Tokyo | Shop for Ukiyo-e woodblock prints at Jimbocho, Japan's largest used book distribution center.

If you, like me, enjoy the tactile feel of a printed book, then Tokyo's Jimbocho is a place book lovers will absolutely go crazy for. It's a hub for antique books, many of which are sold for pennies, having passed through many hands before arriving here.

I actually initially went to Jimbocho looking for Hokusai Katsushika's The Great Wave off Kanagawa. With the shopkeeper's permission, I managed to snap a few photos without having to cover anyone. There's a wide selection of reproductions of ukiyo-e prints here, and I ultimately chose the famous Hundred Views of Edo, Utagawa Hiroshige's Meguro New Fuji, and Asakusa Kinryuzan. Framed and hung in my home, they'll create a sense of Japanese charm.
This shop also has a rare old copy of Satomi Hakkenden and a collection of old biwa tablatures.
The entire Antique Book Street stretches a kilometer from east to west. Sakura-dori and Suzuran-dori, adjacent to the main street, are also lined with antique bookstores. Novels line the entire street wall, allowing customers to browse and select as they please, as well as library-quality collections like Tokugawa prohibitions and Heian period studies. There are also religious books, such as the Complete Works of the Soto Zen Zen Buddhism and the Shinto Dictionary, among other specialized works. There's even a hotel with antique books here, claiming to offer a place to stay surrounded by books and indulge in reading.

Also, please note that most shops here prohibit photography.

📍Address: 2 Chome-20-26 Kanda Jinbocho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0051, Japan
🚗A two-minute walk from Jimbocho Station.
#SeptemberGoodPlaces2025

Post by 旅行中的野馬 | Sep 24, 2025