Reading Week

What Is Book Week?

The two weeks from October 27 to November 9 each year are Book Week (Dokusho Shukan) in Japan. It began in 1947, shortly after the end of World War II, when publishers, distributors, bookstores, public libraries, and newspapers and broadcasters joined together with the resolve "to build a peaceful, cultured nation through the power of reading." The two weeks surround Culture Day on November 3. Today the event is organized by the Japan Council for Promotion of Book Reading, which creates a new slogan and poster every year.

2026 Marks the 80th Book Week

Book Week 2026 is the 80th, running from Tuesday, October 27 to Monday, November 9. This year's slogan is "Shizuka dakedo, bōken-chū" ("Quiet, but on an adventure"). The organizer, the Japan Council for Promotion of Book Reading, holds events across Japan together with prefectural reading promotion councils and related organizations. Tuesday, November 3, which falls within the period, is the Culture Day national holiday.

How Book Week Began

Book Week was born from the hope of people who wanted to rebuild postwar Japan through books.

• The first one lasted a week: The first Book Week in 1947 ran for one week, from November 17 to 23. It was so well received that many said one week was too short, and from the second year it became two weeks, October 27 to November 9, centered on Culture Day.
• Its predecessor, "Library Week": Before the war, in 1924, the Japan Library Association had started a "Tosho Shukan" (book week). The effort, interrupted by the war, restarted after the war as Book Week.
• A nationwide event: Today, bookstores and libraries across Japan hold fairs and exhibitions for Book Week.

Other Book-Related Days to Know

Autumn is full of events and days related to books.

• Letters and Print Culture Day: October 27, the first day of Book Week, is also "Letters and Print Culture Day," set by a law promoting print culture that took effect in 2005.
• Children's Book Week: In spring, Children's Book Week runs from April 23 to May 12. April 23 is also Children's Reading Day and Sant Jordi's Day.
• Kanda Used Book Festival: Every year from late October to early November, a large used book festival is held in Jimbocho, Tokyo.

The 2026 Kanda Used Book Festival Starts October 23

The 66th Kanda Used Book Festival ("Tokyo Meibutsu Kanda Furuhon Matsuri") will be held in the used bookstore district of Kanda Jimbocho, Tokyo, from Friday, October 23 to Sunday, November 1, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (until 5 p.m. on the last day). According to the official website, more than 100 book wagons are planned along Yasukuni-dori, with about 120 participating shops and over one million books in total. This year, part of the venue differs from usual because of construction work on the Iwanami Jimbocho Building.

Reading Trivia

• Why autumn is for reading: The phrase is said to come from a poem by the Tang dynasty writer Han Yu, which says that long autumn nights are ideal for reading by lamplight. The expression also appears in Natsume Soseki's novel Sanshiro.
• Tsundoku: This Japanese word for buying books and letting them pile up unread is said to date back to the Meiji era. It has recently been introduced in English as "tsundoku."
• Paper vs. e-books: Paper books make it easier to recall content by its position on the page or in the book, while e-books are convenient to search and carry. Using each for different purposes works well.
• Public libraries: Japan has more than 3,000 public libraries, most of which lend books for free.

Ideas for Book Week

• Visit a bookstore or library and pick up a book that catches your eye, without any set goal.
• Turn off smartphone notifications and spend 30 minutes focused on a book.
• Write a one-line note after each chapter. It will help you remember the content later.
• Try a genre you don't usually read, or a book with views different from your own.

A Book for the Long Autumn Nights

Book Week began with the hopes of people who, amid postwar turmoil, wanted to build a peaceful country through the power of books. With two weeks to enjoy, you can tackle a thick novel or simply finish a light collection of essays. This Book Week, why not put your smartphone down for a while and enjoy turning the pages?