Librairie Le Renard Doré: the best of Japan in Paris!

Paris, Fifth arrondissement. You're not in Japan, and yet… Past the doors of the Golden Fox, it's just like that. A real little Japanese bubble, its décor is inspired by the wonderful world of Ghibli Studios. Mickaël, creator and manager of the bookstore, received us with a smile on the day of the inauguration, to present us his attractive project. Two years later, Justfocus Asia is still under the spell! 

The Golden Fox, the story of a challenge

The Golden Fox is above all the story of a great challenge and a tenacious passion. Before embarking on the creation of his bookstore, Mickaël was a psychologist and worked for many years in the hospital public service! Today, as a young man in his thirties, he had to put aside his passion for manga and Japanese culture when he began his studies. But his dream of opening a bookstore, which he has had since childhood, has never left him!

"When I started making a living, I was able to read manga again. Reading became consumption, and I reconnected with my passion. The project was born from a desire to live from this passion. " he explains. 

His career change? Not so surprising! What motivates Mickaël is always to help others. But after the hospital public service, it is in a completely different field that he would like to accompany people…

"I now want to help people on moments of happiness, to be able to help them choose a book. They are there to have fun, and I would also like to accompany others in these moments. » 

A place of exchange for enthusiasts and neophytes

When we meet Mickaël, his motivations are not surprising. We immediately feel very attentive, in a benevolent approach of sharing and above all, passionate.It's impossible not to feel all his enthusiasm when he talks to us about manga that are close to his heart! And the same goes for his companion, the smiling Amandine, herself a great lover of Japanese culture and manga on which she seems unbeatable.

There is no doubt that at the Renard Doré, you will find all the advice you need from Mickaël and his team. And this, whether you are great initiates to Japanese culture or on the contrary, neophytes!

"The project was to create a bookstore that would be open to everyone and even especially to neophytes! »

For Mickaël, there is no question of leaving someone behind! The Golden Fox project is that of a bookstore open to all, initiates of manga or Japanese culture and great beginners.

"Many friends have told me: manga bookstores I dare not enter because I am afraid of not finding my place or the advice I would like to start.", says Mickaël before enlightening us on his approach. "Me, I would like to democratize the thing a little, hence the thematic treatment instead of the classic shonen, shojo, seinen"

(Editor's note: literally "young man", "young girl" and "adult" in Japanese, the great genres of manga). 

At the Golden Fox, you will find your favorite manga classified by themes. A model that is close to general libraries to allow neophytes to find their way around more easily. As for insiders, they will also be able to discover new works by targeting the themes they like! A winning choice!

Multiple approaches to Japanese culture

At the Renard Doré, we give pride of place to Japanese literature! Here again, Mickaël seeks to make Japanese culture accessible to as many people as possible:

"We thought it was good to be fairly generalist in the sense that, today, many parents drop off their children in manga shops and flee. We want everyone to have access to the culture of this country. We figured having books on Japanese culture would help. There are many on the art of living, but also thrillers… For parents, it is a gateway to this culture. »

It is mainly in the basement of the bookstore, a splendid little room that looks like a boudoir, that you will find these treasures. If the collection is already well stocked, Mickaël intends to enrich it for our greatest happiness, especially with yakuza (Japanese mafia) thrillers! If you are looking to make an original gift to your loved ones or simply to treat yourself… Go for it!

Le Renard Doré is also friendly workshops to discover Japan and its art in another way. Young and old will be able to participate in manga drawing workshops, bento making, felt or jewelry on kawaii themes!

A décor worthy of Ghibli Studios

Although located in the heart of Paris, Le Renard Doré is a bit of a dreamlike microcosm that propels you away from the capital for a visit. With the front door open, you will immediately find yourself immersed in an elegant décor, which honors nature in the Ghibli way.

Between two rows of books, Kodama, or sylvains, little spirits of the forest of the masterpiece Princess Mononoke, observe you, nestled in moss and branches. The walls are adorned with floral and colorful tapestries, while dozens of origami, objects made according to the Japanese art of folding papers, nicely complete the whole.

For Mickaël, creating a "pretty bookstore to look at, in which you want to enter", was particularly important. It is indeed an additional way to share your passion with as many people as possible! When we talk to him about Ghibli's cinematic masterpieces, he tells us about what inspires him the most:

"There's a lot of poetry, dreams, Japanese folklore in these films."

So many things he managed to permeate the two floors of his bookstore! 

A poetic universe from A to Z!

And to accompany such a decor, the choice of the name of the bookstore could not be left to chance! Mickaël has therefore appealed to a very poetic imagination, both linked to his own history and to the Japanese culture that he loves so much.

"The fox is a bit of a fetish animal for me, who comes from Vaucluse. I grew up surrounded by the forest! The fox has quite a few meanings in Provençal folklore. There is the side a little thief in the kitsune (Editor's note: "fox" in Japanese) which is funny, but also this very wise side. A legend tells in Japanese folklore that the fox, during its lifetime, gains a tail each time it gains wisdom, until it becomes the nine-tailed fox, which is white and golden. He then gained enough wisdom! Each additional tail is the symbol of his learning. It's a bit of a metaphor for human life, we also grow up, we gray… We dore! ».

Practical information

Where to find The Golden Fox? 

41 rue Jussieu, 75005 Paris

How to get there?  

Metro lines 7 and 10 or bus lines 89 and 67 (Jussieu stop)

When to go? 

Monday from 2pm to 7pm and Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 8pm.

Website and social networks:

Online store: The Golden Fox

Facebook & Twitter & Instagram

Inveterate lovers of Japanese culture and manga, curious neophytes, young or old… Do not hesitate to come and push the doors of the Golden Fox. You will be greeted with a smile and all the advice you need!