Kanda is the wijk between Akihabara and the Imperial Palace — Edo’s post-fire university quarter, then Tokyo’s book and printing district. Jimbocho on the south side has 200+ specialist used-book and antiquarian shops; Ogawamachi on the east is the second-hand sports-gear strip; and Kanda Myojin shrine on the north has been the protector of central Tokyo since the 1600s.
Character of the District
Three sub-areas in one wijk. Jimbocho (south, around the metro of the same name): 200+ used-book shops, all specialised — Ohya Shobo for ukiyo-e, Komiyama for art, Sanseido for new + used together. The Tokyo International Book Fair runs annually here. Ogawamachi (east, sports gear): 30+ shops for snowboards, ski, climbing, baseball — second-hand discounts of 50%+. Kanda Myojin shrine (north): 1616 founding, anime-otaku adopted it as their patron after Akihabara grew, so contemporary visitors find anime-themed ema (wishing plaques) hung among the traditional ones.
What to See in Kanda
Three anchors in Kanda:
How to Get There
Getting There
- 1Take JR Chuo Line → Kanda Station
- 1Take JR Yamanote (1 stop south) → Kanda Station
- 1Take Toei Shinjuku Line → Jimbocho
Tips
- Late-October Jimbocho Book Festival. Sidewalks become 100m of book stalls; pure pilgrimage atmosphere.
- Ogawamachi second-hand snowboards. 50%+ off retail at L-Breath and others; useful if you’re heading to Hokkaido.
- Salaryman curry rice. Kanda’s working-lunch scene is curry rice — Bondy, Ethiopia and Mandala have lines from 12:00.
Adjacent Neighborhoods
Districts on Kanda’s edge:
FAQ
English-language used books in Jimbocho?
Yes — Kitazawa Bookstore on the main strip, plus Komiyama’s art section. Most other shops are Japanese-only but some carry English ukiyo-e or art monographs.
Why anime-otaku at Kanda Myojin?
The shrine is the official protector of Akihabara’s electronics + IT companies; anime studios + game developers donate ema and ofuda for project success.
