An Artist Guide to the Best Art Shops in Tokyo, Japan
Confession of a Serial Art Shops Explorer
Welcome to Pawshire, I'm an artist and designer who’s simply obsessed with visiting art stores around the world. This post is a compilation of all the art shops I’ve visited in Tokyo over a few trips between 2023 and 2024.
This post was last updated in February 2025, so I hope you’ll find useful informations here.
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My List of Art Shops in Tokyo, Japan
To make things easier for you, here is the list of all Tokyo art shops I have personally visited and will talk about below.
Sekaido
Bumpodo
Gekkōsō
Itoya
Pigment
Lemon Gasui
Tools
Kinkaidō
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Art supplies shopping in Tokyo
What’s so Great about Art Shops in Tokyo Japan, though?
Since borders reopened, I’ve been back to Japan almost every autumn. My fascination with Japan is not exactly unique, I know. But it started early—back when the only cartoons I watched weren’t Disney or Warner Brothers, but manga (mainly Crayon Shin-Chan). I like to think that explains my funny personality (though I have yet to find someone to validate this claim).
As an art supply and stationery junkie, I’ve been obsessed with exploring art stores in every country I visit lately—London, Rome, Venice, Bangkok, Barcelona, Sofia… basically, wherever my feet take me. Every city has its own vibe, its own specialties, its own selection of art materials, and you’d think it’d start feeling repetitive. But no. Somehow, there’s always something new to discover.
And you know how some countries just do certain things better than others?
Well, Japan has a few of those things—like worshipping their stray cats and, of course, being home to some of the best art stores and stationery shops I have ever been to. Not an overstatement. On top of that, you will absolutely find anything in Japanese art shops. Anything, everything, so many options. For. Every. One. When I say everything, I mean you will keep discovering new supplies every time you step into a different store.
No matter how many times I go back, I always leave with my creative battery fully recharged for the next six months.
So without further ado, here’s my guide to some of the best art stores and stationery shops in Tokyo.
Sekaido | Tokyo Art Shop in Shinjuku
1.Sekaido – The One-Stop Art Shop in Tokyo
Location: Shinjuku
Best for: Artists, hobbyists, designers, craft makers—basically anyone looking for a massive variety of supplies
Sekaido is a five-story art store in the heart of Shinjuku, making it super easy to get to. The closest subway station is Shinjuku-Sanchome on the Fukutoshin Line.
I’ll be honest—when I first looked at photos of Sekaido online, I wasn’t sure if it was my kind of store. It looked more like a massive warehouse of everything than a curated art shop. But since it’s known as one of the biggest art stores in Japan (if not the biggest), I had to see it for myself.
Turns out, Sekaido was founded in 1945, so it’s been around for a while!
What You’ll Find Inside Sekaido
Sekaido sells everything. And I mean everything. If there’s an art supply you can think of, chances are, you’ll find it here.
Ground floor: Stationery, office supplies, school materials, Washi tape, stickers, and greeting cards (so many greeting cards).
1st floor: Graphic design, manga, illustration tools, and tons of Copic markers, Holbein gouache, Turner gouache, and Liquitex. Also, all sorts of supplies for hobbyists, architects, and miniaturists.
2nd floor: Fine art supplies—acrylics, oil paints, easels, brushes, and a huge selection of Japanese and European brands.
3rd & 4th floors: Frames. Just frames. Every frame imaginable, in every size and style. Never have I seen so many empty frames in one place before.
Is Sekaido Worth a Visit?
Even though it felt a little too "everything for everyone" for me, I can 100% recommend it if you need to stock up on supplies fast. If you’re short on time and want to get all your art materials in one place, this is the store to go to.
Bumpodo | Tokyo Art shop in Jimbocho
2. Bumpodo – The Best Art Shop for Cat Lovers & Studio Ghibli Fans
Location: Jimbocho
Best for: Ghibli and cat stationery ; oil paint
Bumpodo was founded back in 1887 and was one of the first art stores to introduce oil painting in Japan. Not that I’m passionate about oil paints, but it’s a cool piece of history. They even have their own brand of oil paints if you’re into that (I’m not—too many solvents, too much mess).
But the best part? The store entrance is literally a cat’s mouth. You walk right in through the cat’s mouth, and the entire store feels like something straight out of Ghibli.
Bumpodo is in Jimbocho, Tokyo’s famous bookstore district. Walking around this area already felt like an Asian 80’s movie—so many local bookshops on every corner, all stacked high with second-hand books. The kind of place that makes you want to ditch your Kindle and start reading real books again.
What You’ll Find Inside Bumpodo
On the way down to the basement and up to the 2nd floor, there are plenty of cute greeting cards to get lost in (you can imagine I did exactly that). The basement itself is dedicated to risography, woodblock printing, calligraphy, and architecture supplies. I made a few interesting discoveries of supplies I’d never seen before. Also, are you a fan of Studio Ghibli? You are? Then don’t forget to head to the 1st floor to find all the Totoro goodies! There is a cute and cosy cafe on the 2nd floor of Bumpodo, offering a comforting view over the street. I loved it a lot.
The store has three floors:
Ground floor: **Cute stationery and decorations—**mostly cat-themed. Think stickers, scarves, berets, stamps, and cat-shaped notebooks. So. Many. Cats.
Basement: Risography, calligraphy, and woodblock printing supplies. I even found some supplies I had never seen before.
1st floor: Fine art materials, all very neatly organized in a cozy space.
2nd floor: A small but super cozy café with a view over the street.
Oh, and if you love Ghibli, the 1st floor has all the Totoro goodies.
Is Bumpodo Worth a Visit?
Yes. A million times yes. This was my favorite store out of all the ones I visited that day.
It felt like I had stumbled into a secret magical shop that I’ve always dreamed of visiting.
Imagine if Harry Potter and Studio Ghibli created a kingdom together… and put a cat in charge. That’s Bumpodo.
Gekkōsō | Tokyo Art shop in Ginza
3. Gekkoso – Bes Art Shop for Unique Watercolour & Gouache
Location: Ginza
Best for: watercolour and gouache
Gekkoso has been around since 1917 and is specialized in watercolors, gouache, and illustration supplies.
Gekkōsō is one of those stores that makes you feel sophisticated when you’re inside. Is that surprising? Not quite, considering it’s located in the very posh area of Ginza, famous for luxury and trendy stores.
Rest assured though, it is nowhere near intimidating. In fact, the contrary is true! Gekkōsō is almost an alcove tucked away in the fancy Ginza building. Once you step inside, it’s a different world!
Gekkōsō was founded in 1917 and has a rich history tied to the Japanese art scene. It’s specialised in watercolour, gouache, and humour cards.
What You’ll Find Inside Gekkoso
The first thing you notice is the elegant and vintage atmosphere. The store has a charming retro-chic vibe that makes you feel like you've stepped back in time.
They have an extensive selection of watercolour and gouache paints, including their own brand. If you're a fan of these mediums, Gekkōsō is a treasure trove. They also carry a range of brushes, papers, and other painting supplies.
Gekkōsō gouache has a unique
Another unique aspect of Gekkōsō is their humour cards, which feature cute illustrations and punny poems that my rudimentary understanding of Japanese can’t yet fully appreciate. If it’s true that it takes a Japanese person 12 years to fluently read Japanese, then I have 11 more to go.
Watercolors & gouache (their specialty!)
Their own brand of paints (Gekkoso gouache has beautiful translucent packaging, but it’s tricky to use).
A collection of Japanese humor cards (which I will understand one day when my Japanese improves).
Is Gekkoso Worth a Visit?
If you love watercolors and gouache, this place is a must. It’s charming, retro-chic, and specialized in all the right ways.
G Itoya | Stationery and art shop in Ginza, Tokyo
4. Itoya Ginza – The Classy Art & Stationery Shop
Location: Ginza
Best for: stationery, creative lifestyle
Itoya is a 7-story stationery and lifestyle store right in the heart of Ginza. It's modern, stylish, and massive. You read that right, seven-story. It's huge, but luckily not all floors are created equal. They are quite segmented so the really interesting floors are a little less crowded than the first 4 floors.
I made the mistake of going there in the evening instead of early morning, so it was super crowded and hard to fully explore. If you go, I highly recommend visiting during off-peak hours to take it all in.
What You’ll Find Inside Itoya Ginza
From groud floor all the way to pretty the much 4th floor, it was really crowded. Itoya is not just famous among artists or designers but among people in general as the store offers all kinds of lifestyle, stationery and art supplies products.
So, unsurprisingly as you don’t have to be an artist or designer or a creative to enjoy Itoya. I’d say, if you want to make your life more aesthetically pleasing, there will be plenty of fine and cute items here to achieve that.
If i remember correctly, there were probably 1 or 2 floors dedicated to art supplies. That floor was definitely less crowded and beautiful arranged. I found many cute stationery like very unique Washi paper maskins tapes there too.
The first four floors are all about stationery and lifestyle items. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to add a little aesthetic touch to their life.
Art supplies are spread across one or two floors, beautifully arranged and less crowded than the rest of the store.
The 7th floor features decorative items and offers a lovely view over Ginza.
Itoya is more about fine stationery and lifestyle inspiration than hardcore art supplies.
Is Itoya Worth a Visit?
If you’re into decorative stationery or lifestyle goods, Itoya is absolutely worth a visit. While it’s not my top pick for art supplies, it’s a beautiful store with unique finds. Just make sure to visit outside of peak times for a more relaxed experience.
A pigment shop by the name of PIGMENT | Tennozu Isle Shinagawa, Tokyo
5. Pigment – The Most Beautiful Art Store in the World (Visit no matter what)
Location: Tennozu Isle
Best for: Pigment
Pigment Tokyo is an art supply store like no other. Located in the stylish Tennozu Isle area, this store is as much an architectural marvel as it is an art haven.
The interior, designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma, is breathtaking. Picture thin wooden poles creating a zen-like atmosphere that elevates every single item on display. It’s the kind of place where even art supplies look like luxury goods.
What You’ll Find Inside Pigment
Pigment specialises in traditional Japanese pigments, which are beautifully displayed in glass jars lining along an entire wall. The store also offers a wide range of calligraphy supplies, hand made japanese brushes, paint making kits, paint binding materials inks, and papers.
The highlights is undeniably their collection of over 4,200 pigments, including rare and historical colours. The store also features a workshop space where they conduct art classes and demonstrations.
Despite the store very luxurious interior, buying pigment is pretty easy and not intimidating at all. You ask the staff for a tray, you choose the jar that you want and take it off from the secured shelf, put in the tray and the staff will give you a portion of each pigment you selected.
One portion = 15 gr, and starts from as low as 200¥ and goes as high as several thousands yens for the rarer pigments.
Is Pigment Worth a Visit?
If I have not already said in the title, I will say it again here. Even if you’re not into making your own paint, Pigment is a visual and sensory experience you can’t miss. The stunning design, combined with its specialized materials, makes it my number one must-visit art store in Tokyo.
Bonus: Getting to Pigment via monorail offers some fantastic views of the city.
Lemon Gasui | Tokyo art shop in Ochanomizu
6. Lemon Gasui – A Hidden Gem for Designers & Architects
Location: Ochanomizu
Best for: professional design and architecture tools
Lemon Gasui wasn’t initially on my radar, but I stumbled upon it by chance while heading to Tools Ochanomizu. I’m so glad I did because this store completely exceeded my expectations. It has a very old vintage Japanese film atmosphere that made me stuck in there for more than an hour.
What You’ll Find Inside Lemon Gasui
There are around 4-5 floors at Lemon Gasui, with the underground being for printing and photocopy, so not very interesting but functional.
The ground floor is where you will find most of the paint & art materials. The following floors, 1st, 2nd and 3rd, host all supplies like all kind of drawing and painting, paper, architects supplies like stencils, alien looking rulers, stuffs for miniature makings. I found so many cool supplies I never expected to find such as precision rubber that looks just like a cutter. Magical.
Ground floor: Paints and general art materials.
Upper floors: A mix of tools for architects, stencils, rulers, miniature-making supplies, and more.
Is Lemon Gasui Worth a Visit?
Absolutely. Lemon Gasui feels like a Japanese movie set for designers. The layout and atmosphere are inspiring, and the variety of tools makes it a great stop for anyone in the creative field.
Tools by Copic | Tokyo art shop in Ochanomizu
7. Tools Ochanomizu – The Cool Kid of Art Shops in Tokyo
Location: Ochanomizu
Best for: manga, graphic and street art tools
First thing first, I never expected to like Ochanomizu neighbourhood this much. This is the thing I love about exploring art shops. You discover an area you otherwise wouldn’t have.
According to me, which may not give much authority to the following claim, Ochanomizu is the perfect embodiment of Tokyo. Think overlaying of metro rails, skyline in the horizon, crowded shops of all kinds, local restaurants, shrines, temples, salarymen, high-schoolers. Altogether in one place.
When you get off the subway station or JR line, you will not miss the road-bridge. Go there. You will have a view over train rails crossing each under your feet with building scapes as the background. In autume, that was surreal.
Other than that, Tools Ochanomizu Art Shop is a hip, modern, and urban art store that’s perfect for creatives with a trendy edge. Or that’s what I like to think at least.
What You’ll Find Inside Tools
I got sidetracked by Lemon Gasui before heading to Tools. In the back of my mind, I thought, "Tools might not be as impressive as it looks online." Oh, how wrong I was.
While Lemon Gasui has more of an "I'm an adult, serious designer" vibe, Tools leans into the "I'm a cool, fashionable designer" aesthetic. It’s sharp, spacious, urban, and modern.
The ground floor is entirely dedicated to Copic products and stationery. Naturally, I spent some time (and money) there. They had a lot of Japan-exclusive items, like preset palettes of Copic Acrea—of course, I grabbed one.
But I spent most of my time (about an hour) on the first floor. It had a solid selection of gouache from Liquitex and Holbein, which I also bought. There were so many cool things—metal toolboxes for artists (which I sadly had to pass on due to luggage space), artist aprons, palettes, limited-edition supplies, and craft-making kits for fabric painting, clay, and more. I wanted everything. What I really appreciated was how open and easy it was to browse. The layout made discovering new supplies feel effortless, and best of all, it wasn’t crowded.
Ground floor: A dedicated space for Copic products and stationery, including limited-edition items like pre-set Copic Acrea palettes (of course, I bought one).
1st floor: A wide range of paints, including Liquitex and Holbein gouache, as well as unique craft kits, metal toolboxes for artists, and even limited-edition supplies.
The store layout is open and spacious, making it easy to discover new materials without feeling overwhelmed.
Is Tools Ochanomizu Worth a Visit?
Yes, especially if you’re a fan of Copic or want a more modern, stylish art store experience. Plus, the surrounding area of Ochanomizu is a gem to explore.
Pro tip: Walk from Tools to Ginza (about an hour) for a scenic route filled with cool shops, coffee spots (try Glitch for the best brew), and retro-futuristic vibes.
Kinkaido | pigment shop in Taito City, Tokyo
8. Kinkaido – A Traditional Pigment Shop for those looking for the Old Japan Experience
Location: Taito City
Best for: Traditional Japanese pigment
Last on the list is a pigment store. I went to Kinkaido looking for something different, something more traditional—and that’s exactly what I found.
I didn’t explore the neighborhood much, but the streets were lined with traditional wooden buildings, old local shops, and almost no tourists. It felt like I had stepped out of Tokyo, even though the ride there wasn’t long. If you’re looking for a place that’s less polished and more rooted in traditional Japan, I’d definitely recommend taking a walk around this area.
Kinkaido feels like a step back in time, offering a serene and traditional experience far removed from Tokyo’s usual buzz.
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Kinkaido specializes in Japanese pigments—hundreds of them. That’s pretty much the entire focus of the store, along with painting tools and binding materials. The selection was filled with gorgeous, bright colors, and obviously, I took my time picking favorites. Gotta support these local businesses and keep them alive, right?
The shop itself has a warm, inviting feel, with wood as the main material. It’s run by a very kind grandpa who lets you browse freely without pressure. My rudimentary Japanese made me a bit shy, not gonna lie, but it was a lovely experience.
Price-wise, it was more affordable than Pigment, though some colors were still on the pricier side. And somehow, every color I was drawn to—both here and at Pigment—was in the 4000¥+ range for 15g. How does one always manage to have expensive taste? Mademoiselle a des goûts de luxe.
The shop itself is warm and welcoming, run by a kind grandpa who lets you explore as much as you like.
Is Kinkaido Worth a Visit?
Yes. If you’re looking for a quieter, more traditional side of Tokyo, Kinkaido is worth your time. The surrounding neighborhood, with its wooden buildings and serene shrines, adds to the charm.
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Free Printable Portrait Art - “Osaka People”
I recently went to Osaka and painted cool fashionable people. Here are the digital versions of what I painted in Japan. Printable up to A5 format. I hope you enjoy!
Download the bundle
