TV shows every day.

Eating tempura while wearing an Inaba hachimaki (headband) makes you forget the passage of time. It was delicious. Thank you very much. I'll come back again.

Cafe "Sabouru" | Enjoy the MEN'S CLUB Ivy Special Issue while sipping coffee

I visited Inaba Magnif after a long time, and it was as impressive as I remembered. From a clothing store owner's perspective, the way they meticulously organize highly informative magazines and books is amazing. They have a huge selection of magazines, but if you tell Mr. Nakatake what era, item, or style you're interested in, he'll find it for you, which inspires a great deal of confidence.

—It really does look like a library.

As Mr. Nakatake Inaba also mentioned, when he inquired about back issues at the MEN'S CLUB editorial department, he was introduced to Mr. Magniff, so he must be highly regarded in the industry. Mr. Kei is simply a great storyteller and very entertaining. He's a legend who lived on the front lines from the 60s to the 80s, and because he experienced that era firsthand, his words carry weight.

—What do you think of the "MEN'S CLUB Special Issue: Ivy League Style, Volume 2" that you purchased?


Inaba: Recently, there have been signs of a trad-Ivy boom, especially among young people. When you read magazines like this and learn about the roots, you want to know more, and you end up going back to Magniff. History is full of rules and all sorts of things, and you can't enjoy it if you don't know them, but once you do know them, you want to delve deeper.

—It also has value as a sourcebook for jokes and references.

Inaba: People who love fashion are also fond of studying, and Japanese people in particular are able to combine elements from various countries to create new cultures and styles. Japanese craftsmanship is also attracting attention, so I have high expectations for the new fashions that will emerge from now on. If you trace it back to its origins, it's Ivy League style, the era in which people like Kei survived.

—How did you enjoy your stroll around Jimbocho?

Inaba: Jimbocho is a town full of used bookstores, cafes, and curry restaurants, a place for both students and office workers. There are also many long-established, famous shops like "Hachimaki." My university was in Suidobashi, so it brought back memories of my youth. I hope you'll enjoy this course, which allows you to explore the history and fashion of Jimbocho.

—There are "experiences" that you can't find on the internet.

Inaba: The food, the space, the books, the building—everything here is a treasure that you can only experience by coming here. The texture of the magazine paper, the smell of tempura, the wooden tables in the coffee shop...it's fun to travel back in time.

Tomohiro Inaba | Today's styling for a rainy day

Inaba: It was unfortunately raining, but I put together an outfit to lift my spirits. The main piece of my styling is a water-repellent coat, with an elegant off-white mock-neck knit as the key color. I paired it with rugged homespun pants. Lately, I've been into styling that combines elegance and ruggedness.