Osaka’s ‘street of old books’ brings in both local and global visitors

Life

Ukiyo-e prints and other unique offerings help keep brick-and-mortar shops going

Japanese art works sold at the bookshops are popular with foreign visitors. (Photos by Yuto Yamane) 

YUTO YAMANE

September 7, 2025 09:05 JST

OSAKA — In a part of shopping street in central Osaka is a collection of used bookstores, all featuring stylish wood-grain exteriors and glass showcases. Located under elevated railway tracks, these stores are not just a magnet for Japanese book lovers but also foreign tourists, with unique selections ranging from ukiyo-e prints to science and mathematics treatises, depending on the preferences of each shop owner.