The area around Nawate street, where the embankments of the Kamo River once were, is known for its many antique shops. Books & Things is a cosy secondhand bookstore tucked away in a former residential nagaya (traditional row house) just off Nawate.
Entering the shop is like visiting someone’s home in Japan: you ring the doorbell, step inside, and remove your shoes at the kamachi (raised entrance) before proceeding into a tatami room. The walls of the compact space are lined with large-format books, mostly photography collections and art-related publications, some of which were personally sourced by the owner from overseas. In addition to books, the store sells posters and prints by photographers.
With around 600 books in its collection, it may not be the largest purveyor of used tomes out there, but the careful curation and pristine condition of each volume reflect the owner’s discerning eye.