Jimbocho Guide - Tokyo's Book District
Jimbocho
Amidst Tokyo’s constant hum of urban life, lies a sanctuary for book lovers—the charming neighborhood of Jimbocho.
Jimbocho's winding streets are filled with bookstores, cafes, and galleries, inviting anyone who loves books to find comfort among the pages of old and new. Let's explore its history, a selection of stores to get you started, and the hidden gems it holds.
This guide delves into Jimbocho, offering recommendations for bookstores catering to various interests, from film memorabilia to academic knowledge, alongside exploring Jimbocho’s extensive food scene.
In this Jimbocho Guide
The history of Jimbocho
Exploring the bookstores
The food
The coffee
How to get there
Jimbocho
The history of Jimbocho
Nestled in the heart of Tokyo, Jimbocho bears witness to centuries of literary tradition and cultural evolution. Named after Nagaharu Jimbo, a samurai from the 17th century, the neighborhood's roots delve deep into Japan's storied past. However, its modern identity as a haven for book enthusiasts was shaped by the great fire of 1913. Despite the devastation wrought by the inferno, Jimbocho rose from the ashes, fueled by the vision of individuals like university professor Iwanami Shigeo, who established Iwanami Shoten, a bookstore that would become synonymous with the district's literary ethos.
Exploring the Bookstores
As you explore Jimbocho's long straight streets, you'll find endless rows of different bookstores, each with its own charm and specialty. From the halls of Kitazawa Bookstore, filled with rare and academic books, to the Bohemian's Guild, offering a treasure trove of art and design-related literature, Jimbocho’s collection of bookstores has something for every reader. Here is an extensive list of our recommendations.
Kobunkan Shoten
Kobunkan Shoten is a stronghold in Jimbocho. Originally catering to university students, the store started specializing in a variety of magazines, paperbacks, and comics. This longstanding store is a popular meeting place as it is situated near the Jimbocho intersection
Kobunkan Shoten Jimbocho
Kitazawa Bookstore (北沢書店)
An atmospheric second-hand book sanctuary located on the second floor. Kitazawa Bookstore is an English-language book store with a focus on academic publications. If you're looking for academic reads, this will probably be your favorite spot in Jimbocho. The store has both novels like Penguin classics as well as publications on international relations and philosophy, among others.
Kitazawa Bookstore Jimbocho
Magnif Zinebocho Jimbocho
Murayama Books
Murayama Books specializes in architecture, science, and engineering while also offering an extensive range of philosophy, history, psychology, and law books. Most are in Japanese though. If you’re lucky you can also find a small collection of hobby-related books, sometimes in English, focusing on photography, music, and travel.
Murayama Books Jimbocho
At Wonder / @Wonder
Marvel at the vast collection of Western comics and graphic novels at this mecca for comic enthusiasts. This book shop holds an extensive assortment of books and collectibles, from paperbacks to movie memorabilia. At Wonder features softcover books, sports literature, comics, and an expansive movie-related section at the rear. The shop merges subculture with antique books, creating a diverse selection that will entertain even the most dedicated collectors.
At Wonder Jimbocho
Bohemian’s Guild
Bohemian’s Guild has been a Jimbocho staple since 2004. True to its name, this store specializes in unconventional and avant-garde art. The first floor is dedicated to Western literature, photography, and art. Upstairs, you'll find a curated selection of paintings, rare books, handwritten manuscripts, and more, including over 100 original works by Yumeji Takehisa.
Bohemian’s Guild Jimbocho
Isseido Booksellers (一誠堂書店)
A time capsule preserving the essence of pre-war Japan. Isseido Booksellers opens a world of rare manuscripts, antique Western and Japanese books, old maps, scrolls, and more. This place will interest the movie buffs among you in particular, with an extensive selection of film-related books on Japanese cinema. Isseido often buys new batches of books from universities and museums overseas, resulting in a large English collection.
Isseido Booksellers Jimbocho
Komiyama Book Store (小宮山書店)
A haven for fans of contemporary art and photography, offering a curated selection of visual masterpieces. At Komiyama Book Store you can immerse yourself in a world of design, fashion, and culture as you scan their extensive collection of magazines and art books.
Komiyama Bookstore Jimbocho
Bunken Rock Side
Bunken Rock Side is renowned for its collection of rock memorabilia. The store was initially a haiku poetry bookstore run by the current proprietor's father. In the late 80s the focus of the store shifted to used books and magazines about rock music and subcultures. This shop is organized by genre, magazine, and style, making it easy to navigate.
Bunken Rock Side Jimbocho
Kenju Shorin
The collection of Kenju Shorin is so broad we can’t really put a stamp on this one. While it doesn’t focus on any single genre, it holds a wide selection of vintage 70s and 80s idol magazines, newly published magazines, how-to books, and even encyclopedias on special effects movies and TV programs. You can get lost endlessly in their collection of movie posters, stills, and anime merchandise. Luckily the shelves are neatly organized by the name of the author or magazine.
Kenju Shorin Jimbocho
Miyata Jimbocho
Yagi Shoten Used Book Store
Yagi Shoten is known for its unparalleled collection of items in the realms of film, theater, scripts, and drama. Although it might be hard to find a lot of English publications here, the store offers an extensive selection of vintage magazines, film posters, and pamphlets.
Yagi Shoten Used Book Store Jimbocho
Books Tokyodo
Books Tokyodo holds a wide-ranging collection encompassing literature, humanities, local publications, and small press editions. In 2012, the store underwent a transformation, introducing the adjoined Paper Back Cafe.
Books Tokyodo Jimbocho
Sawaguchi Book Store
This one might be a challenge if your Japanese reading skills are not on point. Sawaguchi Book Store offers an extensive selection of texts focused on history and archaeology. In addition to general history books, the store features specialized texts on topics such as castles, weaponry, philosophy, and more.
Sawaguchi Book Store Jimbocho
The food of Jimbocho
Jimbocho’s food scene excels in authenticity, with an abundance of traditional and modern eateries. While it’s always a good idea to venture off on your own and stumble on amazing food places, we provide you with our recommendations for a snack, lunch, or dinner in Jimbocho.
Beni ton Kanda Jimbocho
An izakaya as well as a regular lunch spot at the border of Jimbocho. Whatever you order at Beni ton Kanda, expect an oversized portion. Their menu offers delicious traditional options like pork bowl, curry, ginger-yaki, or karaage.
Beni ton Kanda Jimbocho
Hitashiro Jimbocho
Kushijinbo
Kushijinbo is a small and often crowded izakaya in the heart of Jimbocho. This place offers a full course set menu which comes with an all-you-can-drink option. The place has more of a pub atmosphere than an izakaya, so you'll need to be in the right mood to fully enjoy it. If you don’t fancy the set menu, you can go all out on separate dishes like yakitori, chicken paitan noodles, and more.
Kushijinbo Jimbocho
Ramen Kamezo
An old ramen gem near Jimbocho's main road, Kamezo Ramen is run by a friendly older man and serves exclusively seafood-based pork bone ramen. Although the owner doesn’t speak English, he’s happy to assist with your selections and preferences. We highly recommend the garlic tonkotsu.
Ramen Kamezo Jimbocho
Trattoria Lemon
Trattoria Lemon is a well-known Italian restaurant near Ochanomizu station. Not only can you find traditional Italian pasta and pizza here, their menu also includes Japanese fusion options like mentaiko and shimeji mushroom spaghetti. The interior has a modern vintage Italian edge, taking you out of Jimbocho’s urban environment for a moment. Don’t forget to try their signature lemon cake for dessert.
Trattoria Lemon Jimbocho
ぎょうざ屋たかく
A gyoza specialty store which also functions as an izakaya in the midst of Jimbocho district. ぎょうざ屋たかく stands as a favorite among locals, you can expect endless variations of gyoza. Some options include lamb coriander gyoza and shiitake mushroom gyoza served with Parmigiano Reggiano and olive oil. Definitely worth a visit to elevate your gyoza experience.
ぎょうざ屋たかく Jimbocho
The coffee of Jimbocho
Atacu Cafe
Only having opened in July 2023, Atacu Cafe is a fresh addition to Jimbocho’s coffee scene. The place is tiny, with four counter- and a couple of table seats. This place is perfect as a pit stop during your Jimbocho exploration sessions. Besides a quality brew, you can get a decent lunch here with a lot of sweet and savory options like salads and various cakes.
Atacu Cafe Jimbocho
Pamoja Jimbocho
How to get to Jimbocho
Jimbocho Station is serviced by the Toei Mita Line and Shinjuku Line as well as the Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line.
From Shinjuku Station:
Shinjuku Line to Jimbocho
From Tokyo Station
Hanzomon Line to Nakano
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