Tokyo, Japan is a dream destination for stationary lovers and artists. It offers an impressive variety of stationary shops selling unique products with amazing design and quality. Whether you’re looking for elegant pens, craft paper, kawaii stickers and cards, washi tape, paint pigments, and more, Tokyo’s stationary stores have you covered.
This list of best stationary stores in Tokyo highlights everything from iconic flagship stores to boutique, hole-in-the-wall stationary stores. It’s the only list you’ll need to discover stationary and art supply heaven in Tokyo.
1. Itoya
Itoya is a must-visit Tokyo stationary store, with a flagship located in the glitzy Ginza neighborhood. This 12-story building covers all of your stationary needs and if there’s only one stationary store you have time to visit in Tokyo, this should be the one.
Just to put things in perspective, Itoya has an entire floor dedicated to fancy pens, another one for greeting cards and letter sets, and another for paper crafts including origami and craft paper.
A little known second Itoya is located in Ginza, just behind the main one. This 4-story Itoya annex focuses on frames, printing services, and stationary specifically for kids.
Itoya also has a number of smaller locations around the country including Kyoto, Yokohama, and Osaka. Find a list of all Itoya Japan locations here.
2. LOFT
LOFT is a lifestyle goods store with locations all around Japan, with the largest locations in Shibuya and Ginza in Tokyo. It’s one of the best stores in Tokyo for buying souvenirs from Japan, and its stationary section is no joke. It sells everything from planners to stickers, to pens and post-its, often with fun and unique Japanese designs.
The Ginza and Shibuya LOFT locations feature rotating products based on the season, meaning every visit will be unique. LOFT stores around Japan also feature region-specific products and designs, making it exciting to explore every new location.
If you’re looking for stationary and other souvenirs and gifts from Japan, LOFT should be at the top of your shopping list.
3. Tokyu Hands (HANDS)
Tokyu Hands, which has rebranded as just “HANDS”, is a creative hub that rivals LOFT in its range of stationary. It also goes above and beyond in other arts and craft goods, whereas LOFT focuses more on souvenirs.
Hands is also a lifestyle goods store, but focuses on home DIY goods, which includes an impressive array of stationary and art supplies, DIY tools, and even woodworking items. If you’re starting a new hobby or looking for some more serious crafting tools, Tokyu Hands is a great store to start your journey.
Of course the Tokyu Hands stationary section is just as eclectic as LOFT, selling cute and practical items, including those made in Japan.
4. Sekaido
Sekaido in Shinjuku is an underrated Tokyo stationary store that’s another paradise for artists and stationary fans.
The first floor covers many basic stationary needs, like greeting cards, stickers, pens, and organizers. The remaining floors have a wide range of art materials and crafting supplies. Because these floors aren’t catering to tourists and are more frequented by local Japanese people working on school or home DIY projects, prices here are very reasonable.
While the Shinjuku Sekaido is the largest flagship store, smaller Sekaido stores have been popping up around Tokyo, and there’s even one in Nagoya as well.
5. Traveler's Factory
Traveler’s Factory is a boutique stationary store in Tokyo that sells unique items you can only buy in Japan. It is most known for its vintage-style journals, which are customizable with different paper inserts, cover designs, and accessories. It also sells Tokyo-branded journals and notebooks, and has a stamp corner where you can start collecting regional stamps in your newly-purchased notebooks or journals.
Traveler’s Factory also sells nostalgic travel items like Pan-Am branded stickers and stamps, international ticket stubs, and old metal compasses and carry-alls.
The main Traveler’s Factory store is located in the Nakameguro neighborhood walking distance from the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, however there is also a smaller shop inside Tokyo Station and in Narita Airport.
6. Bumpodo
Bumpodo is another under-the-radar stationary store in Tokyo located in the Jimbocho book district. This store has been operating in Jimbocho for over 100 years, providing stationary goods like pens, journals, stickers, and importantly, bookmarks, for people in the book neighborhood of Tokyo.
In addition to stationary, Bumpodo sells retro-style goods like portable radios, character goods, and products designed by small-scale artists in Tokyo. There’s always something new to discover in this hidden gem stationary store, and you’re bound to find items here that you won’t see anywhere else in Tokyo.
7. Kakimori, and Inkstand by Kakimori
Kakimori is a high-end stationary store in Tokyo that sells beautifully designed and high-quality products, ranging from pens, inks, notebooks, and letter sets. Their motto is “celebrate the joy of writing” and their sleek, hand-crafted products will help anyone do just that.
Inkstand by Kakimori is a unique spinoff store where visitors can make their own ink colors by mixing and matching from the available different hues. Take home a personalized bottle of ink that perfectly represents your next writing or drawing project!
Kakimori is a perfect store for fans of writing and calligraphy, or anyone looking to create a one-of-a-kind souvenir from Japan.
8. Kyukyodo
With other stationary heavyweights like Itoya and LOFT around the corner in Ginza, Kyukyodo is a stationary store in Tokyo that I feel doesn’t get enough love.
Kyukyodo is actually one of Japan’s oldest stationary stores, established in 1663! Although the size of the store is small, it does one thing really well: Japanese washi paper. One wall of the first floor is fully lined with intricate and exquisite Japanese-design washi paper. Kyukyodo also sells various products made with the same washi paper, including paper trays, pencil stands, wallets, book covers, and more.
This store sticks to its traditional Japanese roots, making it a great place to buy authentic Japanese stationary and other products with Japanese design.
9. MUJI
MUJI is a globally recognized Japanese brand that is known for its minimalist lifestyle products. Although MUJI is known for products other than stationary, almost all MUJI stores stock a standard set of super practical stationary goods.
MUJI stationary is simple but functional, and perfect for shoppers who want high-quality stationary at affordable prices. Their pens, notebooks, organizers, post-its, and more are perfect for everyday use as well as practical souvenirs.
10. Papier Labo
Papier Labo is a boutique stationary store in Tokyo that focuses on paper and paper-related products. They showcase sleek and minimalist handmade goods, primarily made by Japanese artisans but also international.
They also offer printing services, including typographical printing.
If you’re looking for things like postcards, calendars, minimalist notebooks, or other stationary items to fill your desk, Paper Labo is a great boutique stationary store in Tokyo for you.
11. Giovanni
Giovanni is one of Tokyo’s most unique stationary stores, located in the Kichioji neighborhood west of Shinjuku.
This store draws inspiration from the Italian Renaissance era, and sells products like rubber stamps and wax seals, quill pens, and ink bottles.
In addition to regular stationary items like letter sets and leather-bound notebooks, Giovanni also sells a collection of Tarot cards, sundials, and various other brass sculptures and models.
If you’re looking for some ‘witchy’ and unique souvenirs from Tokyo, be sure to check out Giovanni!
12. 36 Sublo
36 Sublo is another under-the-radar stationary store in Kichijoji. Although the store is tucked away in the upstairs room of a townhouse, 36 Sublo draws in many stationary enthusiasts, especially those with an affinity for small and cute things.
36 Sublo sells unique stationary items, including retro stamps and stickers, as well as trinkets like keychains, postcards and magnets. They sell a number of ticket rolls and sticker rolls, perfect for personalizing projects.
13. Caran d'Ache Boutique Ginza
Caran d’Ache is a Swiss pen and stationary brand which has a store in Tokyo’s Ginza neighborhood. It’s a must-visit destination for shoppers who appreciate fine stationary and art supplies.
Caran d’Ache sells stationary items like fountain pens and pencils, as well as art supplies like watercolor sets, among other elegant products. Their beautiful packaging makes it a great stationary store for purchasing gifts, whether it’s for professionals, creatives, or collectors.
In addition to their classic collection, Caran d’Ache in Ginza also sells limited edition and location-specific special edition pens and other stationary as well.
14. Pigment Tokyo
Pigment Tokyo is a must-visit stationary store for art supplies in Tokyo, especially for painters. Mediums available here include watercolors, acrylic paints, oil paints, alkyd resin paints, and crayons and pastels. True to their name, Pigment Tokyo has an entire wall of Instragram-perfect pigment bottles on one side of their shop.
Japanese-specific art products are sold here as well, such as sumi (charcoal) ink sticks, gold leaf powders and flakes, and various calligraphy brushes. Gift sets including gold leaf sets, Japanese watercolor kits, and box sets of color pigmets are also available.
Pigment Tokyo is the perfect place for buying art supplies for creatives in Tokyo!
15. Haibara Nihombashi
Haibara Nihombashi, similar to Kyukyodo, is a historic Tokyo stationary store which was founded in 1806 as a Japanese washi-paper store.
Now it is part stationary store, part souvenir store, and still features products made with Japanese washi-paper, including notebooks, letter sets, and postcards. Haibara notebooks and pen trays are also featured in Itoya.
They also sell Japanese woodblock art prints, and various envelopes which locals use to give cash gifts, such as for weddings and during New Years.
Read about the store’s history and specialty products on their online museum.
16. Bungubox
If you’re reading through this list of best stationary stores in Tokyo to find the best pen stores in Tokyo – here’s a store for you! Bungubox is a speciality shop located north of Jimbocho that is dedicated to fountain pens and ink.
Pens on offer include both Japanese and international brands, including exclusive pens, limited edition pens, and exclusive ink colors as well. Pens with Japanese artwork and designs on them are also available, to make a great souvenir from Japan.
If you’re a pen enthusiast visiting Tokyo, Bungubox is a must-visit for their array of high-quality products.
17. Gekkoso
Gekkoso is another Tokyo stationary store and art supply store located in Ginza. Established in 1917, Gekkoso is a vintage art supply store that was the first store in Japan to manufacture their own paint. During their long history of operation, they also once won the World Oil Paint Competition in 1971 for their color “Gekkoso Pink”.
The range here includes watercolors, original oil paints, gouache, and paint brushes, as well as journals, sketchbooks, and other stationary items.
Bring home a piece of Japan art history with you by shopping at Ginza Gekkoso!
18. mt lab.
mt (or masking tape) lab. is a masking tape / washi tape brand that you’ll find in many of the Tokyo stationary stores I listed above (LOFT and Hands, to name two). MT lab. near Asakusa is an entire store dedicated to this washi tape, offering an incredible variety of colors, shapes and designs. mt also features an upcycled masking tape made from recycled coffee filters!
It’s the perfect place to stock up on washi tape and find inspiration for your next journalling, scrapbooking, or gift-wrapping project.
19. Takeo Paper Shop
Takeo Paper Shop is another specialist stationary store in Tokyo – this one focuses on paper. High-quality paper products sold here range from textures sheets to letter sets to colorful envelopes of all sizes. They also offer letterpress, hot stamping, embossing/debossing services for their customers.
Anyone who crafts, prints, or creates on high grade papers will appreciate Takeo Paper shop’s dedication to paper craftsmanship. Flip through their sample books of different quality and material papers to pick the perfect one for you.
Takeo Paper Shop is located (rightfully) in the Jimbocho book neighborhood of Tokyo.
20. GOAT
GOAT is another specialty stationary store in Tokyo – this one focuses on Tokyo-made stationary!
GOAT’s stationary product range features the work of Tokyo artists and small businesses – the perfect place to buy a “made in Japan” souvenir. Items sold here include cards and postcards, pens, washi tape, rubber stamps, and stickers.
GOAT is located in the Yanaka Ginza neighborhood of Tokyo, which is featured on my Three Days in Tokyo itinerary.
Explore these best stationary stores in Tokyo to discover why the city is such a hub for artists, crafters, and stationary fans. Whether you’re a traveler or a local, these shops offer something special for everyone!
Looking for other things to do in Tokyo?
- Read up on my Tokyo itinerary – The Perfect Three Days in Tokyo Itinerary
- Check out the highlights – Top 15 Things To Do In Tokyo
- See Tokyo’s weird and quirky side – 50 Weird And Unique Things To Do In Tokyo
- Learn where to escape the crowds – Off-The-Beaten-Path Places In Tokyo
- Get out of the city for a day – Best Day Trips From Tokyo
- Gain some elevation over Tokyo – Six Amazing Tokyo Viewpoints
