Book shopping in Asia
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Classic Books/Earthcare Books
Charming family publisher-bookshop with strengths in development, environmentalism, politics, spirituality and women’s issues. Located behind Drive-Inn.
reviewed
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Oxford Book & Stationery Company
The best bookshop in Darjeeling, selling a vast selection of books and maps on Tibet, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and the Himalaya. They will mail worldwide.
reviewed
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Rachna Bookshop
Gangtok’s best-stocked and most convivial bookshop. Occasional film (Small Town Film Club) and music events are held on the upstairs terrace.
reviewed
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Fahasa Bookshop
Government-run bookshop with dictionaries, maps and general books in English and French. They have another branch at 40 ÐL Nguyen Hue
reviewed
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Good Day Books
The best selection of used English-language books in Tokyo, with a wide range of paperbacks, hardcovers and magazines.
reviewed
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Xinhua Bookstore
Sells a range of books at affordable prices. Located opposite the southeast corner of Drum Tower.
reviewed
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Librairie Papillon
Ulaanbaatar's finest bookshop, although almost everything is in French.
reviewed
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Mandarake Complex
When otaku dream of heaven, it probably looks a lot like this giant store. Mandarake has long been Tokyo’s go-to store for manga and anime, and its new Akihabara location is the largest yet. Eight storeys are piled high with comic books and DVDs, action figures and cel art just for starters. The 5th floor is devoted to women’s comics in all its pink splendour, while the 4th floor is for men. Mandarake’s original branch is in Nakano, and other branches include Shibuya and an entire Ikebukuro branch with manga for women.
reviewed
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Khan Market
Favoured by expats and Delhi’s elite, the boutiques in this enclave are devoted to fashion (including tailoring), books, sunglasses, homeware and accessories. This is the place to find gourmet groceries, from Australian grapefruit to Italian pesto. Avoid Saturday when the crowds can be exasperating. For handmade paperware (cards, diaries, photo albums etc) check out Anand Stationers. There’s a tardis-like branch of Fabindia, Anokhi and the excellent Silverline, which does attractive, reasonably priced silver and gold jewellery.
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Cathay Bookshop
There are two branches of the Cathay Bookshop on Liulichang. This branch (Gǔjí Shūdiàn), on the south side of Liulichang Xijie opposite Róngbǎozhāi, is worth checking out for its wide variety of colour art books on Chinese painting, ceramics and furniture, and its books on religion (most books are in Chinese). Upstairs has more art books, stone rubbings and antiquarian books. The store takes MasterCard and Visa. There’s another, smaller branch close by on Liulichang.
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Xidan Bookshop
The titles at this absolutely vast bookshop (Běijīng's largest) are largely Chinese, but the basement is home to what might be the city's best selection of English-language titles. There are all the classics, Austen, Dickens, Hemingway, Twain et al, but there are also books on China that have slipped past the beady eye of the censor, as well as an expanding range of new fiction. You can pick up Lonely Planet guides and maps of Běijīng here too.
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Foreign Languages Bookstore
The days when the selection of titles at these government-sponsored bookstores ran from Dickens to Sherlock Holmes are long gone. There’s now an ever-expanding range of fiction and nonfiction upstairs, as well as an impressive selection of Lonely Planet guides on the ground floor (though they sometimes refuse to stock the China guide). It’s a good place to come for titles and maps on Shànghǎi.
reviewed
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Global Lounge
Formerly known as Book Nook, Global Lounge has second-hand Western books, mostly trade paperbacks, a notice board, and internet access (with special rates if you become a member). It also sells beers, wine and cocktails, and its English-speaking staff are happy to provide tourist information. It's in a language school called Outsider behind Iyo Bank and Yamaha music store. Look for the 2nd-floor sign.
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Mandarake - Shibuya
The Shibuya branch of Mandarake stocks a range of new manga and also boasts performances by real, live cosplay (costume-play) kids in full-on anime character drag. Avid fans should also make the trek to Mandarake's huge flagship store in Nakano, with three floors packed with all manner of new and used manga, anime, games and character-related collectibles.
reviewed
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Barefoot
Designer Barbara Sansoni’s beautifully laid-out shop, located in an old villa, is justly popular for its bright hand-loomed textiles, which are fashioned into bedspreads, cushions, serviettes and other household items (or sold by the metre). You’ll also find textile-covered notebooks, lampshades and albums, and a large selection of stylish, simple clothing.
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Joint Publishing
This primarily Chinese-language bookshop has a good range of English-language books about China, and CDs and DVDs for studying the language. It’s also strong on local maps and maps of China. Most English-language titles are on the mezzanine floor. There are 15 other JP outlets, many in MTR stations, including a branch in Wan Chai (158 Hennessy Rd).
reviewed
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Seoul Selection Bookshop
Run by Hank Kim, this is the friendliest place to buy English books on Korean culture along with Korean CDs and DVDs. Staff can advise on which DVDs to buy - or you can hire them. Coffee, second-hand books and free Internet access are available too. Every Saturday morning they screen a Korean DVD with English subtitles. See the website for 'what's on'.
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Rakushi-kan
Rakushi-kan offers paper-making workshops on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with sessions at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. The one-hour course costs from ¥1000 for making sheets of washi, business cards or postcards. Reservations in Japanese should be made a week in advance and courses are held for groups of five or more.
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Akihabara Radio Kaikan
Despite its name, Radio Kaikan has nothing to do with radios and everything to do with anime. There are more than a dozen shops over eight storeys, selling manga, anime, collectibles like models and figurines, fanzines, costumes and gear. Shops include Kotobukiya, K-Books and Kayodo Hobby Lobby.
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