Jinbocho Book Town is a book paradise
If you love bookshops, Jinbocho Book Town is the place. It has over two hundred of them. There are a bunch of coffee shops too! The area is a great place to spend an afternoon trying to find something that catches your eye. You might even get lucky and pick up a forgotten literary gem. And it’s even possible to get some good pictures too!
Photo gear for this shoot
- Camera body: Fujifilm X-T3
- Lenses: Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
How was my day at Jinbocho Book Town?
It was all about books. They stuff the neighborhood. If you enjoy reading as I do, that might sound like heaven. But that is what Jimbocho Book Town is. Within a 15-minute walking radius of Jinbocho Station are many book-stuffed stores. If you want one hundred yen novels, Edo period woodblock prints, or original copies of a work by Hokusai, you can.
Many of the shops deal in secondhand materials, but not all. If you’re a collector or want to be one, Jinbocho is where you want to go. It is the place to hunt down antique maps or authentic woodblock prints from the Edo period. Start at Sarashobo.
The owners of places like Sarashobou are professionals. They know everything and everyone in the business. Even if you want something incredibly rare, talk to them. Just be prepared to wait for some items, though! Waiting lists can be long. The books can cost a fortune too!
You will find English-language books and bookstores in Jinbocho. One of them is Kitazawa. It has an incredible collection of secondhand academic English books. They are on the second floor. I might be exaggerating when I say it covers every subject known to man. But that is how it seems! The store’s interior is beautiful, very classical.
Where is Jinbocho Booktown?
Jinbocho Booktown is in Chiyoda Ward, along Yasukuni-Dori.
Here it is on a Google map:
Closest train station:
Jimbocho and it has three lines:
- Toei: Shinjuku and Mita
- Tokyo Metro Hanzomon
From the station, use these exits:
- A2
- A3
- A4
- A5
- A6
- A7
Conclusion
Jinbocho Book Town is the place to buy something to read or collect. It’s also a great place to walk around. Once you finish, you can relax at one of its cafes. If you have been there, let us know what you think of the area. Tell us your favorite shop!
One last thing. When I visited Jinbocho for this article, it was an extremely wet day. For the entire afternoon, I had to juggle my camera and an umbrella when taking pictures. I will return to take better photos another day!
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
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External related websites:
- Sarashobo Books (official website)