Dec 5, 2013 - 1 min read

So Books, Shibuya

A paradise for photography books

By John Carter

Community writer

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The Logo of this bookstore is a beautiful piece of design near Yoyogi Hachiman Subway Station

The books rise from floor to ceiling. Even at 192cm, I could barely reach the top shelf

The large sprint fit perfectly with the shop's motif near Yoyogi Hachiman Subway Station

The warm inviting glow of the bookstore at night, just moments from Yoyogi Hachiman Subway Station

Make sure to have a conversation with the owner Ogasawara-san if you visit

There's a vast selection for each artist and I had a hard time choosing what to buy

If you are a fan of Japanese photographers then you’ll probably know that their books can be hard to source and expensive in countries outside of Japan. On the other hand there could be no better place than Tokyo to do your shopping as you’ll be able to find everything want if you look hard enough. Searching around can be fun but it is unnecessary when So Books has one of the largest collections of photography and art books I’ve seen. Located in the neighbouring area of Yoyogi Park, the shop resides in a small friendly street that gives a real bohemian vibe. I was in awe at the selection and must have spent over an hour looking through the vast numbers of books. Here you'll find the works of photographers such as Suda Issei, Araki Nobuyoshi, Moriyama Daido and chances are, any other name that you can think of. The owner is extremely friendly too and will offer recommendations if you ask. We had a long conversation and I left with a heavy bag of books.