Best Local Bookstores In Tokyo

Above, the entrance to the Broadway Nakano. One bookstore on
the list is located there on the third floor. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of my favorite activities is to rummage around in used bookstores. That is one thing I hadn't done in Japan (well, maybe once in Sendai), but if I wanted to rummage around in bookstores, Time Out Tokyo has a list of several of the best ones.

It begins with:

In a world where Kindles are killing the bookstore, it's refreshing to realise that, in Tokyo, paper is still very much alive and trending. It's nearly impossible to stroll around any neighbourhood and not come across a secondhand bookstore, and there are new stores popping up all the time too. Just in Jimbocho, known as Tokyo's 'book town', there are over 176 secondhand bookshops, covering everything from rare collectors' titles to books featuring ukiyo-e paintings. 

Recently, there's been renewed interest in the world of printing, evident in the opening of independent bookshops that focus on the paper and the art of binding. In comparison to the one-dimensional gratification of e-books and online bookstores, these shops offer a more holistic experience by hosting exhibitions, workshops and author interaction. Here we introduce the top 10 local bookshops – from well-known to niche shops specialising in a particular field. They may not all offer books in English, but there are plenty of art, photography and comic books for your visual pleasure.

To see the best local bookstores in Tokyo, go here.