Let’s Go: Bookbinder’s Trail Tokyo (Part 1)

Bright lights, big city — and what an amazing place for crafters, paper artists and bookbinding enthusiasts to explore!

Bookbinders’ must-sees in Tokyo

What are your favourite places to visit in Tokyo?

The city is an amazing place to buy materials, look at book designs and browse bookbinding related stuff.

On this first list are:

• Tokyu Hands
• Sekaido
• Itoya
• Kyukyodo
• Kurodaya
• Parco Book Center & NADiff
• Wrapple

(The second list is at the end of this post.)

Let’s go!

7 places for bookbinding enthusiasts

1) Tokyu Hands

(Megastores in Shinjuku, Shibuya)

Huge stores in Shinjuku and Shibuya, lots of stuff.

If you are travelling with a group, Tokyu Hands is the best because everyone can go look at whatever that interests them.

Look for “Binding goods”. You will find everything from uniquely Japanese tools such as bamboo finger roller to bookcloth, glue, mull, needles, threads, bookbinding kits… etc.

Tokyu Hands, Shibuya branch.

Tokyu Hands, Shibuya. You know this store is HUGE!

Look for this sign. Or show the shop assistant this picture on your smartphone.

Yes!

… browse slowly and enjoy.

If you can”t make it to that great paper shop Kyokyodo in Ginza, there is also a Kyukyodo corner at Tokyu Hands’ Shibuya branch.

2) Sekaido

(Art supply megastore in Shinjuku)

Home to every imaginable art material. It is down the road from Isetan department store.

There is also a smaller branch next to Shinjuku train station.

Sekaido is just down the road from Isetan department store in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Aisles and aisles of stuff – 6 floors I think – at Sekaido.

This is the paper folder at Sekaido. What do the Japanese characters say?

Look at some swatch books, buy some papers at Sekaido.

You can get little packs of origami and fold-dye papers at Sekaido.

3) Itoya

Old – founded in 1904 – but completely, breathtakingly modern and entrancing. Beautiful papers from Japan and paper mills from all over the world and lots of stationery at this huge store. Well designed displays for discerning shoppers.

They have a small outpost at Haneda airport.

It’s between Tiffany and Bulgari. Just look out for the red paperclip sign.

Entrance to Itoya.

The paper section is operated by Takeo, which has its own all-white, shrine-like store in Jimbocho area of Tokyo.

A good selection of Japanese paper.

Imports from the US.

Yes, a paper concierge is available if you need one.

Paper goods by Itoya at the international terminal of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

You can buy some handmade accordian books or four-hole stab-bound books at Itoya’s Haneda Airport shop.

4) Kyukyodo

(Flagship in Ginza)

A personal favourite! Trusted old name. Very Japanese, very popular, very long history – in business since 1663.

Don’t forget to go upstairs to look at tools and more stuff.

Just a few blocks from Itoya, right at A2 exit of Ginza subway stop.

See my old facebook post here.

Kyukyodo, a Japanese paper paradise.

Kyukyodo – What’s not to love?

Upstairs, more writing and art tools in old style glass shelves.

Kyukyodo’s staff wrapping customers’ purchases.

Kyukyodo started as an incense shop in Kyoto in 1663, supplying to the imperial household. You can still buy incense products from them.

I always buy Kyukyodo’s ultra low-key seasonal postcards. They really show you “nothingness” is not the same as “emptiness”.

Kyukyodo is right in front of exit A2 of Ginza metro stop, at the main intersection in Ginza.

5) Kurodaya

(Shop in Asakusa)

A great souvenir shop, and in business since 1857.

Beautiful, wide-ranging paper-based merchandise.

Next to the giant red lantern of the famous Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. Colourful neighbourhood full of souvenir and snacks stands, teeming with tourists.

Lots of nice paper goods inside Kurodaya in Asakusa.

Kurodaya paper shop: all kinds of paper products.

Kurodaya has many small paper gifts.

6) Bookbinding books and bookstores

You can usually find a good selection of bookbinding books at the bigger bookstores, like at Kinokuniya, or Parco Book Center (Basement of Parco Part 1).

Recommended: Anything by Misuzudo, a Japanese publisher with a focus on bookbinding and handmade books. All beautifully put together.

Away from the crowd, NADiff (New Art Diffusion) at Bunkamura arts centre in Shibuya is a fine little artsy book store.

Books about bookbinding (center six) at Parco Book Center.

Bookbinding books are shelved under “Craft” (Ku-Ra-Fu-To). I showed the staff a photo of the book I was looking for on my iPhone and she located it for me in no time.

Parco Book Center, browse away!

NADiff (New Art Diffusion) is at the basement of Bunkamura arts centre, which adjoins the Tokyu Department Store in Shibuya.

At the NADiff (New Art Diffusion) bookstore at the Bunkamura arts center in Shibuya, minibooks!

At NADiff, you can get book cloth to make a book jacket. That’s what I think they are…

7) Wrapple 

This is a giftwrap shop, but there are interesting things too like book kits, pop-up cards, Japanese papers, and lots of novelty stuff and nice giftwraps suitable for bookbinding.

It’s on the 4th floor of Parco Part 1 shopping mall in Shibuya.

Wrapple at Parco Part 1 shopping mall: find some nice wrapping paper for bookbinding.

… or a bookbinding kit…

… and some traditional dyed paper.

Colourful but quiet place. And a lady in red with a black beret.

•••

Resources

If you can read Japanese, here is a good resource for bookbinders. Ask a local for directions.

Sources for bookbinding materials.

Paper, courses and books.

Materials – Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.

This list will grow over time.

I thank Mariko for some excellent before-trip tips.

Do share if you have a favourite place in this amazing city!

•••

Want more? See Part 2 of Bookbinder’s Trail Tokyo, featuring:

• Origami Kaikan
• Shimojima
• Tanaka Washi
• Ozu Washi
• Haibara
• Maruzen/World Antiquarian Book Plaza
• Takeo
• Kakimori
• Gekkoso
• Okadaya

•••

There is also a Part 3 of Bookbinder’s Trail Tokyo, featuring:

• Pigment Tokyo
• Yamagata Kamiten
• Cat book store (Anegawa)
• Kitazawa Book Store
• Isseido Book Store
• Tokyodo Book Store
• Ginza Graphic Gallery
• Shiseido Gallery
• Takumi Craft Shop
• Tsutaya Book Store, Ginza Six

•••

For a guide to craft shops in Tokyo, see: www.tokyocraftmap.jp

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