One of the most common emails I receive is asking for tips about fabric shopping in Tokyo. This is something I’ve had a little bit of experience with! And now I’m sharing it here for you too – places to go, tips for tourists and a bit of language to help you get that fabric cut.
Updated July, 2018
Map Of Fabric Shops In Tokyo
View Fabric Shopping In Tokyo in a larger map
First on the list is where to go – Yuzawaya and Nippori Textile Town are the top two must-go places for fabric shopping in Tokyo. I have marked everything I discuss in this post on this map for easy hunting. Click through to view it larger and to navigate around.
Yuzawaya
Yuzawaya aka ユザワヤ is the all-inclusive craft and hobby store – like Spotlight in Australia or Joann’s in the USA… but better. With several locations around Tokyo, there’s sure to be one near you! Yuzawaya definitely the number one place to go if you have to choose just one place to go, stocking loads of Japanese craft books and fabrics plus sashiko, embroidery supplies including DMC and Cosmo threads, notions, buttons, trims, zippers, patterns, books, yarn and more. They accept cash and credit card, plus cut your fabric in 10cm increments. There is a membership card available for 500 yen for one year that gives you 10% off full-price stock (7% if paying by credit card) if you know a friend with one to borrow or some Japanese to sign up!
Tsudanuma – Only 29 minutes on the JR Sobu Rapid (dark blue) line from Tokyo Station. Take the West exit from the station and head for the big red ユザワヤ sign on the right side of the street opposite the Morisia shopping mall. The first floor has a few crafting and beading supplies, with the rest of the store located on the second floor. The third floor has a large Daiso store full of 100 yen goodies – check out the stationery section for cheap origami papers and bilingual instruction books!
Right next door is a big book store – Maruzen – which carries a large range of Japanese craft and sewing magazines on the second floor. You can access it via the second floor of Yuzawaya.
Kichijoji – This Yuzawaya is located inside a department store. It’s is on the 7th and 8th floors of the Marui department store out the South exit of the JR Kichijoji station, which you can get to in 29 minutes from Tokyo Station on the JR Chuo Rapid (orange) line.
Kamata – This is the flagship store, and the biggest Yuzawaya in Tokyo, spread across three different buildings! Building 6 is the one with all the fabric and sewing supplies, and you can get there in 22 minutes from Tokyo Station on the JR Keihin-Tohoku (light blue) line and then head out the West exit. Be sure to check out all the floors, as you’ll find a large variety of fabrics and notions spread around.
Ginza* – And right in the centre of Tokyo, is yet another Yuzawaya that is a 15-20 minute walk from Tokyo Station. Head out the Yaesu (East) exit and it’s right near the Ginza Metro station.
Nippori Textile Town
Nippori Textile Town, or Nippori Fabric Town, is definitely the other place to go if you don’t have much time to travel around Tokyo. Only 12 minutes from Tokyo Station on the JR Yamanote (light green) loop line, there is a whole street dedicated to fabric and trims galore! Take plenty of cash, as many stores only take cash. From the JR Nippori Station, take the East exit and head to the far right corner street of the “square” outside.
FOOD TIP – At the station, you’ll find a few little restaurants. I highly recommend the Tempura Tendon Tenya for noodles, rice and tempura meals. Delicious, cheap, filling, and they have an English menu!
Tomato – The popular Tomato store includes several locations, but the one quilters want is the four-story building on the lefthand side of the street as you walk from the station. They accept cash and credit card, and used to only cut in 1m increments, but I believe you may be able to get half-metre cuts for some of the fabrics.
The bottom floor is packed full of clearance fabrics starting from 105 yen ($1) per metre! The third floor has a great range of Japanese cotton fabrics.
The fourth floor is where you’ll find all the quilting cottons, including Echino, Kokka and licensed fabrics. You order fabric here by the metre, and hunt high and low on the shelving and in all the corners, as you never know what bargains you will find! Heather Ross for 400 yen ($4) a metre? Melody Miller for 600 yen ($6) a metre? Gotta find it!
The Anonymous Shop – or as I like to call it, the Little Blue Shop… I don’t actually know the name of this store! There is no signage, and it’s tucked under a tall building. But it’s right opposite the big Tomato store, second building from the corner. Downstairs is packed full of cheap precuts and remnants, and upstairs you can find most of these precuts on the bolts. A real treasure trove for traditional prints on cotton, as well as amazing geometric prints.
Mihama – This is the place to go for smaller precuts of designer Japanese prints and Molli Sparkles Approved. It’s on the same side of the street as the big Tomato store and on the first corner heading back to the station (or the corner just before Tomato if coming from the station!). Around the corner is a second building of fabric, so don’t forget to check that out too. We’re talking 2 metres precuts of Kokka and Echino for $6!
*Stores I have not yet visited but either Googled or have friends recommended – I will update when I have!
Other Resources:
My Japanese Language Tips for helping you work out the money and numbers for purchasing your fabric
Yuzawaya website – In Japanese, but use Google Chrome to auto-translate what it can
Tomatoes and Jasmine’s guide to fabric shopping in Tokyo
Amy says
Great tips, Alyce! I am trying to convince B that we need to head to Japan in the next two years and fabric shopping is on my list of things to do.
I went to Japan with my school when I was 15 and I can’t wait to go back with my family. I loved it there and I hope they will too.
Amy
Serena @ Sewgiving says
Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita! I’m brushing up on my high school Japanese … one can only hope, right??
Susie says
Thank you so much for this. I hope to get to Japan in the next 5 years (spent some time there when I was younger) but wondering how I can keep this comprehensive list for reference! We always said if we ever took the kids to Disneyland it would probably be in Tokyo. I want them to experience the culture too. Thank you.
Flutter_kat says
Wooow I want to come shopping with you!! Or just send you shopping with some of my money – that works too lol
Anorina @ Samelia's Mum says
Wow, you’ve done some thorough research. I’ll bet it was fun 🙂
DeborahGun says
Oh…in my dreams 🙂
Julie says
Ack… now I want to go to Japan…
shirley tener says
Loved loved the bundle this month.. and this is a super cool post……. I even save your stamps… Have you gotten a business card yet.. I love the stickers you added too. The bag is reusable and I am all for that. Gonna jump over to the Etsy shop.
Alyce says
The business cards are always taped to the front of the bag with the little Japanese kokeshi doll on the front.
shirley tener says
i see the sticker
shirley tener says
you dont have an Etsy button on your blog???????????????????
Alyce says
There is a shop button in the menu, and the Japanese Bundle Club button in the sidebar.
Molli Sparkles says
Such a great idea for a post! Glad I could provide valuable resource material! Haha. I may be coming back in November and if so I’d say we have some further exploring to do!
Lizzie says
Thanks, Alyce! I can send this to my brother, and SIL, until I can get there again?!! I have to somehow make her think she is helping me, but really make something form what they pick out 😀 This post is double bookmarked now, permanently!
Cynthia says
Great, great post! I went to Nippori one last time on my very last full day in Japan back in June – in the pouring rain – it is that good! Mihama is definitely my first stop on the way to Tomato. When shopping at Yuzawaya at Takeshimaya Times Square, I always tried to get dumplings at Din Tai Fung on the 12th floor – the line is long but it moves fast and the dumplings are amazing. There is a great gelato place also on the 12th floor – for dessert!
Jutta says
Oh I so wish I could hop on the next plane!!… Do you by any chance know of any place where I could order KAO BUNKA EMBROIDERY THREAD online or even the email / website of the manufacturer? Would so appreciate the info!! Thanks!!
Julie Johnson says
Wow, I am so bummed! I used to work in Kamata all the time in 2001. I can’t believe I missed Yuzawaya!! and so much more! I’ll be wiser next time. Thanks for the info!!! Julie @ RunningHen.blogspot.com
marjolein says
Hello
Do some of these shops have on line shops and worldwide shipment? I’m belgian and probably never get there 🙂 not in the first year(s)
sincerely
Leslie says
I was wondering if anybody had any ideas on where I can find oriental stencils. I’m looking for Torii gates, pagodas, etc. any help would be great.
Thank you
Brittani says
Hi there,
Where is the best place to find fleece fabric? I’m making a knot blanket and already checked tsudanuma’s Yuzawaya. Please let me know!!
Pasqualina says
Hi Alyce,
I visited Tokyo last September and your post has been extremely helpful for my fabric shopping.
Just wanted to say Thank You!
Emma says
This post and the language tips post were very helpful! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Stella says
Any Japan online shop that ships worldwide?? Thanks!
Hillary says
Thank you! I’m in Tokyo now, just spent the afternoon in Nippori because of your tips. Tomato was so fun! I couldn’t find the 100Yen remnants, but I did find a beautiful traditional Japanese woven fabric on the 3rd floor.
Sara says
Thank you so much!
I’m on the Shinkansen heading into Tokyo now. I will definitely check out some of those places!
Sara
Lena says
Wow, you thought the Shinjuku YUZAWAYA was small?! I found that one last spring and thought it was CRAZY HUGE compared to my local on in Yokosuka. I’m excited to try out the Kamata exit one!
Alyce says
Haha, yes! Compared to Tsudanuma – my local, anyway. I’m actually headed to the Kamata one tomorrow for the first time, at last!! I’ll be sure to share about it, either update on this post or a brand new one depending on how good it is 😉
Trine says
Hi!
Great guide! Thank you.
I’m looking for some very specific fabric in Tokyo. I don’t have any contacts out there, so I hope you can help me. I was told that the fabric is called Organdie and costs about 400 Yen pr. meter. I am not going to Tokyo, and I live in Denmark – so I need to order online, or get in touch with somebody who can help me out. I don’t know if you can help me, but it’s worth a shot.
Have a nice day.
Thanks.
Best regards,
Trine
Sherri says
Alyce, any advice on locating a good used sewing machine in Tokyo?
Alyce says
Nippori has at least a couple of sewing machine stores that I can think of, that are little independent places. Something like that will be your best bet, however from what I’ve seen, you might be better off going to a craft store and buying a new, small machine for the same price as what you’d pay for a used one.
Mary says
I am commenting years after your initial post, but I thought it would be helpful to update some info since it comes up in “fabric tokyo” Google search:
The Kichijoji Yuzawaya store (my local fabric/crafts haunt) is actually on the 8th and 9th floors of the Kirakira department store, accessible from both the JR & Keio areas of the station.
Hope this helps!
Alyce says
Awesome, thanks!
A Tom says
Thanks Alyce – this is super useful for those who have never been.
Wanted to find out if the stores allow customers to bulk buy fabrics in large quantities like 30 meters or more?
And do you know if there have more choices of fabric for men’s shirting/jacket that are not too colourful or with many prints. For example white denim, drill or cotton blends.
Many thanks
jeremy says
Hello,
I’m a little late to the party. My wife and I are going to Tokyo soon and she is hoping to find some embroidery sets and supplies. Any suggestions?
Thanks for your time.