The Junku Bookstore, an Institution for Japanese Books in France

Nestled between the Jardin des Tuileries and the Avenue de l’Opéra, the Junku bookstore has been the essential place to visit for lovers of Japan and its culture since 1977. The aisles contain a fine selection of books comprising novels, essays, coffee-table books, and manga, by authors from Japan and elsewhere. The team of booksellers, all Japanese, are happy to take the time to give customers information about new releases or little gems hidden in the shop’s nooks and crannies. The bookshop also offers works from the biggest publishers in Japan and France, as well as from other lesser known names, which allows readers to deepen their knowledge of the country’s culture. 

Original versions of magazines and manga

Junku is regularly supplied with titles direct from Japan, making it a must-visit for those wishing to get hold of magazines (in Japanese or English) that regularly appear on the shelves of Japanese bookshops. It is even possible to subscribe to some of them. Junku also has the special feature of offering books in both French and Japanese, with some shelves being dedicated entirely to the latter. 

The bookshop is spread over two floors and manga occupy a large part of the basement. Junku has built a reputation in this area, being the first bookshop in France to sell manga in Japanese. Stationery is also found in the basement, with paintbrushes, washi paper, pens, letter paper, and greetings cards alongside typically Japanese satchels and a multitude of kawaii stickers, giving visitors the impression that they’ve travelled to Tokyo. The Japanese capital is also overflowing with bookshops that deserve a visit, such as Morioka Shoten, which only sells one title a week, and Post, which only offers books from independent publishing houses.

Some of Junku’s collection can be found on its website.
Address: 18 rue des Pyramides, 75001 Paris