Private company
Book Off
Logo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3
Japanese chain of used bookstores
Book Off (ブックオフコーポレーション, Bukku Ofu Kōporēshon) (TYO: 3313), stylized as BOOKOFF, is Japan's largest chain of used bookstores. Founded in August 1991, the company has had explosive success, expanding to over 850 stores throughout Japan and several overseas locations. In addition to books, its chains also sell manga, CDs, DVDs, video games, and used video game consoles, mobile phones, portable media players, and sports equipment.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0
Last updated Oct 21, 2026.
Overview
- Industryretail1
- HeadquartersSagamihara1
- Websitewww.bookoff.co.jp
- Legal formkabushiki gaisha1
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Book Off (ブックオフコーポレーション, Bukku Ofu Kōporēshon) (TYO: 3313), stylized as BOOKOFF, is Japan's largest chain of used bookstores. Founded in August 1991, the company has had explosive success, expanding to over 850 stores throughout Japan and several overseas locations. In addition to books, its chains also sell manga, CDs, DVDs, video games, and used video game consoles, mobile phones, portable media players, and sports equipment. Stores are distinguished by their large surface area, cleanliness, and bright illumination.2
Products and brands
Operations
Book Off stores are large and browsing is encouraged. Another innovation cited for its success is the practice of shaving the edges off the pages of books using a special machine in order to make them appear newer. By offering a wide selection of books that appear like new at reduced prices, Book Off has aggressively targeted conventional bookstore chains, which since 1953 have been unable to discount new and near-new books and other media due to government regulations which enable a publisher's cartel.
Book Off is frequently cited as a rare example of a corporation that was able to grow during the so-called "lost decade" of economic stagnation that followed the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble, through its use of innovative business strategies. It expanded from merely used books to used second-hand merchandise through its Hard Off stores, and to the video rental market through Tsutaya.
In October 2026, Book Off Group Holdings reported that unauthorized access to a subsidiary's membership management system may have exposed up to approximately 6.43 million member records, including names and addresses. The company said payment information was not stored in the affected system.
Brands
The Book Off group includes a range of sister brands including:
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Hard Off, selling electronic goods and hardware (also known as Eco Tek in the United States)
Off House, selling household items
Hobby Off, selling hobby related goods
Mode Off, selling used fashion
Garage Off
Liquor Off, selling discount liquor
International stores
Book Off also operates several stores in the United States, two in Seoul and three in Paris. In the United States there are four stores in New York, ten in California, two in Hawaii, and one in Arizona and Michigan. There are eight stores in Malaysia operating under the Jalan Jalan Japan brand. Both a Hard off, and a Hobby off, operate in Taiwan.
Former
In 2012, it closed its only Canadian store in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was previously opened in July 2005.
From Wikipedia’s article on Book Off, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4
Subsidiaries and ownership
Owners
Subsidiaries
- BOOK OFF
From Wikidata.1
Timeline
- 1991Founded Founded1
Links
- Websitewww.bookoff.co.jp1
- Facebookwww.facebook.com/bookoffcorporation1
- Instagramwww.instagram.com/bookoff_official1
- WikipediaBook Off
- More imagesWikimedia Commons
- WikidataQ893011
Sources
The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.
- 1WikidataBook Off on Wikidata
- 2WikipediaBook Off on Wikipedia
- 3Wikimedia CommonsBook Off logo by Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- 4
- 5Wikimedia CommonsBook Off photo by Helito, CC BY-SA 4.0