I never considered visiting Kyoto during Japan’s notoriously hot and humid summer until I read about The Shimogamo Nōryō Furuhon Matsuri (下鴨納涼古本まつり) Japan’s largest annual outdoor secondhand book festival. It takes place in the ancient, protected primeval forest of Tadasu no Mori, which is located on the grounds of the UNESCO World Heritage site, Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto.
Held for five days every August, it’s the largest outdoor booksale and literary event in Japan. The Shimogamo Nōryō Furuhon Matsuri offers more than half a million antiquarian and secondhand books across Tadasu no Mori, the ancient grove of Shimogamo Shrine. Edo-period printings sit beside paperbacks and one of the largest children’s sections in Japan; booksellers have gathered there for thirty-nine summers, and the shrine has stood since the sixth century. The city has the same hold on its writers. These books will let you travel there.
- Massive Selection: Dozens of local and regional booksellers from Kyoto, Osaka, and Shiga gather to set up tables under the forest canopy. They present anywhere from 300,000 to over 800,000 items.
- Diverse Treasures: Inventory ranges from cheap pocket paperbacks starting at just 100 yen, up to highly rare Edo-period woodblock prints, vintage posters, art books, old maps, vinyl records, and historic scrolls. It also features one of the largest children’s book sections in Japan.
- The Atmosphere: The word “Nōryō” means “cooling off in summer.” The dense shade and natural breeze of the ancient forest offer a relaxing, cool escape from Kyoto’s intense August humidity while you hunt for bargains. Food and drink stalls are usually available on-site.
- Pop Culture Tie-in: The unique setting of this forest book festival is famously depicted in the acclaimed anime film The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl.
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