Fabric and craft stores in Tokyo?

Hi there,
I'm taking a trip to Tokyo in April. In fact my first trip to Japan! Could anyone please recommend fabric and craft stores (aside Nippori)? I will be staying in Akasaka.
thank you!

Tokyu Hands (many locations in Tokyo) is a famous arts and crafts store, but has almost everything you might need. Fabric etc.

Stores are in Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya etc.

Lauren,

Kinkado (in Ikebukuro amongst other places) is probably the place to go for fabrics and dress-making supplies. Yuzawaya (in Urawa, Kichijoji, etc, but not in central Tokyo) is also good for materials and craft supplies.

-extravagant silk brocade used for Kimono sash. In side streets of Asakusa near temple you can buy 1/2 meter remnants for Y1000. Lots of other traditional fabrics there too.

.. for your suggestions!
I will check those places out.
Cant wait to go to Japan!

Took a craft tour of Tokyo last year, attended the annual Tokyo Hobby Show in May. There's a chain of stores in Kamata City, South of Tokyo, that has every craft imaginable. I'm not sure of the name but you turn left out of the train station, pass a huge tree town center and the main store is two streets down on your right. Definitely worth finding. I bought cotton fabric (like fat quarters) at the 100 Yen stores you can find in every part of Tokyo. Also if you can get to a flea market you can find locals selling bolts of kimono fabric and obis for under 500 yen! Language wasn't a problem but make sure you have enough yen! My family is leaving next Saturday and I'm the tour guide with the quest to find more fabric for my hobbies! Have a fun trip in April...Hope you see the cherry trees in bloom!

Lori,

There's a chain of stores in Kamata City, South of Tokyo, that has every craft imaginable.

That sounds like Yuzawaya.

I have been to japan several times and Kincado and Yuzawaya are the best fabric stores i have found. As i am going again in may this year, i would love to know about more locations of Yuzawaya...the only one i know is in Kamata. with thanks...

Pattiy,

Here you go...

http://www.yuzawaya.co.jp/company/brochure3.html

Hey Dave... thanks for this link.. .i found it on another site this am and have the addresses for all 14 of their stores... so we will see if i can get to all 14 in my 13 days in japan... i am so excited...

for all the valuable info!
I'm gonna try to go to a flea market to get some vintage kimono fabrics. :)

This weekend I did the Yamanote line Fabric Tour of Tokyo!! Nippori Textile Town (Tomato has everything http://www.nippori-tomato.com/tomato/2kaisya_chizu.html), Kinkado in Ikebukero (http://www.rakuten.co.jp/kinkado/442950/451673/), Okadaya in Shinjuku (http://www.okadaya.co.jp/hobby/shop/images/map/honten.html), Marunan in Shibuya (http://www.shibuyadogenzaka.com/mapa2.html) and Yuzawaya in Kamata (http://www.yuzawaya.co.jp/information/tenpoannnai.html). It's an ALL DAY tour!! NOTE; Tomato is NOT open on Sundays

Can you please suggest how I find out about booking the 1 day "Yamanote line fabric tour of Tokyo" that has been mentioned? Thanks in advance.

My fabric "tour" isn't a formal tour... I just entertained my self one Saturday by getting on the Yamanote line at Hamamatsucho near my apartment and going to all the fabric stores I could find! Kamata isn't actually on the Yamanote but the rest are. This is my Google map of these as well as some fun restaurants I have found. Hope it works. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=10809579116619...

One of the shops mentioned above, Kinkado in Ikebukuro, is no longer open. Just a heads-up for anyone planning to visit it.

niftyjack wrote:

One of the shops mentioned above, Kinkado in Ikebukuro, is no longer open. Just a heads-up for anyone planning to visit it.

Actually, all the Kinkado stores closed down earlier this year, as the company went bankrupt.

You might find some good links in this blog:
http://www.askingfortrouble.org/crafts/tokyo-shopping-guide/

Can I know which is the biggest yuzuwaya? I only have time to visit one during an upcoming trip.

KAMATA.
There are four Yuzawaya stores in Kamata.

http://xrl.us/bh7mse
(Link to maps.google.com)

Yuzawaya#10 fabric
Yuzawaya#6 craft
Yuzawaya#7 stationery
Yuzawaya#5 toys,cosmetics

Which is better to search for felt? And anyone knows where to get a selection of sunfelt and good price?

Thanks