Explore Osaka, Japan, with these 15 must-visit literary highlights. From book-themed hotels to bookstores galore, this city has something for everyone.
Though not home to a book town like Tokyo, Osaka still has a rich literary culture shaped by the city’s history as a trading hub and its down-to-earth, mercantile sensibilities.
Quintessa Hotel Osaka Shinsaibashi Comic&Books
While most hotels have little more than a lounge with a bookcase to offer to starved bibliophiles abroad, Quintessa Hotel Osaka Shinsaibashi Comic & Books has an on-site, full-on library of manga, all in Japanese.
As a nice bonus, the library is very bright and modern-looking, adding visual appeal to its functionality. It carries around 8,000 volumes of classic and current manga that guests can read freely in the lobby or guestrooms. Slap some free Wi-Fi on top of that, and what more do you need?
Address: 1 Chome-8-21 Higashishinsaibashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0083
Opening hours:
– Check-in time: 3PM
– Check-out time: 11AM
BOOK AND BED TOKYO Shinsaibashi
Contrary to what the name might have you believe, this Book and Bed Tokyo is, in fact, in Osaka. Don’t worry, though, because that’s the only misleading part of the name—the promise of “books” in this hostel is 100% fulfilled.
Not only does it have a well-stocked library filled with titles in both Japanese and English and decorated with manga pages hanging from the ceiling, but the beds themselves are also built into bookcases. So, basically, you can sleep surrounded by even more books. A true bibliophile’s paradise! The hostel also comes with an attached café offering sweets and coffee.
Address: 〒542-0083 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Higashishinsaibashi, 1 Chome−19−11 3階
Opening hours:
– Check-in time: 4PM
– Check-out time: 11AM
Nakaoshoten (中尾書店)
Nakaoshoten is a used bookstore founded in 1967, so you can imagine it’s been around the block. This store is chock-full of rare Edo-period Japanese classics, ukiyo-e prints, Chinese books, volumes on medicine/science history, and other antiquarian titles.
Though pretty much all of the collection is in Japanese or Chinese, it’s still worth a visit for English speakers thanks to the array of vintage photographs and postcards. Set in a stone building with an aged air, it’s a great place to soak up an old-world atmosphere.
Address: 1 Chome-2-14 Shinsaibashisuji, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0085, Japan
Opening hours:
– Monday to Sunday: 10AM – 6:30PM
– Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday: Closed
Brooklyn Parlor Osaka
New York City’s worldwide fame is clearly evident in this vibrant, Brooklyn-style café-restaurant. This place offers American food like gourmet craft burgers and steaks, and it often hosts live music, complete with a stage and piano.
Even the design evokes a bit of Brooklyn in its brick walls and modern, stylish elements, like a starburst lamp and caged chandeliers. It also has bookshelves dotting the establishment here and there, so patrons can browse the mostly Japanese collection.
Address: Japan, 〒542-0086 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Nishishinsaibashi, 2 Chome−2−3 A-PLACE心斎橋 B1F
Opening hours:
– Monday to Sunday: 11AM – 11PM
colombo cornershop
This secondhand bookstore and café specializes in visually striking used books and magazines on fashion, photography, graphic design, architecture, and art. It carries titles in both English and Japanese, catering to both locals and tourists passing through.
On the café side, it sells affordable coffee and an intimate corner space. The inside is brimming with unique and rare finds, perfect for design enthusiasts seeking a quiet read.
Address: Japan, 〒541-0058 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Minamikyuhojimachi, 4 Chome−3−9 丸盛ビル 1F
Opening hours:
– Monday and Friday: 1PM – 7PM
– Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday: 12PM – 7PM
– Sunday: 11AM – 7PM
– Wednesday: Closed
FOLK old book store
Originally opened in 2010 and relocated to North Ham in 2012, FOLK old book store is a quirky hybrid café-bookshop. It sells a combo of new and used Japanese books on pop culture, art, and social issues alongside CDs, T-shirts, toys, and stationery.
The café is on the first floor and sells Japanese-style curry and tea. The books and other items can be found on the basement floor below. This shop also has an exhibition space for displaying art from time to time.
Address: 1F, 1 Chome-2-1 Hiranomachi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 541-0046, Japan
Opening hours:
– Tuesday to Friday: 1PM – 7PM
– Saturday and Sunday: 1PM – 6PM
– Monday: Closed
Nakanoshima Children’s Book Forest
We’ve talked about Nakanoshima Children’s Book Forest before, and it is definitely worth mentioning again. This free, reservation-based children’s library and cultural space can be found in Osaka’s Nakanoshima Park. The three-story, curved concrete building houses roughly 20,000 children’s books in multiple languages, arranged thematically to encourage discovery rather than formal classification.
Books are for on-site reading (or within the park), and the facility hosts storytelling and various community programs under the concept of a “forest of knowledge.”
Address: 1 Chome-1-28 Nakanoshima, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0005, Japan
Opening hours:
– Tuesday to Sunday: 9:30AM – 5PM
– Monday: Closed
TSUTAYA BOOKS Umeda Store
Tsutaya Books is one of the biggest bookstore chains in Japan, and many focus not only on providing high-quality reads and gift items, but also on giving each branch its own unique design. So, don’t be too shocked that there are three Osaka locations on this list.
First is the Umeda store on the 9th floor of the mall LUCUA 1100. It combines books, magazines, stationery, and design goods with a dark, elegant style. It also comes with an in-store Starbucks, encouraging browsing and reading over coffee in lounge-style seating.
Address: Japan 〒530-8558 Osaka, Kita Ward, Umeda, 3 Chome−1−3 ルクア イーレ ９Ｆ
Opening hours:
– Monday to Sunday: 8:30AM – 9PM
Books Kinokuniya Umeda Main Store
Next is Japan’s other big bookstore chain, Kinokuniya. This particular location is directly beneath Hankyu Osaka Umeda Station, making it an easy stop while riding the train between sightseeing.
This bookshop is massive, carrying around one million volumes and offering Japanese and foreign books, magazines, stationery, and roughly 10,000 DVDs. Since its stock is so vast, it also has search terminals to help you locate titles easily. Or, if you’re ever stuck, one of the staff can help you out.
Address: Japan, 〒530-0012 Osaka, Kita Ward, Shibata, 1 Chome−1−3 阪急三番街 南館 1F
Opening hours:
– Monday to Sunday: 10AM – 9PM
TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE 梅田MeRISE (KANDAI MeRISE)
Set within Kansai University’s Umeda campus, you can find this bookstore on the first floor of the building KANDAI Me RISE. (For the curious, “梅田” actually translates to “Umeda;” “Kandai” comes from mashing up “Kansai” and the Japanese word for university, “daigaku.”)
This branch stands out with a semi-circular bookcase jutting out from the ceiling and doubling as the store’s sign, the words TSUTAYA BOOK STORE proudly showing through the building’s glass floor-to-ceiling windows. It has spacious seating and an on-site Starbucks, making it great for both browsing and relaxing with a coffee or snack.
Address: 1-5 Tsurunocho, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0014, Japan
Opening hours:
– Monday to Sunday: 8AM – 9:30PM
MARUZEN & Junkudo Bookstore Umeda
MARUZEN & Junkudo Bookstore Umeda is a huge multi-floor bookstore that is actually a collaboration between two long-standing bookstore chains, Maruzen and Junkudo. Combining Maruzen’s strong foreign-language and academic selection with Junkudo’s extensive Japanese titles, you can find pretty much anything you’re looking for here.
As an added bonus, this store has an on-site café—which, frankly, given it has seven stories, is an absolute must-have so you can give your feet a break.
Address: チャスカ茶屋町, 地下1階～4階, 7-20 Chayamachi, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0013, Japan
Opening hours:
– Monday to Sunday: 10AM – 10PM
Arabiq (Coffee House & Bookshop Arabiq)
This book café has its own unique, aged charm, renovated from the early Showa period and standing out from the competition with its aesthetically pleasing desserts and drinks. It makes liberal use of small touches like sprinkling konpeito (tiny and colorful Japanese sugar candies) to give its dishes an extra pop.
The book collection also has a distinct focus on mystery and fantasy novels. It also sells quite a few dolls and paintings that only help add to the old-world mystique.
Address: Japan, 〒530-0016 Osaka, Kita Ward, Nakazaki, 3 Chome−2−14 珈琲舎書肆アラビク
Opening hours:
– Thursday to Monday: 1:30PM – 9PM
– Tuesday: Occasionally closed; please visit their official website for updates.
– Wednesday: Closed
iTohen
This is a combination of a bookstore, gallery, and café run by graphic design firm SKKY. It curates rare art, photography, design, architecture, picture books, and essays—many exclusive to Kansai—with monthly exhibits fostering artist talks.
In the café, guests can browse through a menu of french toast, keema curry, and a wide variety of drinks (teas, coffee, alcohol, juice, and chocolate milk), all for which part of the profit goes to support local creators.
Address: 2 Chome-14-18 Honjonishi, Kita Ward, Osaka, 531-0073, Japan
Opening hours:
– Saturday to Monday: 12PM – 6PM
– Tuesday to Friday: Closed
– Note: Hours and opening days change regularly. Check here ahead of time.
Shiba Ryotaro Memorial Museum
Shiba Ryotaro Memorial Museum is a museum dedicated to the famous author, Shiba Ryotaro, and stands next to his former home. Opened in 2001, it features a striking three-story atrium bookshelf holding roughly 20,000 volumes from his collection, plus his preserved study visible from the garden.
The museum also contains a hall where special exhibits, lectures, and events take place. There is an entrance fee of 800 yen (5 USD) per adult and half price for students.
Address: 3 Chome-11-18 Shimokosaka, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-0803, Japan
Opening hours:
– Tuesday to Sunday: 10AM – 5PM (last entry 4:30PM)
– Monday: Closed
TSUTAYA BOOKS Hirakata
Here’s one bookstore where you could actually strain your neck trying to look up at its top shelf. Set inside Hirakata T-SITE, a stylish lifestyle complex, this Tsutaya branch’s main features are the enormous 23-foot-high bookshelves stretching from wall to wall on either side of a three-story-tall, sunlit room.
While it’s not exactly practical to reach the upper shelves of those two giants, the store has plenty of other, regular-sized bookcases, stocking in total roughly 150,000 books and magazines for folk of all ages. There’s also a Starbucks nearby on the third floor.
Address: 12-2 Okahigashicho, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0032, Japan
Opening hours:
– Monday to Sunday: 7AM – 10PM
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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.
