A Space That Satisfies the Curiosity of Both Book Lovers and Those Who Love Sundries

Chōjamachi, located in the heart of Nagoya, was once a thriving district, one of Japan's three major textile wholesale towns, alongside Nihonbashi Yokoyamachō in Tokyo and Senba in Osaka. While it retains its legacy as a textile wholesale town, the economic downturn has led to a noticeable number of vacant buildings in the vicinity. The Ebisu Art Lab and the Ebisu Building, featured here, are at the center of efforts to revitalize this historic district into a vibrant area focused on fashion.

Perhaps no other city of Nagoya's size boasts such a high concentration of sensitive bookstores. Whether it's their discerning selection of new releases, their self-published little presses, or their free-spirited curation of used books that transcends categories and conventions, these bookstores hint at their potential to be cultural hubs for the city.



The environment surrounding books has transformed at a speed unimaginable a decade or two ago, driven by younger readers and avid bibliophiles. The pleasure of browsing used bookstores to find books that match one's tastes offers a more direct resonance than information gleaned from existing catalogs or magazines, precisely because the pursuit is so personal.

This daily adventure of book hunting, once an extension of a niche hobby, has now permeated a broader audience, akin to searching for personal favorite sundries or furniture that complements one's lifestyle. YEBISU ART LABO FOR BOOKS is located on the fourth floor of a mixed-use building housing cafes and雑貨 shops, situated in a corner of the textile wholesale district, not far from Nagoya Station.

The ascent up the narrow stairs to the fourth floor evokes a sense of exhilaration, reminiscent of wandering through used bookstores along Tokyo's private railway lines. The books displayed in the white space offer a curated selection that satisfies the curiosity of both book lovers and those who appreciate unique雑貨.



The book selection includes foreign publications, new releases, art books, graphic design titles, picture books for children and adults, used books, and domestically and internationally published zines—craft-focused little presses—along with letterpress postcards from Sable Letterpress, letter sets using mizushima's glassine paper, and works by local Nagoya artists.

With “Communication through Paper Media” as its keyword, this space where books and people gather features a collection of books and雑貨 that feel serendipitous, drawn together by the warm personalities of the two young individuals who curate the selection.

Books are not only a medium that reflects the cutting edge of their time but also a tapestry of memory, mirroring history that remains timeless. Therefore, through these book-shaped creations, meticulously crafted with the sensibilities of our era, we can perceive the unique essence of our time. If bookstores like YEBISU ART LABO FOR BOOKS existed in every town across Japan, allowing us to discover books that carry the distinct scent of each locality, then exploring cities would undoubtedly become a more enjoyable and enriching experience.