As the end of the year approaches, I take stock of things I need for the coming year. Here are a few erasers and a paintbrush that I bought from the Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya in the International District of Seattle.

Kinokuniya is the largest bookseller in Japan. I wonder when, and if I will ever get to see a Kinokuniya bookstore in Japan. I love going to bookstores when I travel.

The most memorable bookstore I have visited is Biblio-Globus near Lubyanka Metro Station in Moscow, Russia. Biblio-Globus claims to be one of the largest bookstores in Europe. The metro station is located underneath Lubyanka Building where the KGB once had their headquarters, and where their successor, the FSB still has offices.

Walking around the massive stacks of books in so many languages, it seemed Russian folklore, European history and spy movies all melded together. I wondered if spies might be among the book browsers, or if the spirit of a domovoi lurked in a forgotten corner.