Book, CD, DVD, cafe and internet ツタヤで無線LAN

TUTAYA is a name for the chain stores for book seller,video & CD rental service.
Almost every city or town in Japan you will never miss one of these.
A unique style of book selling and cafe mixture, that was the beginning of this
virtually-dominated-the-market company's story which started in Osaka.
http://www.tsutaya-ltd.co.jp/english/index.html
http://www.ccc.co.jp/index_e.html

天王寺のツタヤは一階が本とCDの販売で、中にはカフェもあります。
ここのカフェは、PCを二台程置いていて、確か一時間は無料でネットに繋げた
のでは無いかと思いますが、たしか料金は発生しなかったと思います。
http://www.wiredcafe.jp/shop_abenobashi.html



At Abeno branch, they sell books and CDs and rent CDs and DVDs upper floors.
The ground floor includes cafe space where you can use the PCs on the bar of the cafe.
There are PCs that you can use the net without any charges.

sorry no English
http://www.wiredcafe.jp/shop_abenobashi.html

I just can not remember how long you can use the PCs by free of charges, but at least an hour or so you might be able to use it, I think.

Recently, many book stores doing "chair services" -you can read your favourite book while you are relaxing and sit back in the chair the stores prepared.
TUTAYA Abenobashi branch also is doing like many book sellers do. The thing is that this store allows you to having a cup of coffee not only you are net surfing but also browsing the books in the store.


ここは最近の本屋の傾向に多い、ゆっくりと座りながら本が読めるのは所ですが、
驚きは何とここのカフェで注文した飲み物を飲みながら本屋スペースで読める事です。
それも、自分が買った本でなくてもOKなんです。
カフェは２４時に閉まりますが、本屋と言うか、ツタヤは朝の４時までやってます。
もっとも、本屋と言っても美術書やサブカル系の本や一部洋書もあり明らかに
セレクトショップ系の本屋ですが、このエリアでそれをやってのけてるのは凄いと思います。

I think this idea of browsing books and having coffee is marvellous!
Why? Because of the area, I should say.
The area is not bad place to live, for shopping, doing things like watching films, going to museum, zoo and so on. It is very popular place to visit although it is not city centre like Minami or Kita. It is sure, place to visit, for knowing a typical Osakan lives. But at the same time, neighbour town like Airin-district is one of the dodgiest area in country. There are some 24 hour shops. And lots of escort services are available in the area (the very place of noh pann kissa or no panties cafe, where you can served by hostesses who does not wear panties but only skirts,was born. Very unique lip-service-only style parlour is invented around here.)
The largest card board city in Japan is includes this area.No need to say, very safe town centre, I mean compare to other country's cities, towns and streets. Maybe the safest country in the developed world.
But there are rogues, sick, junkies, pushers, pimps, street girls(actually very old! ).
One of the toughest area in country, that is for sure.

The toughest area though it is, the area is one of the historic place and very cultured area at the sametime. The area called Abeno, Tennouji is dating back to the ancient era. Tennouji is name after Shitennouji,one of the oldest temple in Japan. Built in the 6 century by order of Prince Shoutoku.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shitennō-ji

Abeno also is very old place.
http://www.city.osaka.jp/abeno/english/attract/attrac04.html
http://www.city.osaka.jp/abeno/english/attract/attrac10.html

So I went to the shop many times in the midnight hours. There were not strange people who you supposed to see in the 24 hour open cafe after you missed the last train in Minami or Kita. Always peace and quiet.
Serving drinks and snacks with trendy cafe-style and collections of fashionable magazines, foreign books under the name of Culture Convenience worked well? Perhaps.

The cafe in the shop started FREE SPOT service.
http://www.freespot.com/map/list.php?District=%2Fmap%2Flist.php%3Fds%3D27&City=%C2%E7%BA%E5%BB%D4%B0%A4%C7%DC%CC%EE%B6%E8&AC=&x=28&y=1&BC=

大阪の以外の人にはイメージしにくいと思いますが、このエリアは難波程の
繁華街ではないにしろ、深夜営業してる店も多く、風俗店も多数有り（ノーパン喫茶は
この地区で”発明”されたし、ファッションマーサージもこの辺りが発祥地。）
通天閣、新生界界隈に近く西成のあいりん地区も目と鼻の先ですし、路上生活をしてる
人達が日本でも一、二位を争う場所です。

聖徳太子の建てた四天王寺に近く、古くはシルクロードの終着点。歴史に登場する
世界に向けての南大阪の玄関口で、歴史と文化を堂々と誇る街なんですが、
タフな街としての側面もあるには間違いないでしょう。

私も何度か夜中にこの店に行った事がありますが、難波や他の地域のこの種の
「終夜営業していて、お金のかからない場所」の割にはめっちゃ胡散臭い人があんまり
いてないのが不思議に思います。ツタヤのちょっとお洒落路線を意識した店舗や
本のセレクト等が功を奏したのでしょうか？

さて、このカフェですが最近FREE SPOTを導入しました。
http://www.freespot.com/map/list.php?District=%2Fmap%2Flist.php%3Fds%3D27&City=%C2%E7%BA%E5%BB%D4%B0%A4%C7%DC%CC%EE%B6%E8&AC=&x=28&y=1&BC=



BASIC INFO
power point : not available.
environment : around the chairs & book selling corner.
no smoking area : inside the building is basically no smoking area.
theres tables & chairs outside where u can smoke while u r net surfing.

基本情報
電源　　　無し。
環境　　　カフェスペース全域と本売り場受信可能。　
禁煙席　　建物内は禁煙、外にカフェテラスがありここは喫煙可。ネットも繋げる。