Home to approximately 176 bookstores, Jimbocho is a neighborhood devoted to physical media, featuring a mix of new, used, and rare bookshops. It’s a paradise for bookworms. Most of the books will be in Japanese, but often on the upper floors of the shops, there will be books in different languages. Many shops will be closed on Sundays and Mondays. A comprehensive guide in English here, with some highlights below:
Isseido rare and antiquarian books, with a solid English-language section.
Sawaguchi, cozy reading nook upstairs, large picture window
Komiyama, art and photography books
Shosen Grande, highly specialized collections, dedicated to trains, film, and subculture collectibles, for niche enthusiasts
Sanseido, impressive for sheer scale and thoughtful curation—it’s one of the largest general bookstores in Japan, with a deep backlist and broad selection. Also includes a curated section for unique gifts and lifestyle goods.
Bumpodo, beautiful paper, paints, tools, art books, cafe on top floor.
Kitazawa, specializes in secondhand and rare English-language books. “Display Books” are a curation vintage books for aesthetic spaces.
Ohya Shobo, antiquarian shop, extensive collection of Edo-period materials, ukiyo-e woodblock prints, ancient maps, and historical books, original works by Hokusai and Hiroshige. Staff not so friendly, but a must visit for collectors.
Jazz Bigboy or Adirondack Cafe, or On a Slow Boat To… if you want to take a coffee break from browsing, good coffee, drink drinks, vintage vibes, and jazz spinning from real records.