felt like stepping into a literary paradise

The entire district is lined with bookstores some specializing in rare, antique editions, while others offer an extensive collection of manga, art books, and academic texts. It is said that there is a secret in the history of Jimbocho that made it into a bookstore district. During the Edo period, there were many samurai residences in the area, but in the Meiji period, they moved to various places and the residences became vacant. Apparently many schools were built there.