Living in a big city such as Tokyo and the greater Tokyo area, it can be challenging to choose an art supply store. If you are someone who lives in Japan and whose hobby is art, or you want to buy some art supplies for your relatives, co-workers, or friends, here is a list of the ultimate art supply stores that you can visit in Tokyo and the greater Tokyo area.

Where to Buy Art Supplies in The Greater Tokyo Area 

Not a lot of foreigners know where to buy art supplies, whether it’s in Tokyo or the surrounding areas (Chiba, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Tochigi). As someone who lives in Saitama prefecture, there are not a lot of options to get art supplies in surrounding areas. However, there are a couple of stores that I would love to recommend to you. 

SEKAIDO (Shinjuku main store & across Tokyo & surrounding areas) 

Located in the heart of Tokyo, this is undoubtedly the most popular and largest fine arts supply store that I have ever visited! Only a 10-minute walk from Shinjuku Station and a 5-minute walk from Shinjuku-Sanchome Station, this store has 5 floors with over 100,000 products including many art supplies.

It is also easy to find the products that you are looking for, as if you have any difficulties finding a product, you can just ask the staff, and they will be ready to help you out. 

Photo credit: Author

Address: 3-1 11F-5F Sekaido Building, Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022
Store Hours: 09:30-21:00
Website: ​​https://www.sekaido.co.jp/store/77/ (Japanese only)
Telephone: 03-5379-1111

DAISO (across Japan) 

Who hasn’t heard of Daiso? Of course, everyone knows Daiso. As the largest franchise of 100 yen shops in Japan, Daiso also sells art supplies at a low price. You can get paintbrushes, paints, or even small easels. I recommend you buy from Daiso if you are a first-time painter. However, If you’re looking for quality, I don’t recommend buying from a 100 yen store! 

Photo credit: Author

Address: Depends on the store.
Store Hours: 10:00-21:00
Website: https://www.daisojapan.com/
Telephone: Depends on your location.

Tokyu Hands (across Tokyo and Greater Tokyo Area) 

If you ever see a giant store in green with two hands in the logo, it’s got to be Tokyu Hands! 

Tokyu Hands has everything that we need, from kitchen products, toys, and stationery to art supplies products and even skincare! I believe that the Shibuya branch has the best range of art supplies, especially if you are looking for woodworking or sewing tools. However, the majority of the stores have a good assortment of painting and drawing supplies.

Address: 12-18 Udagawacho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0042
Store Hours: 10:00-21:00
Website: https://www.tokyu-hands.co.jp/en/list/shibuya/
Telephone: 03-5489-5111

Umematsu (Shibuya, Tokyo) 

Located in the famous shopping and entertainment area of Shibuya, this art store is great for those who like to paint or draw because you will find everything you need in this store including paint, canvases, and brushes. It is only 3-5 minutes from Shibuya Station.

Although this store is quite small, it is great in terms of location. 

If you are a professional painter, I really recommend this store for you. Plus, the staff there are also friendly and well-informed about art!

Photo credit: Canva

Address: 2-20-8 Shibuya, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0002
Store Hours: Monday-Saturday (10 AM – 7 PM), Sunday (CLOSED)
Website: https://e-uematsu.co.jp/
Telephone: 03-3400-5556

Kimuraya (Kawagoe, Saitama) 

If you live in Kawagoe, there is one art supply store that you can go to. 

If you take the Tobu-Tojo line to Kawagoe, it takes only a 15-minute walk to get to the store from Kawagoe Station. 

However, if you’re expecting a big store, nope, you will be wrong. This store is quite smaller than those I have mentioned above, yet, even though the store is not as big as you think, the variety is great. You can get everything you need for your art, from the smallest thing to the biggest item, at various prices.

For paints, they have a bunch of colors, and you can choose between acrylics and oil paints. In terms of canvases, they also have a good variety and if you want to get a DIY canvas, you are able to buy the wood frame and the canvas fabric separately. 

When it comes to the price itself, compared to Sekaido, Kimuraya is a little pricey compared to the art supplies on offer. 

Photo credit: Author

Address: 2-4-3 Shintomicho, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama
Store Hours: 09:45-20:00
Website: –
Telephone: 0492245252

Where to Go as a First-Timer in Japan

Living in Japan, especially alone, can be challenging and it may be difficult to know which store to visit as a first-timer. Don’t worry, I’ve got a few tips to try and help you find which store to go to as a first-timer; whether that’s as a first-time painter or it’s your first time living in Japan. 

If you have done art before or if art is one of your hobbies, and you have just arrived in Japan, the first place that you have to visit is undoubtedly Sekaido. Sekaido has many branches in Tokyo and you may not know which one is better to visit. I recommend going to Sekaido in Shinjuku.

And for those who would like to try buying cheaper art supplies from Daiso, yes, you can, however, if you are looking to make more advanced pieces or are a professional, I don’t recommend buying from Daiso as it isn’t known for its quality. 

Where Will You be Buying your Art Supplies?

If you are someone purchasing art supplies for the first time as an art novice or someone who would like to start, the options above are really open for you. Whether you want to start with supplies from Daiso or you just want to go straight to one of the other stores mentioned above, it is really up to you.

However, one thing that you may need to consider as a first-timer is that the price range between Daiso and more specialized art stores is very different.

I really hope this can help you figure it out and find the best art supply store that fits your needs! Feel free to share your experience shopping for art supplies in one of these stores in the comments below!

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Featured photo credit: Canva

Nadia Nurhafida Abidin
From Indonesia