Daikanyama T-Site Tsutaya is a veritable cultural institution dedicated to celebrating books, music, and art. Visit for the architecture, and stay to fall in love with a bookstore.
Daikanyama T-Site Tsutaya - image © Florentyna Leow
It’s often said that bookstores are dying, but there’s still a strong reverence for printed matter in Japan. And, luckily for us, it means that a bookstore like Daikanyama T-Site can exist and flourish in the digital age.
Daikanyama T-Site Tsutaya - image © Florentyna Leow
Designed by Klein Dytham Architecture, Daikanyama T-Site is a book emporium and cultural complex by rental chain Tsutaya. Even if you’re not interested in browsing the glorious selection of books, it’s worth visiting to admire the complex alone.
Daikanyama T-Site Tsutaya - image © Florentyna Leow
Where Tsutaya shines is in its distinctly upmarket specialty departments. You can explore offerings across food, travel, art, music, and various hobbies, with complementary products catering to every niche possible. In what other bookstore can you also purchase soy sauce, fish sauce, fountain pens, and spatulas?
Daikanyama T-Site Tsutaya - image © Florentyna Leow
Their magazine section is also impressive, with hundreds of selections across a wide range of genres. Independent and mainstream journals alike are well-represented, and it’s one of the few places in the city where you’ll find this many English-language specialty magazines under one roof. For instance, up till its discontinuation, you would always be able to find the latest issue of cult food magazine Lucky Peach in Tsutaya.
Daikanyama T-Site Tsutaya - image © Florentyna Leow
Considering Tokyo’s premium on space, this is an unusually large, sprawling bookstore, with plenty of reading spaces throughout. The second floor of the bookstore has a bright, airy reading area in the music section, several comfortable sofas in the children’s section, and Anjin, a lounge with super comfortable leather-cushioned chairs and live piano music. For a marathon reading session, this Tsutaya is best visited on weekday mornings to take advantage of all the empty seats.
English name:
Daikanyama T-Site Tsutaya
Japanese name:
代官山 T-SITE 蔦屋書店
English address:
17-5 Sarugaku-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0033
Japanese address:
〒150-0033 東京都渋谷区猿楽町17-5
Opening hours:
7am-2am
Price:
Nearest Transport:
Train: 5-minute walk from the main exit of Daikan-yama Station on the Tokyu Toyoko line.
Telephone:
+81-3-3770-2525
Website:
Official website (Japanese)
Near To Here:
Daikanyama T-Site Tsutaya is located in Tokyo's Ebisu district. See our complete list of things to do in Ebisu, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.
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