I’ve lost count of how many books I’ve borrowed from the libraries across Setagaya City (Tokyo) and Kawasaki. As someone who loves reading, having access both to free books and an environment that specifically facilitates studying is a dream come true for me.
To experience the Japanese library system, you don’t need to be fluent in Japanese. You just need to know where to start.
Public libraries in Japan are generally free to use, and foreign residents can usually get a library card if they live, work, or study in the municipality.
- My experience with libraries before moving to Japan
- Who is eligible to become a library member in Japan?
- Which public libraries can you use in Japan?
- What are libraries in Japan like?
- How to find a public library in Japan?
- How to get a library card in Japan
- How to borrow and reserve books in Japan?
- Using Japanese public library websites and online catalogs
- Using public libraries in Japan without fluent Japanese
My experience with libraries before moving to Japan
As a child, I used to go to the school library to spend my lunch time reading. I also regularly borrowed books from the city library so I could easily read them at home at my own convenience.
When I grew up, I read more and more English books as I learned the language. My go-to approach was to buy English books online. The reason was that such books weren’t always available at local libraries, and also that my access to public libraries was limited.
There was another cheap option too: go to the book cafe. But then I had to buy something from the cafe in order to have access to the books.
Recently my home country’s government, especially in the capital city of Jakarta, has started to provide more accessible and convenient public libraries. In general, though, I wasn’t able to read and borrow books as I pleased.
Who is eligible to become a library member in Japan?
When I moved to Japan last year, one of the things I did first was register as a library member both in my city of residence, Kawasaki, as well as the city where I work, Setagaya in Tokyo. I was lucky that Setagaya doesn’t require library applicants to live or work in the city, so I could register using just my residence card. This is unusual, and more typically you do need to be living in the city to register.
Having two parallel accounts in different cities sounded very surreal, as it promised a vast quantity of books!
Which public libraries can you use in Japan?
When I was living in the Futako-shinchi area, within Takatsu Ward, the distance from my apartment to the Takatsu Library was less than one kilometer, or 10 minutes by walking. I used to spend my weekends in that library, delving into many books on various topics.
A couple of months ago, I moved to the Kajigaya area of Takatsu. As a result, I no longer live close to the Takatsu Ward Library. Instead, my closest library is now Miyamae Ward Library, a library owned by Miyamae Ward but still under the jurisdiction of Kawasaki City.
Since I’m a Kawasaki City library member, though, I have access to all the city libraries. Thus I’ve now become a regular visitor of the Miyamae Library, even though technically my ward is still Takatsu.
What are libraries in Japan like?
As I visit more libraries in both cities, I’ve observed that these are places where people of different ages come together, to read and study whatever they’re interested in. During the summer holiday there are also lots of school-age kids doing their homework, which makes the library feel more lively and festive.
For multi-floor libraries, the first floor is usually designated for reading and borrowing books. There are rows of bookshelves, newspapers and magazines near the entrance, a service desk, and self-service machines for borrowing and returning books. There’s also usually a children’s corner on the first floor, with more colorful and cute accessories to make kids and their parents feel at home.
On the second floor, there are usually desks you can use to study and work on your laptops. Typically, work areas (using a laptop) and study areas (using only books) are strictly separated. I personally like this distinction, so that whenever I want to study, I only need to bring books. When I want to write or work, I can just bring my laptop and get “in the zone.” As a matter of fact, this article was mostly written in the library itself!
Several other things caught my eye in the libraries I have visited. All of them have drinking water, which we can use to refill our bottles, and restrooms. Some of them have vending machines nearby. One of the libraries near Ueno Park has a cafe within its building! No wonder people can spend hours there and not easily get bored.
What are library counters in Japan?
A unique concept that I’ve seen only in Japan is the library counter. This is a facility in which you can register a library account, as well as borrow, return, and make reservations for books.
Unlike a regular library, it has no bookshelves or reading area. The counter nearest to me is only about five by eight meters, with most of the space being used to store reserved books. Inside is just a pair of chairs for waiting, a registration desk, and usually two staff members on duty during opening hours.
Setagaya has three library counters in different locations, making it convenient to reserve books online and pick them up. Their opening hours are also relatively long, typically from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. This makes it easy for people to borrow books after work. They also have a dropbox for quick returns.
In my case, the nearest counter is only a one-minute walk from my office, so that has become the easiest way for me to collect and return books.
How to find a public library in Japan?
In Japan, especially where I live in the Greater Tokyo Area, it’s surprisingly easy to find the nearest library. Each city usually has one central library, and each central library has its “child” local libraries. The local library is usually within easy walking distance of the nearest transportation hub, be it a train station or bus stop.
As for my area, the library is located in front of the ward office, so it is convenient for whenever we want to deal with administration stuff and then visit the library to borrow or read books.
How to get a library card in Japan
I have mentioned how convenient libraries are in Japan. However, to enjoy that level of convenience, we need to pass the initial gate: getting an account.
Like the majority of bureaucratic systems in Japan, registration in a library involves both paperwork and an online system. It was somewhat challenging for me to get an account with my limited Japanese when I first arrived.
First, I registered my account in Setagaya City in Tokyo. I visited the Setagaya Library to create my account as well as get the “temporary code” for online activation. I had to write my name in Japanese characters, show my residence card to the staff, and provide other information such as my phone number and address. After filling in all the details successfully, the staff gave me a paper containing my temporary passcode to set up the account online.
Later I found out that I didn’t have to go as far as Setagaya Library. I could have registered for an account at the nearest library counter. Where I lived back then, the closest counter was in Futako-tamagawa.
The process was almost identical for my account registration in the Takatsu Ward, where I am currently living. I just:
- Went to the nearest library counter
- Gave them my details (name, address, etc.) via a computer
- Got the printed paper showing my registration
- Showed the paper to the library staff, so they could issue my card and temporary password for the online account
Just a couple of minutes after getting my card for Takatsu Library, I was browsing the books when a staff member approached me. She said that the katakana spelling of my name was mismatched with my ID, and she’d had to correct it on the library card and in the system. I wasn’t sure if this would matter at all with regards to borrowing a book, but I am always thankful for the excellent service from library employees.
How to borrow and reserve books in Japan?
Since I have library cards in both Setagaya and Kawasaki, I set up my online account for both cities and have been using it that way ever since.
My usual “workflow” is that, if I’m interested in a book but want to glance through it first, I just visit the library offline. Whereas if I’m sure I want to borrow the book right away without previewing it, I go straight to the website, reserve the book, and wait for the notification that the book is ready to be picked up at the nearest library or library counter.
Using Japanese public library websites and online catalogs
As I use the website more often, though, I’ve realized it offers quite a few additional features beyond reserving books.
The local catalogue lets me search books held across the municipality’s library network rather than checking each local branch individually. If a book is available at another branch, I can reserve it online and choose a convenient library or counter for pickup.
There are dedicated sections on the site for popular books and newly-added books, so you won’t miss out on any reading trends. When your borrowing period is about to end, the system also allows you to extend it online, so long as no one else has already reserved the book. You can also add books you might borrow later to a “wishlist.”
Using public libraries in Japan without fluent Japanese
The primary challenge for me has been navigating the Japanese book sections. Since my Japanese is still limited, shelf labels and book titles can be difficult to understand.
The English books section is usually much easier to recognize, although its location varies between libraries. When I visited Miyamae, I was surprised by the number of children’s books available in English. Some were fully in English, while others combined Japanese and English. This can be especially useful for families raising bilingual children in Japan.
If you have trouble finding the English shelves, basic Japanese reading skills can help. Even if you can’t read Japanese, you can always ask the staff to point you in the right direction. Being proactive and “brave” really helps here!
How to find English books in Japanese libraries
If you’re looking for English books in Japan, local public libraries can have much larger collections than you might expect. Using the Setagaya and Kawasaki catalogues, I can easily find hundreds of English books covering fiction, self-development, politics, history, and Japanese culture. There are also some translated works by well-known Japanese authors such as Haruki Murakami.
The search does not stop at the municipal level, however. The Tokyo Metropolitan Library provides a cross-library search covering public libraries across Tokyo, while the National Diet Library’s NDL Search can search collections held by public, university, and other libraries across Japan. I have not needed to use these broader services yet, as the Setagaya and Kawasaki collections have been sufficient for what I need.
Using public libraries to learn Japanese
I personally am still learning Japanese. I have not yet gotten to the level where I can easily read Japanese books, even those targeted at children.
With that being said, I frequently borrow Japanese-learning textbooks in English. These books vary from a beginner level, for those with no hiragana or katakana skills at all, to a very advanced level. Learning Japanese through textbooks also introduced me to some Japanese cultural traditions I hadn’t heard about before.
The catch is that I have only up to four weeks to continuously use a textbook—the two-week initial borrowing period, plus a two-week extension, assuming the book hasn’t been reserved by anyone else in the meantime. However, this is generally long enough for me to get a good amount of value out of any given textbook.
Conclusion
The libraries in Setagaya and Kawasaki have now become a part of my daily routine; I study Japanese there, learn new things, write down ideas, and sometimes just spend my free time delving into interesting books.
I am also amazed to see children, adults, and elderly people all using the same libraries with me. It reminds me that, wherever you live, learning is indeed a lifelong journey.