The best Tokyo take-homes include beautiful notebooks, postcards and note paper. Stationery makes for terrific Tokyo souvenirs, especially for long-term travellers, because it’s not only pretty, but it’s practical, affordable, and weighs nothing at all. Fortunately Tokyo is also home to some of the world’s best stationery shops.
As you’d expect, being a writer, I’m an incessant scribbler. So wherever I go, I’ll buy a few notebooks, from New York to Mexico City, Venice to Paris. But especially in a city such as Tokyo, which is home to some of the oldest stationery stores and artisanal makers create some of the world’s most beautiful paper products.
I buy postcards, which make a light souvenir for the kilo-conscious traveller. I also use postcards as ‘thank you’ cards and to send home with gifts. Note paper always comes in handy and beautiful cards like the sumo wrestler cut-out card and the fan card, above, make gorgeous gifts in themselves. If you’re still a letter writer, endearingly old fashioned stationery sets are also a must-buy in Tokyo.
Tokyo Take-Homes – Stationery Souvenirs and Best Tokyo Stationery Shops
The Japanese are makers of some of the most beautiful stationery I’ve ever seen and Tokyo is home to some of the world’s best stationery shops in the world. In addition to notebooks, postcards and note paper, you’ll also find beautiful address books, calligraphy sets, calendars, hand fans, boxes, knick-knacks, and mouse pads.
The Japanese are masters at creating paper or washi – the finest paper of all that’s almost like fabric – and creating things with paper, and Kyukyodo are the specialists with a long tradition of producing exquisite paper products.
They opened their first store in Kyoto in 1663 and their Tokyo shop in 1880 in the same location as the current Ginza store, where I bought many of the lovely things in this post. The same family still owns the business too!
Kyukyodo is always busy with locals, including kimono-clad Japanese women stocking up on washi paper and seasonal cards. They also wrap beautifully so when they ask you if it’s a gift say it is even if it isn’t!
I bought some wonderful postcards of woodblock prints, below, which you can find at Kyukyodo and Tokyu Hands, as well as museum gift shops. You’ll also find old and new prints at Hara Shobo in the booksellers’ district, and, if you’re after collector’s quality prints, make a beeline for Ebisu-Do Gallery which also sells reproductions by the likes of Harunobu, Hiroshige and Hokusai.
You can also buy beautiful stationery at the best Tokyo department stores, such as Mitsukoshi, Matsuzakaya, and Matsuya, as well as Tokyu Hands and Loft at Shibuya-ku.
Looking for more ideas for Tokyo souvenirs? See our other posts on Tokyo take-homes, including Quintessential Keepsakes, Supermarket Snack Food Souvenirs, and Kitsch Keepsakes for Kids.
Travelling to Tokyo? See our posts on Tokyo hotels we love for first-timers to Tokyo, why you should rent a Tokyo apartment for your second stay, best Tokyo neighbourhoods, Tokyo reflections and travel tips, local tips from a Japanese designer, eating on Omoide Yokocho or ‘Memory Lane’, drinking in the tiny Golden Gai bar district, visiting Tokyo fish markets on a food tour, and a local expert’s sake sipping guide, and lessons in Japanese pop culture from local authors.
Hi Lara,
Recently, a friend who lives in Tokyo and crazy for this kind of stuff told me that a big event specialized in stationery is programmed for July. I have just googled “stationery tokyo event” and it show me that apparently this event is called ISOT but I don’t know if it is open to the public. Did you know about that?
Oh, sounds interesting. Didn’t know about that, but unfortunately we won’t be in Tokyo in July – we’ll be in New York. But thanks for the tip! Much appreciated!