Jimbōchō Book Town is known as Tokyo's center of used-book stores and publishing houses, and as a popular antique and curio shopping area.

The prestigious Tokyo Book Binding Club and Literature Preservation Society are located in Jinbōchō, and the area is within walking distance of a number of major universities, including Nihon, Senshu, Meiji, Hosei and Juntendo.

In 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake caused a fire destroying much of the former Kanda-ku including the Jinbocho library and campus of the University of Tokyo, which was subsequently relocated to Bunkyo-ku.

Over time, the area became increasingly popular with university students and intellectuals, and many more small bookstores and cafes opened there.

More recently, the Chiyoda municipal government sponsored a major redevelopment project in Jinbōchō which led to three new high-rise office buildings being completed in 2003, further boosting the local economy.