ANN/THE JAPAN NEWS – Tokyo’s Shimbashi district, often dubbed “a haven for company employees”, is home to countless restaurants and shops ideal for unwinding after work. Among these is the charming and distinctive Showa Book Cafe.
Nestled on the third floor of the New Shimbashi Building, the cafe greets visitors with a modest paper sign displaying its name alongside photos of Japanese idols.
Upon entering, you’re met with stacks of used books available for purchase, creating an inviting atmosphere. Inside, the space features bookshelves and large tables reminiscent of a manga cafe.
The book collection, which spans manga, sports, history, and idol photo books, is dedicated to the Showa era (1926–1989).
Boasting around 6,000 books and manga across various genres, the cafe offers a nostalgic experience. As someone born in the Heisei era (1989–2019), I recognised many titles by name but had never actually held them before, making the visit a fascinating step back in time.
Owner of the cafe Seiichi Suzuki said Tetsuya Chiba is one of his favourite manga artists. “I initially started liking him because he drew female characters really well, but now, as I’m rereading his works, I like the characters who are about my age,” Suzuki said.
Among Chiba’s works, Suzuki recommended Shiden-kai no Taka. The series, published around the 1960s, depicts the life of a fighter pilot during World War II.
There are only six volumes, but it changes from a war chronicle to a story that shows the tragic nature of war, expressing the artist’s message.
Suzuki said he had dreamed of opening a cafe for years while he was working for a company in the Nishi-Shimbashi area of Tokyo. He established a company called Shimbashi Daisuki, and in November 2020, about six months after quitting his previous job, Suzuki opened the cafe.
He uses the cafe as a way to introduce people to manga he loves, and on his business card, he describes himself as a “collector” of books and other goods.
About 10 per cent of the books in the cafe are from his own collection from years ago, but to open the shop, Suzuki increased his collection by visiting used bookstores nationwide.
The cafe serves food and beverage. It also has a large screen and a karaoke machine.
Many customers come to the cafe for business meetings or to work outside the office. – Masaki Shishido
