Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward Plans New 3d Bookshelf Browsing Service; Users Will Be Able to Peruse, Reserve Books

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:00 JST, February 8, 2026

An online service that lets users browse the spines of books at public libraries in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, will be launched this year.

The Bunkyo Ward Office aims to start operating the 3D bookshelf browsing service in autumn, making it the nation’s first such initiative for public libraries. The office hopes the service will help many people connect with books, including those who cannot find time to visit libraries for such reasons as work or child-rearing.

There are 10 public libraries in the ward. They collectively hold about 1.14 million books — about 850,000 general books and about 290,000 children’s books.

Book spines will be photographed, arranged by genre and placed on an online 3D bookshelf. The service will also cover specialized books and closed-stack collections in each library.

Users can click on the spines of books that catch their eye, to view basic information such as the author and publication year. New titles will be uploaded frequently.

Anyone can access the service, and users can make reservations through the service after registering with Bunkyo Ward libraries.

About ¥25.14 million has been allocated for related expenses in the budget for the new fiscal year.

Residents of the ward borrowed an average of 16 books per person in fiscal 2023, the highest among Tokyo’s 23 wards.

“I believe there are people who are too busy to visit libraries, so I hope they’ll enjoy discovering books online [by using the new service],” said Bunkyo Ward Mayor Hironobu Narisawa.