Tokyo’s Top 5 Stationery Stores: Chain Store Edition

Navigating through the land of stationery can be daunting for first-time customers since Japan is filled with department stores and specialty shops for office goods. And when it comes to Tokyo, the nation’s shopping mecca, it can be even more confusing. But fear not, here is a compilation of Tokyo’s best stores, whether you’re simply looking to buy a few highlighters for school or customize your own business card. 

Tokyu Hands

Tokyu Hands’ is a must-go stop for stationery lovers. With several department stores located throughout Tokyo, most of them have an entire floor dedicated to office supplies. You can find a large selection of the best and latest releases for writing tools, notebooks, planners, files and folders, letter supplies, post-it and memo notes, and much more for affordable prices.

Loft

Another popular stationery and gift store, Loft is a great place for that last-minute shopping before you head to the airport. If you are looking for a unique souvenir or a gift from Japan, look no further. Loft has a wide variety of stationery items decorated with Japan-themed designs, including notebooks, planners, cards and letters, washi tape, and stickers. And of course, they also have quintessential Japanese office items like frixion pens in all rainbow colors, erasable highlighters, staple-less staplers, and clear files.

Itoya

Itoya’s century-old flagship store, located in Ginza, has been selling stationery since 1904 and is a favorite among the locals. Their large selection of both nationally-manufactured and imported high-quality stationery is sure to impress first-time visitors. Itoya blends traditional motifs with modern trends to craft beautiful office tools with a timeless look. Do not miss their collection of classic, long-selling Itoya products that include the Romeo Mighty fountain pens, which came out during the early Taisho era, and the 1974 Skybar Note journal, with beautiful floral gold ornaments and leak-proof paper. 

Sekaido

Sekaido, which has been around since 1940, is every artist’s heaven, with five floors worth of art supplies —  from pens, pencils, and paper to canvases, ink, and brushes. The store also has art books, stationery, and supplies for printmaking, calligraphy, photography, crafting, and model making. With such a wide range of choices available, you will be sure to find pretty much everything you need in one place whether you are a hobbyist or a professional artist.

Muji

Although Muji may be more famous for its clothing and home decor, it also has its own stationery line. The brand offers a good and affordable selection of versatile, quality tools with a minimal design that will easily improve your study or work routine. There are refills available for their pens, mechanical pencils, staplers, paper cutters, tape dispensers, and notebooks. In their filing and storage section, you can also find letter stands, file boxes, various kinds of cases and pouches, desk drawers, and other office organization tools.

Bookstores

Do not forget to check bookstores in Japan! Nearly all of them have a stationary section that is worth taking a look at. Tsutaya, for instance, often makes collaborations with different artists, anime, and brands, releasing limited edition stationery goods. They recently came out with a retro collection featuring colorful patterns from the 1950s and 1960s of the Adelia glasses, which decorated the dining tables of many Japanese homes at the time.