Kawasaki Shiritsu Nakahara Toshokan, Public library in Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki, Japan.
The Kawasaki Shiritsu Nakahara Toshokan is a public library in Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki, Japan. It occupies several floors and holds books, digital resources, and separate sections designed for different age groups.
Its origins trace to the Tajima Town Library, opened in December 1923 inside Tajima Higher Elementary School with 153 books. When Tajima was merged into Kawasaki in 1927, it became the Kawasaki City Library. After the April 1945 air raid destroyed the collection, it reopened in 1946 with 2,425 books, was renamed Nakahara Library in 1960, and moved to the current building in April 2013.
The children's corner has low shelves sized for children and holds about 40,000 children's books. At its centre stands a white concrete dome called "Ohanashi no Heya" (Story Room), shaped to represent a drop of water from the Tama River, where staff read aloud to children inside the dome.
The building has elevators and is accessible by wheelchair throughout. It is worth checking the opening hours before visiting, as the library may be closed on certain days of the week.
The children's area on the fifth floor holds a white concrete dome called "Ohanashi no Heya" (Story Room), shaped to represent a drop of water from the Tama River, which flows through Kawasaki. Children sit inside the dome for read-aloud sessions. The shelves in this corner are built low to match children's height and hold about 40,000 children's books.
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