Commemorating its 130th anniversary, the long-established publishing house Shinchosha has renovated its private warehouse in Kagurazaka, Tokyo, officially opening the art and craft gallery building “soko” on March 27, 2026. Built in 1959 and registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property, the warehouse is a valuable piece of industrial heritage that once supported the flourishing of Japan’s post-war publishing culture. This rare example of warehouse architecture has now been reborn as part of Shinchosha’s “Seika” project — an initiative dedicated to exploring and presenting “kogei-teki shinsei” (a mindset of discovering beauty in crafts) — and will serve as the foundation for the project’s continued evolution.

The cavernous space, originally designed to store 5 million new books, is distinguished by countless rugged, thick beams engineered to withstand the immense weight of the stock. While vast quantities of books were once shipped from here to bookstores across the country, the warehouse’s role was significantly reduced for nearly 30 years following the relocation of Shinchosha’s logistics hubs outside Tokyo.

The revitalization of this space was driven by Shinchosha’s “Seika” project. Centered around the “Seika-no-kai” membership organization, established in 2014, the project has explored the beauty of crafts through the publication of the craft journal Kogei Seika, as well as through a wide range of exhibitions, lectures, and antique fairs. In 2024, a portion of the warehouse was renovated to create the “Sakata Room,” which showcases the collection of the late Kazumi Sakata — a legendary connoisseur — alongside spaces for exhibitions that resonate with the contemporary “seikatsu kogei” (crafts for daily life) movement.

Now, under the supervision of architect Yoshifumi Nakamura, the entire building has been fully opened. The newly inaugurated second floor houses seven galleries and cafes that share Seika’s philosophy. The lineup is notably diverse, spanning antiques, contemporary crafts, and design, and includes the antique shop “Kagurazaka Shoten” as well as “Kaikai Kiki Gallery M Cubed” led by contemporary artist Takashi Murakami.

Through its publishing business, Shinchosha has long cultivated deep expertise and a rich tradition in art, architecture, and craft. More than a mere exhibition venue, soko represents a three-dimensional embodiment of the “content” found within books — a place where aesthetic sensibilities, philosophies, and values can be shared as a lived experience. The birth of soko marks a new challenge for the venerable publisher and an expansion of the very act of publishing itself. On the occasion of its 130th anniversary, the spirit of “kogei-teki shinsei” which discovers beauty in the handmade, now begins to quietly resonate outward from this site.

Facility Overview
Name: Shinchosha Warehouse “soko”
Address: 71 Yaraicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Closed: Every 3rd Wednesday of the month, during New Year holidays, and on other designated days
*Please note that opening hours and closing days may vary by gallery.
Website: https://www.shinchosha.co.jp/special/soko/

Floor Guide
soko 2F
Café Craftern / Kogei Bunka Society
ARTISTSAN GALLERY
LiangShi
Kagurazaka Shoten
Pâte à chou
Ichigatsu to Shichigatsu
Kaikai Kiki Gallery M Cubed

soko 3F
Seika Room
Sakata Room