Tokyo’s Jimbocho district is renowned for its 300+ bookstores, each offering something unique and exciting. What sets @Wonder apart, however, is its alleyway entrance, bookended (pardon the pun) by near-endless shelves of second hand Japanese texts to peruse and admire, and the store’s attractive upstairs café.
@Wonder is one of the newer bookstores in the area, and upon entering you’ll immediately be struck by the emphasis placed on manga, comics, and graphic novels.
A selection of Japanese translations of Marvel and DC comics are stacked close to the stairs, themselves lined with boxes of single issues from the big American comic book publishers. And when you arrive upstairs, a delightful café area awaits to offer you a place to rest your weary bones.
After what can easily become hours of exploring and scouring every corner of every bookstore in Jimbocho, a café bordered by shelves stacked with English comics is a welcome place to relax and recharge with a latte or a Coke (they have the glass bottles – always a plus).
The range of English comics on offer here is surprisingly impressive. A lot of the newest TPBs from Image, Marvel, and DC can be found in @Wonder, and at a reasonable price. If you’re a resident of Tokyo, or just visiting, this is where you can satiate your thirst for English comics.
For many, a bookstore can only be improved by a diverse range of books and a place to sit and enjoy a coffee as you dig into your newest purchase. @Wonder offers both of these things, guaranteeing that readers of Japanese and English alike can sit and drink together, and find something to pick up and enjoy.
@Wonder is in the Jimbocho area of Tokyo which can be accessed from Jimbocho station. For a more detailed guide click here. If you’re visiting and would like somewhere equally bookish to stay, consider Book and Bed, Tokyo.