Komiyama Book Store – Jimbocho

A few days ago I posted about the Jimbcho used book and bookstore paradise, but I wanted to save this one for a special post – the Komiyama Book Store (小宮山書店). This is a used book store that specializes in modern art, culture, photography, subculture, philosophy and recent history, with a heavy emphasis on art and photography. I have visited hundreds of used bookstores on three continents in my life so far but nothing comes even close to this place. They have the most random, most obscure and most well curated stock of any similar store I have ever come across. For a japanophile like me this store is pretty close to paradise on Earth. Anyone who was ever something in recent Japanese art and performance history and ever published, wrote or shot anything, is bound to be represented in this store. The collections are all incredibly jumbled, and you will find an autographed biography of an obscure 1970s political figure next to a signed poster sized silver print of a portrait of Mishima Yukio, in heaps and heaps. Even if you are not particularly interested in Japan they have plenty of foreign books and related items. For the sheer variety just have a look at their list of new arrivals. It is also a great place to sell your rare art book collection, which I sometimes do and regret shortly afterwards.

More Jimbocho Bookstores – Night

The best way to show the sheer multitude of choices when it comes to book stores in Jimbocho there is probably no easier way than just posting a lot of photos. Here are 17 more, showing just a few of the many many book stores that make the area so famous. There are of course a lot of the large book chains represented, flashy modern book stores, but in these posts I focus on the dingy smaller shops. At night they look even more inviting and mysterious!

When going to Jimbocho for a day of browsing I recommend leaving all your gear at home or in your room. The aisles in these stores are usually to narrow for even one person let alone two or someone carrying baskets or bags. If you are worried about your economy I would also recommend leaving your wallet at home – the risk of impulse purchases is simply too great!

Jimbocho – Tokyo’s Bookstore Paradise

Everyone in Tokyo knows that if you are into rare books, manuscripts, posters, art photography or anything printed or bound in any form whatsoever – you have to go visit Jimbocho. Conveniently located within walking distance of five absolutely massive universities in the heart of Tokyo, Jimbocho has been famous for books since 1913 when a university professor opened a book store in the heart of the area named after a 17th century Samurai whose residence used to be located here. The humble book store grew to become a publishing house and and gradually book stores flocked to the area to attracted to the money of tens of thousands of book hungry students and scholars. Virtually any kind of speciality book retailer can be found here, no matter the subject, the language or the era. Even if not actually looking for anything it is very interesting to spend a few days just browsing all the stores. One doesn’t realize the width of Japanese publishing since medieval wood block prints to today’s laser printed porn until one has been to Jimbocho! More photos to come tomorrow, of a very few stores of the hundreds of stores in an area overflowing with books!

Boroichi – Setagaya

Back in 1578, the same year the very first Thanksgiving was celebrated in North America, another tradition started in the small village of Setagaya, in what is today central Tokyo. The warlord and daimyo (feudal lord) of Odawara, Hojo Ujimasa, declared that a twice yearly market would be held in the village. Since then the market has never failed to deliver and people still visit there to shop for antiques, food, plants and clothes. The only thing that has changed really is the number of visitors, which today numbers at about 200 000 visitors per day, or 800 000 a year. Not bad for a flea market! I doubt there were 200 000 visitors today though, as the unseasonable cold and hard rain made it bit less than pleasurable to wander through the market. The market is probably one of the best flea markets in Japan and well worth a visit if you are into antiques or plants, or just like browsing and looking around. There’s also plenty of food stalls selling everything from local specialities to kebabs. So if you are free in Tokyo today and looking for something to do, I recommend heading over to the Setagaya! You can get there easily from Sangenjaya station either by the little Setagaya line or you can walk if you have the energy, it’s not too far I think.

Please pardon my photos, it was nearly impossible to get anything half decent with solid white skies, rain pouring down and people jostling around me while trying to keep my camera under my umbrella. I’ll just write this post’s photos off as a total failure and post something nicer tomorrow. Sorry! If you were there and got some nice photos please share in the comments! Oh, and if you are planning to go there today to take photos, please note that many of the stall owners don’t like to have their stalls photographed. It might be best to ask before you snap away!