Tokyo bookstore challenges sexism.

Akiko Matsuo founded Etc.books, a feminist publishing house and bookstore, after organizing a protest against gender discrimination in 2018.

Editor Akiko Matsuo remembers the first time she organized a protest. It was back in 2018, after the scandal where Tokyo Medical University manipulated entrance exam scores to limit women admissions. That’s when she realized that raising your voice matters; people actually listen!

She founded Etc.books, a feminist publishing house, that same year. The bookshop opened in 2021 in Tokyo’s Shindaita neighborhood, becoming a spot for activists and readers. With 3,000 titles on the shelves, including everything from children’s books to philosophy, it showcases a commitment to feminist values across multiple languages.

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