A real factory where you can feel the breath of letterpress printing and touch the origins of bookmaking
A Tokyo spot that stimulates intellectual curiosity, where you can experience the aesthetics of typography and craftsmanship
【市谷の杜 本と活字館】
“市谷の杜 本と活字館” is a cultural facility for bookmaking that opened in Ichigaya in February 2021. Its concept is “real factory.” With letterpress printing—the origin of printing—and bookmaking as its themes, it provides a place to see, learn, and experience. The letterpress printing process, which is the origin of Dai Nippon Printing (DNP)’s business, is presented as live demonstrations where you can watch craftsmen pick type and operate the presses. The building itself is a restoration of the “Clock Tower,” once beloved as a symbol of the Ichigaya Plant, to its appearance when completed in 1926 (Taisho 15), creating a space where history and culture breathe.
Three recommended highlights
Tap or click the posted images to view them at their original size.
1. “Printing Shop” that recreates the scene of a former printing factory
The “Printing Shop” partially recreates the atmosphere of an old printing factory. You can see the equipment and processes from picking movable type (文選), assembling the forme (植字), through to printing.
In the “Printing Shop,” where rows of type shelves (ウマ) line the space, artisans pick type and run the press every day. It’s a letterpress work scene that is rarely seen nowadays.
©Ichigaya Letterpress Factory
2. Create original prints in the hands-on “Production Room”
Inside the facility is a “Production Room” where you can actually try printing and bookmaking. From analog equipment such as tabletop letterpress presses (テキン) and silkscreen to digital devices like Risograph, laser cutter, and UV printer, you can use a variety of tools in workshops to make “「本と活字館オリジナルの」” goods.
The bookmark letterpress experience is easy to enjoy even for beginners. Printing and bookbinding workshops and talk events are also held, offering many opportunities to deepen your knowledge of printing and bookmaking.
©Ichigaya Letterpress Factory
3. Regularly updated special exhibitions and interactive displays
On the second floor, special exhibitions related to movable type, letterpress printing, and bookmaking are held. The exhibits delve into a variety of lesser-known themes such as type, typefaces, printing, and bookbinding. The content changes every four months, bringing new discoveries with each visit.
©Ichigaya Letterpress Factory
Facility information
| Name | 市谷の杜 本と活字館 |
| Address | 〒162-8001 東京都新宿区市谷加賀町1-1-1 |
| Access |
Tokyo Metro Namboku Line / Yurakucho Line, Ichigaya Station: 10-minute walk from Exit 6 15-minute walk from JR Ichigaya Station Toei Shinjuku Line, Ichigaya Station: 15-minute walk from Exit 1 Toei Oedo Line, Ushigome-kagurazaka Station: 10-minute walk from Exit A1 Toei Bus Nandocho (Hashi 63): 5-minute walk Toei Bus Yakuojimachi (Shiro 61): 12-minute walk |
| Parking |
No parking available.
If you are coming by car, please use nearby coin-operated parking lots. |
| Opening hours | 10:00～18:00 |
| Closed | Monday and Tuesday (open on public holidays), year-end and New Year holidays |
| Accessibility |
Entrance ramp available (with call intercom) Multi-purpose accessible restroom (2F) Elevator available inside the facility Wheelchair rental available (1 unit) Written communication available Assistance dogs allowed |
| Official website | https://ichigaya-letterpress.jp/ |
Other recommended information
Events & Workshops
At "市谷の杜 本と活字館", a variety of events are held throughout the year.
🔸 Guided permanent exhibition tour with staff: Recommended for first-time visitors.
🔸 Printshop tour – Type selection & typesetting: Introduces the composition process of letterpress printing.
🔸 Printshop tour – Printing: Introduces the printing process of letterpress printing.
🔸 Various workshops: Occasional events such as printing/bookbinding workshops and talks to deepen knowledge about printing and bookmaking.
For the latest event information and reservations, please check the event booking page on the official website.
Shop & Cafe
Inside the facility, there is a shop for printing enthusiasts selling paper goods and tools for hands-on printing, and a cafe offering coffee and other drinks. Please stop by between tours and activities.
Online Content
For those who find it difficult to visit, content is available online as well.
🔸 VR tour: Experience the interior virtually in 360°.
🔸 Digital library: The "秀英体・活版印刷デジタルライブラリー" offers online access to historical materials related to the development of Shueitai type.
©Ichigaya Letterpress Factory
©Ichigaya Letterpress Factory
©Ichigaya Letterpress Factory
©Ichigaya Letterpress Factory
References
- "市谷の杜 本と活字館" official website: https://ichigaya-letterpress.jp/
BASIC INFORMATION
| Name |
市谷の杜 本と活字館 (イチガヤノモリ・ホントカツジカン) |
|---|---|
| Phone | 03-6386-0555 |
| Address | 1-1-1 Ichigaya-Kagacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Access |
| Official URL | https://ichigaya-letterpress.jp/ |
| Official Social Media |
|
FACILITY INFORMATION
- Parking Lot
-
Paid parking lot
- Cigarettes
-
Non-smoking
- Equipment
-
Free Wi-Fi -
Toilet -
Accessible toilet
- Other
-
Near the station -
Rain or shine -
Coin-operated lockers -
Elevator