As a lover of photo books, I would like to recommend some Photobook stores in Japan.
Please visit them when you come to Japan.
TOKYO
Flotsam books
Website: https://www.flotsambooks.com/
Address: 1 Chome-10-7 Izumi, Suginami City, Tokyo 168-0063
This store mainly deals in photo books.
The owner, Mr. Kobayashi, has a great sense of style and handles cool photo books and art books from all over the world.
Most of the books are new publications, but they also carry used books. The prices are inexpensive, and popular items sell out quickly, but we also carry many books that can only be purchased through this store in Japan.
We are strong in fashion-related photo books, and we also carry zines.
In addition to photo books, we also carry books on design, such as collections of works by overseas designers, exhibition catalogs, and typography books that you can find only at this store.
The store often holds exhibitions of artists and book events.
Post
Website: http://post-books.info/
Address: 2 Chome-10-3 Ebisuminami, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0022
A gallery and bookshop in Ebisu.
The owner, Mr. Nakajima, also organizes the Tokyo Art Book Fair, so you can be sure of a good selection.
Book obscura
Website: http://bookobscura.com/
Address: 〒181-0001 Tokyo, Mitaka, Inokashira, 4 Chome−21−5 フジパークマンション 103
A new + used bookstore in Kichijoji (Inokashira Park) selling photography books and art books.
There is also a gallery (exhibition space) inside the store, where you can see exhibitions of photographers and artists.
Various photography books are displayed according to the owner’s classification of genres, so it is easy to browse, even though there are a lot of books. This bookshop is recommended for students and those who are beginning to be interested in photography books and art books.
Shelf
Website: http://www.shelf.ne.jp/
Address: 3 Chome-7-4 Jingumae, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0001
This is a well-established bookstore specializing in photo books.
So books
Website: https://sobooks.jp/
Address: 1 Chome-47-5 Uehara, Shibuya City, Tokyo 151-0064
SKWAT/twelvebooks
Website: https://www.skwat.site/AOYAMA
Address: 5 Chome-3-2 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062
This space is for twelvebooks, a distributor of MACK and other products in Japan.
Totodo
Website: http://totodo.jp/
Address: 〒150-0032 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Uguisudanicho, 5−7 第2ヴィラ青山1F
A long-established design-related antiquarian bookstore with a store in Shibuya.
The store carries many famous and rare books on architecture, design, and photography.
Utrecht
Website: http://utrecht.jp/
Address: 〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae, 5 Chome−36−6 ケーリーマンション
A bookstore located in Harajuku, Tokyo, offering a wide variety of zines and other publications.
Tsutaya books Daikanyama
Website: https://store.tsite.jp/daikanyama/
Address: 〒150-0033 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Sarugakucho, 17−5 代官山Ｔ－ＳＩＴＥ １号館～３号館 １階～２階
TSUTAYA’s Daikanyama branch. This store has a fairly large selection of photo books, both old and new.
OSAKA
Book of days
Website: http://www.bookofdays-shop.com/
Address: 〒550-0011 Osaka, Nishi Ward, Awaza, 1 Chome−10−2 ボンジュール阿波座 202号
A bookstore with a store in Osaka’s Nishi Ward.
They carry a large number of cool photo books.
They also have a discount service for members.
I visited the store when I was on a trip to Osaka, and the store is quite spacious, with many nice art books and photo books.
KANAZAWA
Iack
Website: https://www.iack.online/
Address: 〒920-0864 Ishikawa, Kanazawa, Takaokamachi, 18−3 IACK
A gallery, bookshop and distributor located in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
The location is used as photographer Yukihito Kono’s studio, but on weekends it is open as a gallery.
Since 2018, they have been working as a distributor for international independent publishers such as JM Ramirez Suassi, Multipress, and Overlapse, as well as self-published works.
The books they carry are wonderful and I buy a book every time I see them at an event in Tokyo.
Art, Design, Photobook shop in Japan Map
The following Google map shows bookshops in Japan that sell the design, art books and photo books introduced in this article.
Art, Design, Photobook shop in Japan
https://goo.gl/maps/GEpytqKZjygcEhag8
Header: Lubos HouskaによるPixabayからの画像