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Where to Buy English Manga in Tokyo

Japan is the home of anime and manga, so it’s not surprising that a lot of fans from all over the world visit the country to dive into the culture.

 While manga stores are everywhere in Tokyo, it can be challenging for tourists and non-Japanese readers to find manga in English or any other language. Plenty of popular manga titles have been translated to appeal to a global audience, but they’re not necessarily available in every bookstore in Japan.

 Some fans opt to do their reading on manga sites, but if you’d prefer physical copies of your favorite titles, here are six of our favorite places to find English versions of popular manga in Tokyo, Japan.

 

 

Kinokuniya Shinjuku South

Kinokuniya is a famous Japanese bookstore chain worldwide with branches in the United States and all across Asia. In Japan, these bookstores are some of the best places to hunt for reading materials. 

There are a handful of Kinokuniya branches in Tokyo, all of which have decent selections of English-translated manga, including its flagship branch in Shinjuku. However, Kinokuniya Shinjuku South in Takashimaya is known to feature the best and most extensive collection of foreign language books and manga in Japan. Make sure you drop by this specific bookstore if you’re on the hunt for English manga titles. 

Address: 6F Takashimaya Times Square South Building, 5-24-2 Sendagaya Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Nearby station: Shinjuku Station, Yoyogi Station

 

 

Yaesu Book Center

via yaesu-book.co.jp

Another major bookstore where manga lovers will enjoy spending hours at is Yaesu Book Center. The eight-story building across Tokyo Station has a particularly impressive range of foreign-language non-fiction titles, but it also has a pretty good collection of English manga. There’s also an in-house café that’s the perfect place to relax and start reading your newly purchased manga.

 Address: 2-5-1 Yaesu, Chuo, Tokyo
Nearby station: Tokyo Station

 

 

Maruzen Nihonbashi

Maruzen is another big bookstore chain in Japan and its branch in Nihonbashi boasts an especially good selection of English books and novels. Manga lovers will appreciate Maruzen Nihonbashi’s section dedicated to manga, which has a good chunk dedicated to English-translated titles.

 Address: 2-3-10 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Nearby station: Tokyo Station, Ōtemachi Station

 

 

Maruzen & Junkudo Bookstore Shibuya

via Maruzen & Junkudo Bookstore

Maruzen and Junkudo are both well-established bookstores in Japan and their collaboration stores are excellent spots to prowl for popular manga. For English-translated comics, head to the Maruzen & Junkado Bookstore in the Tokyu Department Store in Shibuya, which is a branch with an especially comprehensive English section.

 Address: 7F Tokyu Department Store 2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Nearby station: Shinjuku Station

 

 

Book Off Nishi-Gotanda

MagaCirce via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Not all travelers will think of visiting a used bookstore to hunt for popular manga titles, but there are many amazing treasures at Book Off for those who are willing to scour through the shelves. Seeking manga in your language? Book Off Plus Nishi-Gotanda probably has the biggest foreign language section among all the branches in Tokyo.

 Address: 2-29-5 Nishi-gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
Nearby station: Gotanda Station

 

 

Shosen Book Tower

It can be quite overwhelming to see the soaring Shosen Book Tower in the manga haven Akihabara, but the massive bookstore is a must-visit for manga lovers. Visit the sixth and seventh floors to check out Shosen’s large comic collection, which includes a number of popular manga titles as well as some English translations.

 Address: 1-11-1, Kandasakuma-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Nearby station: Akihabara Station

 

 

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