The best accompaniment to a great book is, of course, a great cup of joe. Jimbocho boasts anywhere from 150 to 180 bookstores, depending on which source you reference, and most of the those stores are on the south side of yasukunidori, the vertical main street on the map above. Stores sell ancient rare used books, traditional paper, ukiyoe prints of the floating world, sumie black ink artworks entrances are often towards the north to protect paper from the sun walking around, you may find art galleries, museums, publishing houses, and many cafes. Over 350 domestic and international book stores, publishing firms, artists and galleries were represented at the fair, which saw admission restricted due to the. The range of books on offer, and the diversity of style and beauty amongst the bookshops themselves, is wonderful and massively varied. Jimbocho sometimes alternately spelled with an n as jinbocho and often referred to by its nickname of jimbou. Oct 04, 2019 the quarter jimbocho in tokyo, known as the book town, has more to offer than books. Dec 25, 2014 known as tokyos book town, jimbocho is home to a concentration of over 170 bookshops, publishing houses, and literary societies. Jimbocho is named after a highranking 17th century samurai, nagaharu jinbo. Hidden attractions off the beaten path in tokyo, japan. Bookstores in jimbocho offers a wide range of genres, from 100 yen manga books to collectible antiques worth thousands.
While most are japanese books, there are also english second hand books available. The everso distinctive smell of old books is a floo powder that transports me to my childhood. Not far from shinjuku railway hubs density and situated. Jimbocho is renowned as the centre of tokyo s second hand book trade. Back to best art and design bookstores isseido antique bookstore located on jimbocho s. Jimbocho is the heaven for book lovers, because the town is known as book town, as there are huge number of book store, publish houses. Jimbocho vintage book town area guide when in tokyo. Oct 26, 2019 the volume and density of bookselling in jimbocho makes it unique, says johnson, who wrote a book titled book towns.
As the area is a lively student and academic district with many universities and schools located here, it has become japans largest center of books. If youre looking for pricey historical books and oddities, look for the isseido book store on yasukuni dori just to the north of jimbocho station. The book market at jimbocho is best accessed from jimbocho subway station, kudanshita subway station, shinochanomizuogawamachiawajicho subway stations connected underground, or jr suidobashi station. N estled in tokyo s chiyoda ward is an unglamorous and unassuming part of the city called jimbocho sometimes jinbocho. This street primarily consists of secondhand book stores with an impressive collection of art, design and fashion books. We may be a bit biased but we think tokyo joes is a great place to work. This time as special guests i took my parents who are visiting japan to my favorite retro cafes at jimbocho. Just walking through the socalled book town is a lot of fun since chances are high you will make some unique discoveries. Nihon and senshu, jimbocho is home to over 150 bookstores, most of. Any bookworm will surely have their kidinacandystore moment at tokyo s jimbocho.
Earlier this year i travelled to tokyo and did some. Evening walk jimbocho, the book town in tokyo 2019 4k. Jimbocho, located in tokyo s central chiyodaku district, is home to close to 200 book shops, all located in an area just a few blocks big. From books and music to theater and visual arts, jimbocho has become one of most fascinating districts in japan s vibrant capital city. Jul 05, 2014 i first visited jimbocho while jurgen was out of town on a photography job. My favorite one paws down hah was anekawa bookstore which sells books about cats. In 19, the town that is surrounded by three of tokyo s most prestigious universities was destroyed by fire. The other two streets worth walking in the area are the horizontal main street, hakusandori, and the small street in the upper right quadrant of the map, kandasuzurandori. Books everywhere in jimbocho, especially on the street. In this area, you will find many historical and unique coffee shops just by strolling around. Tokyodo is one of the oldest bookstores in the area selling mainly new books. See our complete list of things to do in tokyos akihabara, kanda and jimbocho districts, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.
I took a walk in book town jimbocho october 28, 2020. Harajuku for its influence in fashion and pop culture or akihabara for its wealth of. When in tokyo is tokyo s only dedicated online guide for art, design and architecture lovers. Bookworms will be reeling with excitement upon visiting the jimbocho district, an entire book town boasting an aweinspiring collection of tomes. Jimbocho book town is located in tokyos akihabara, kanda and jimbocho district s. On the 7th floor, you can find a massive foreignlanguage section with everything from bestsellers to books about japan, social science, as well as magazines in english, french, and german.
Time to chill with a good book in tokyo japan info. Tokyos jimbocho neighborhood wont close the chapter on books. Jimbocho has a wide array of coffee shops offering cozy nooks where you can get lost in new. A quick guide to tokyos book town daves travel corner. Feb 21, 2020 tokyo s jimbocho district, also known as book town, is home to more than 150 bookshops selling everything from cheap paperbacks to first edition antiques. Jimbocho is a university area of tokyo known as the book and sports shopping mecca of japan.
Paper coffee cups on japanese book at glitch coffee and roasters in jimbocho tokyo japan. Just a one minute walk from the a7 exit of jimbocho station is sanctuary for all book lovers. Located in tokyo s chiyoda ward, jimbocho is the citys haven for secondhand books, being home to nearly 200 shops specializing in secondhand books. I flipped through some pervy anime titles and found mintcondition copies of sports illustrated from the 1960s. Jimbocho jimbocho station is located in the jimbocho area of kanda district in chiyoda ward of tokyo. Jimbocho is the largest secondhand book shopping district in japan. Kandajinbocho, commonly known as jinbocho or jimbocho, is a district of chiyoda, tokyo, japan, known as tokyos center of usedbook stores. Mar 08, 2019 one small part of tokyo is the epicenter of used books, like a paper vortex where books that no longer spark joy are sent until they find a new owner. Jimbocho in the heart of tokyo is a bookworms paradise with over 200 book stores to choose from that serve both japanese and english readers. Explore jimbocho tokyo the book town of tokyo for book. I was greatly disappointed by the lack of ingredients and the dressing. It serves the toei mita line, toei shinjuku line, and tokyo metro hanzomon line, and is a convenient transfer point between them. Books tokyodo kanda jinbocho tokyo creative travel. When in tokyo tokyos art, design and architecture guide.
The isseido store is a treasure trove of rare books. Book lovers in tokyo would go to tsutaya bookstores or department stores that can. Most of the books sold in the area are japanese but several shops specialize in foreign books mostly english. Sep 23, 2020 september 23, 2020 with about 200 bookstores, the jimbocho area is tokyos bookshelf.
This is one of the most successful bookstores out of jimbocho and is now a. The jimbocho area is a student town with many universities such as the university of tokyo and meiji university, and the laidback atmosphere is perfect for. You might also find some treasures that make great souvenirs for family and friends. Sep 05, 2020 an afternoon browsing old books and curios, then sipping on coffee in an oldstyle coffee shop if that sounds like your idea of fun, jimbocho is for you. Although it is a quick serve restaurant i really like the. For families, couples, or lone intellectuals, jimbocho makes for a rewarding day in the heart of the bustling city, as mario leto explains. It caters to a variety of artistic interests and is well situated in central tokyo for fast and easy access to other entertainments. Jimbocho book town is the worlds biggest book town. Broth was tasty, but strangely sweet and lacking in quantity.
Along this road, shops, restaurants, financial and trade centers run across tokyo for more than 10km. Oct 28, 2019 with one million tomes across nine floors, the yaesu book center is the biggest bookstore in the yaesu area and one of the largest in the whole of tokyo. Tokyos jinbocho a mustvisit for lovers of antiquarian books. Despite being a land where few actually speak english, the jimbocho english language book stores are. Jimbocho vintage book town area guide when in tokyo tokyo. Visit a book town with streets lined with wellstocked shelves. Unique things to do in tokyo not written in any tourist guide. Jimbocho often referred to in japanese as the kanda used book store row kanda koshoten gai is a district of chiyoda ward with a heavy concentration of universities and, naturally, booklovers. The isseido booksellers 7, kanda, jimbocho, tokyo isseido booksellers is a third generation bookselling business and was one of the first to rebuild after the great tokyo earthquake of 1923. You can find all kinds of study nooks, places to caffeinate and power through your work, or eclectic little cafes to enjoy a novel and a little afternoon snack. It is also headquarters for a variety of publishing firms, ranging from highbrow to comic books. Jimbocho book town, known for its used book stores like isseido, komiyama, shosen.
Toppings were pleasant and spinach was a fresh touch. Nov 06, 2016 jimbocho is a district within tokyo that is dedicated to used books and publishing. The last english language bookstores in jimbocho cnn travel. Books at ohya shobo due to its proximity to several universities and publishing houses, jimbocho has become the mecca of used bookstores and quaint coffeeshops loved by the bookworms of tokyo. Sep 01, 2017 anegawa book store 22 kanda jimbocho, chiyodaku, tokyo, japan today we visited jimbocho book town, one of the largest secondhand book markets in the world and home to over 170 bookshops. Turn the page centrally located between several universities, including meiji, nihon and senshu, jimbocho is home to over 150 bookstores, most of which deal in used texts. Its easy to lose a few hours if only that rummaging around in tokyos jinbocho neighbourhood, a bibliophile nirvana thats home to some 180 secondhand bookshops. Lack of broth volume also left bowl of ramen a bit luke warm. Jimbocho, located in tokyos central chiyodaku district, is home to close to 200 book shops, all located in an area just a few blocks big. Jul 05, 2016 jinbocho, in tokyo s chiyoda ward, is one of the worlds biggest centers for browsing used books, with around 160 stores selling volumes that range from the musty and dusty to antiquarian. A book lovers guide to tokyos jimbocho district culture trip.
Walking around book town jimbocho tokyo on oct 2020. From trade books, paperbacks, and leather bounds of all genres. Its the place to go for cheap used books, unusual books and rare collectors editions. Its about 15 minutes by train from shibuya and has the distinction of. There are specialty stores in tokyo devoted solely to these topics, but whats amazing is that all these specialty bookstores and many, many more are located in a single neighborhood called jinbocho. The tokyo art book fair, the biggest of its kind in asia, began in 2009, and this year was held on four consecutive days from october 5 at warehouse terrada located on tennozu isle. Jimbocho book town is located in tokyo s akihabara, kanda and jimbocho districts. The danger of extinction, however, only makes these bookshops more valuable. On this website, you can read travel reports and discover fascinating travel routes that allow you to take in both the iconic sights of tokyo and the beautiful natural. Jimbocho jimbocho is known as tokyo s bookshop district. Find your summer reading titles at these tokyo bookstores.
Explore jimbocho tokyo the book town of tokyo for book lovers jimbocho tokyo the book street of tokyo. Tokyo s book town houses around 180 book stores selling everything from rare antiquarian books to the latest comic volumes. This time i ordered the cucumber salad and the gyoza, cucumber salad is delicious with rice vinegar and the gyoza was a bit over cooked. Jinbocho is usually a turnoff for tourists and idle expats since a fair amount of japanese knowledge is required to browse and read. Jimbocho is to books what akihabara is to electronics, what kabukicho is to sleazy hijinks, what shibuya crossing is to firsttime visitors with videocameras. Jibocho is a neigborhood located in the kanda area of central tokyo, and wellknown for its used bookstores and universities. Go on a treasure hunt around tokyos book town jimbocho. Up to 200 bookstores can be found within a walking radius of 15 minutes, which is already a third of all secondhand bookstores located in tokyo. With around 200 bookstores and an abundance of curry restaurants, jimbocho book town is the. Head over to essential books for your japan reading list. Due to its proximity to several universities and publishing houses, jimbocho has become the mecca of used bookstores and quaint coffeeshops. Here are a few places around town where you can unplug and pick up. My husband had the ramen and loved it so we gave it another go.
Exploring the bookstores of japans booming booktown, jimbocho. Jimbocho, the secondhand book capital of tokyo, is the perfect place to spend a relaxing day cafehopping with a worn, dogeared paperback in hand. We are always looking for quality team members to join our staff. In tokyo i found some great places to buy english books such as the tower records book section in shibuya. Tokyos underappreciated book town jimbocho sometimes alternately spelled with an n as jinbochoand often referred to by its nickname of jimbou. Interesting part of tokyo s chiyoda district, the jimbocho area features many great shops related to japanese traditional paper, ancient maps, old books in jimbocho book town, you can even see shops with walls of books outside. The jimbocho area is home to publishing houses and literary agents.
Though it s best known as a haven for bibliophiles, the surrounding areas are brimming with an eclectic mix of outlets. See our complete list of things to do in tokyo s akihabara, kanda and jimbocho districts, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay. Jimbocho used book town tokyo culture many schools were established here from the meiji era 18681912, and even today there are approximately 180 used bookstores in the kanda area boasting a grand total of over 10 million volumes in their inventories. Once a literary haven for intellectuals and scholars, jimbocho still honors its cultured heritage by serving as tokyo s book town. It makes the experience a little more fun, mostly because of the rhyming. In jimbocho, tokyo s secondhand book district, many of the booksellers are likely to be the last generation of vendors to sell secondhand books in this neighborhood. When it comes to all things literary, however, no district is greater than jimbocho, tokyo s book town.
Read our guide for the best things to see and do in kanda jimbocho, tokyos very own book town. There could hardly be a better place to distract someone whos feeling lonely. Considered as the book town of tokyo, jimbocho is a haven for book lovers. Book town in jimbocho was one of my best discoveries. Nov 05, 2018 jimbocho is a historical, book centric district in central tokyo. Evening walk jimbocho, the book town in tokyo 2019. I spent all afternoon poking around shelves packed with used english books. I find it really difficult to walk past a book store without going inside. Spending a day in tokyos book district savvy tokyo. Jimbocho a booklovers haven in the heart of tokyo japan. Oct 11, 2017 tokyo is a city full of neighborhoods iconic for different things. Noodles struck me as fresh, thick and maybe not as chewy as i hoped. Unique things to do in tokyo not written in any tourist.
Tokyo is a city full of neighborhoods iconic for different things. In the hustle flow and neverending bustle of a busy city, discover a place where there are countless bookshelves and pages which are moving lightly. Apr 11, 2018 its easy to lose a few hours if only that rummaging around in tokyo s jinbocho neighbourhood, a bibliophile nirvana thats home to some 180 secondhand books. Jimbocho station tokyo metro hanzomon line, toei mita line and shinjuku line.
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