If you’re a bookworm in Tokyo, here’s a list of shops to check out if you’re on the hunt for books in a non-Japanese language.
As one of the most densely populated cities in East Asia, it’s hardly a surprise that Tokyo is packed with some amazing bookstores; here are some of our favorites.
Ginza Tsutaya Books
Located in Ginza Six, this bookstore is the perfect combination of stunning aesthetics and extensive collection. It carries over 60,000 art magazines and books on two stories of shelves lining the walls of a single open room. It’s a design that sets the stage for the ever-changing art displays and exhibitions that take up the center of the room.
You might find a few English books, but honestly, this store is half an art gallery. You don’t need to speak Japanese to admire art.
Infinity Books and Event Space
For a decent selection of secondhand English-language books, you can find Infinity Books Japan right by Asakusa Station. It doesn’t have only popular books or classics, but plenty of rare and out-of-print titles as well. The store offers options to buy, sell, and even trade books, and since it’s so close to Asakusa Temple, a popular tourist destination, it gets plenty of traffic from people all around the world. That means (potentially) you could pick up a book more well-traveled than the average migratory bird.
Kitazawa Bookstore
Kitazawa Bookstore is a historically used bookstore located in Jimbocho (i.e., Tokyo’s booktown – it’ll show up a lot on this list.) This particular shop specializes in foreign language books, mostly English and American literature with a small selection of French and German titles. It has around 12,000 volumes on everything from academics and humanities to philosophy and folklore.
Although it’s been around since 1902, don’t think it’s some old, musty hole in the wall. With its recent 2018 renovation, it gives off an elegant, clean-cut vibe, like a well-tailored suit. (Just ignore the piles of literature stacked on the floor… books are more important than looks, you know.)
Roppongi Tsutaya Books
Settled in Tokyo’s ritzy Roppongi Hills, Roppongi Tsutaya Books offers a sophisticated blend of literary culture and modern lifestyle amenities. Here, you can expect to find both books and magazines in Japanese and English. It caters to an international, artsy crowd, complete with an in-store café and loads of comfortable, spacious reading spaces. There’s even a whole exhibition space that showcases specific themed collections.
However, you can also find a play area for kids, with books in English and Japanese.
Komiyama Bookstore
The Jimbocho neighborhood in Chiyoda Ward is, generally speaking, the best place to go for any kind of secondhand or vintage books. That’s doubly true of Komiyama Bookstore, a renowned vintage bookshop and art gallery spanning six floors in an eight-story building.
Its collection, of course, focuses on antiquarian volumes, but especially those to do with art, photography, fashion, and Japanese culture. Lately, it’s dabbled in a lot of international literature as well, so you can expect to find some English titles when you visit.
COW BOOKS
Along the Meguro River is a little off-beat book café called COW BOOKS (intentional all-caps). Established and run by a book critic, this store specializes in a lot of niche subjects and is a great place to visit if you’re interested in photography, design, art, or other specialized skills.
Most of the stock is in Japanese, but they have a small selection of English titles and a coffee bar that makes it a nice resting spot if you’re in the neighborhood.
Daikanyama T-Site
This Shibuya shop is stylish both inside and out, with a geometric white lattice giving its exterior a unique and striking look. The theme the architect had in mind was “a Library in the Woods,” which really shows when you take a look at the scenery around it, filled with lush trees.
Visitors can browse a broad variety of book genres (with a decent English section,) pop a spot on the music floor and try out a listening station, or pick out something from the movie section. It also has an in-store Starbucks (they’re everywhere, I tell you) and pet-friendly spaces.
Bohemian’s Guild
Did you think we were done with Jimbocho? Not by a long shot. Bohemian’s Guild was originally established in 1924 as Natsume Shobo, and it specializes in vintage and rare books on art, design, photography, philosophy, and more. And that’s just the first floor. The second story is a legit art gallery, showcasing original artworks, prints, and special exhibitions.
Bonus: there are plenty of books in both Japanese and English.
B&B (Book&Beer)
If you’re in the Shimokitazawa District, consider stopping by Book&Beer. This combo bar and bookshop was born from the owners’ desire to create a space where people can read and drink beer simultaneously. (Hopefully without spilling.) Their selection includes magazines, comics, and books on business and philosophy.
While there isn’t an English section, there is a children’s section with simple Japanese, and plenty of other drinks on offer (wine, coffee, tea, and soft drinks) if you’re not in the mood for a beer.
Maruzen Marunouchi Main Store
This one is a fascinating mix between a bookstore and a book museum. Holding a million Japanese books and 120,000 foreign books, Maruzen Marunochi has exhibition spaces on each floor and is just a stone’s throw away from Tokyo Station.
The store is massive, spanning across multiple floors and including two cafés with convenient, comfy seats to give your feet a break. It’s one of the best places in Tokyo for an English-speaking bibliophile to go to get a slice of book heaven.
Books Kinokuniya Tokyo
For the other best place in Tokyo for English-language books, look no further than Books Kinokuniya on the 6th floor of Shinjuku’s Takashimaya Times Square complex. This is one of the biggest bookstore chains in Asia, and its Shinjuku South branch specializes in foreign language books, especially English. Here, you can find fiction, non-fiction, travel guides, books about Japan, children’s books, magazines, and comics. It’s a great place to learn about Japan, in Japan, while in an English-friendly environment.
The Isseido Booksellers
I told you we weren’t done with Jimbocho yet. The Isseido Booksellers is another of the many stops in Tokyo’s booktown, and like Kitazawa, this one has a history stretching back over a century. It has survived fires and a massive earthquake and is still standing tall through the test of time.
Its focus is on old and rare books, both in Japanese (including pre-17th century manuscripts) and foreign languages, with a particular focus on ancient cultures.
Anegawa Nyankodo, the Cat Bookstore
Japan doesn’t just have cat cafés. With Anegawa Nyankodo, you get a whole cat-themed bookstore. Even the name takes after nyanko, a cutesy term for cats in Japanese, similar to “kitty” or “meowskers.” Located in Jimbocho, this shop only sells cat-related books and merchandise. And since a good chunk are photos and picture books, does it really matter that there’s almost nothing in English?
Italia Shobo Firenze
While most of the stores on this list have English-language books, Italia Shobo Firenze specializes in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese literature. It’s actually the first bookstore in Japan to focus on those languages, having been established almost 70 years ago in 1958. Many of the books in this treasure trove are secondhand, so expect anything from a cookbook to an antiquarian academic text. Many texts are translated from Japanese, and some are even bilingual.
MUJI Books
MUJI is well-known in Japan for its emphasis on simple, unadorned goods that emphasize minimalism and reducing clutter to improve daily life. And if you head to its flagship stores in Ginza and Yurakucho, you can find a dedicated section for books. The Ginza branch even includes a series of books in MUJI’s minimalist style, with plain white binding and straightforward black font for the title.
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K Lou
K. Lou is a writer born in the U.S. who found her way to Japan through a spiritual calling—or, more precisely, better access to tea. She writes about travel, culture, and the occasional creative piece, inspired by her enduring love of books. This love began in high school when K. Lou carried books around to avoid seeming odd while lost in thought. Once she started reading, she never stopped. With zero regrets, she continues to explore the written word and invites others to join her in celebrating its varied forms.
