Reading doesn’t always have to be a solitary activity: A burgeoning book-based social scene in Tokyo and other cities is allowing English-language bibliophiles to find kindred spirits.

While literary types in Japan have been connecting through conferences and professional organizations for generations, a relatively new network of book clubs, book swaps and other gatherings is responding to the needs of a diversifying population.

Predominantly women-run, and with participants from a range of countries beyond just the Anglosphere, these spaces have attracted an eager audience through social media and word of mouth, quietly providing a platform for wholesome socializing as well as the building blocks for a vibrant community.

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