How ITO-YA Redefines Japanese Stationery with Craft, Innovation, and Tradition

Looking back at Japan’s history, the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and the rise of the Meiji era brought sweeping changes—in food, clothing, travel, and even the way people wrote. The introduction of Western stationery sparked domestic innovation, with Japanese manufacturers adapting and refining these tools. Over the past 150 years, Japan has become a global leader in stationery design and quality. How do you view the strengths of Japan’s stationery industry today, and how does ITO-YA contribute to that legacy?

When ITO-YA was founded, there were no Japanese manufacturers producing Western-style stationery. At the time, Japan had traditional washi paper and tools for calligraphy, but not the kinds of stationery common in the West. That’s why Katsutaro Ito established ITO-YA in 1904—to introduce Western stationery into Japan.

As time went on, Japanese manufacturers began producing Western-style stationery domestically. When they did, they often brought their products to Katsutaro Ito to ask for his feedback and approval. That moment marked the beginning of Western-style stationery manufacturing in Japan.

The first Western-style item introduced was a ledger. At the time, Japan used a different type of ledger, but the Western version, with double columns to separately record sales and purchases, was introduced by Yukichi Fukuzawa. ITO-YA was focused on importing such Western items, but the first company to manufacture these ledgers in Japan was Kokuyo. He consulted with ITO-YA about producing them domestically, and the first company to sell ledger was Maruzen.

Japanese people are generally known for being meticulous and diligent. Whether it’s paper, printing technology, or other tools, there’s a natural tendency to improve and pursue higher quality. These traits aligned well with Japan’s industrialization and helped elevate the quality of domestically produced goods. Today, Japanese products are often copied by companies in other countries, such as China and Taiwan—but originally, we were the ones learning from and imitating Western products. What made the difference was how we refined and elevated those ideas. Because of our focus on precision and quality, the items made in Japan became more sophisticated. Consumer expectations are also very high in Japan, which pushes manufacturers to continually raise their standards.

We’ve come a long way from the early days of stationery, and now we’re fully immersed in the digital era; smartphones, computers, tablets, and more. Some see this as a challenge to the stationery industry, while others view it as an opportunity. Many consumers today are seeking high-quality goods and experiences, and there’s growing demand for stationery that complements digital tools, such as device cases. Do you see the digital age as more of a challenge or an opportunity, and how is ITO-YA evolving to meet the moment?

We see the broader shift as a challenge for the industry, but for ITO-YA specifically, we view it as an opportunity. When technology advances, countercultures tend to emerge. In the past, before computers, if you wanted to record something, you needed paper and a pen—and those were seen as basic costs.

Now, with digital tools readily available for recording information, paper and pens have taken on a new role. They’re no longer just functional—they’re seen as luxury items. This shift allows us to create higher-end products with greater value and higher margins. That’s the reality we’re operating in today.

Japan’s population crisis is expected to result in a 12% labor shortage by 2040, with the population projected to fall to around 100 million by 2060. This will shrink the domestic market and intensify competition for talent. Many companies are responding by modernizing and expanding internationally. How is ITO-YA preparing to face these challenges, and what role does internationalization play in your long-term strategy?

Of course, as the population declines, the market will shrink—but when we look at consumer behavior, we also see a shift from in-store shopping to online shopping. This means the domestic market is shrinking even faster than the population itself, due to changing shopping habits.

However, by focusing on the luxury segment, we don’t need to cater to the mass market or compete on price. Instead, our priority is to deepen customer loyalty and strengthen the emotional connection people have with ITO-YA. In this context, expanding internationally becomes a more viable direction for us. That said, we must be fully prepared, and one of the biggest challenges we face in going global is overcoming the language barrier.

Before diving into your broader international strategy, I’d like to start with something closer to home. When I visited your Ginza store, I noticed many foreign tourists browsing and shopping. Last year, Japan welcomed 36.9 million overseas visitors, and the government is aiming for JPY 15 trillion in spending from 60 million tourists by 2030. How is ITO-YA approaching the inbound tourism opportunity?

The increase in inbound tourists at our Ginza store is largely due to the overall rise in tourism across Japan—it’s not the result of any specific strategy on our part. We can see that clearly, as this trend isn’t reflected across all our stores. The Ginza location benefits from being in a major tourist area, which naturally draws more international visitors.

At our Ginza store, over 70% of sales come from inbound tourists. However, we see far fewer international visitors at our other locations—even in Osaka—and stores in residential areas attract very little inbound traffic. This shows that our current inbound strategy isn’t yet strong or consistent enough. We know we need to step up our efforts.

Generally, many visitors are drawn to retro or casual Japanese items. While that’s the broader trend, our aim is to showcase high-quality, well-crafted products. That’s what we want people to experience in our stores. We want visitors from any country to see and understand that the Japanese approach is about offering items of exceptional quality.

Your Topdrawer subsidiary aligns with both your commitment to high-quality products and your international ambitions. With stores across creative hubs like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, Topdrawer offers a curated selection of stationery, travel goods, and accessories for creative professionals. Could you tell us more about this initiative and what lessons you’ve learned from expanding into the U.S. market? Do you see this model working in other countries as well, and if so, which markets are you targeting for future expansion?

If Topdrawer continues to perform well in the U.S., I believe it could also succeed in markets with a similar mindset—such as Australia, Canada, France, or the UK. That said, there are subtle but important differences between the U.S. and European countries. In the U.S., people tend to place a strong emphasis on freedom and individuality, while in Europe, there’s a greater appreciation for the unique aspects of Japanese style. European consumers often enjoy both, freedom and cultural nuance, which creates a different kind of engagement.

Because of these distinctions, we are developing separate overseas strategies: one for the U.S. and another for other international markets. If we expand into new countries outside the U.S., we would prefer to do not only with Topdrawer. But also under Ito-Ya brand. Our goal is to introduce the ITO-YA name internationally, especially in Asian and European markets, where there’s a more intuitive appreciation for the quality and appeal of Japanese-made products. In that sense, we believe expansion into these regions may be more natural and achievable than in the U.S.

As you look toward international expansion, will you be seeking partnerships in the countries you enter? If so, what kinds of partners are you looking for?

Yes, we are interested in forming partnerships, but we also want to operate our own retail stores in each country. We see online stores as a complement to physical retail—not the other way around. That said, identifying the right store locations from abroad is challenging, so we’re looking for partners who can help us understand the local landscape and select ideal locations. That’s one type of partner we’re seeking.

Another important area is staffing. We want partners who can help train local employees to embrace and apply a mindset similar to that of Japanese staff—one that values quality, service, and attention to detail.

We’re also carefully considering the product mix we want to offer overseas. For example, more than 90% of the items sold in Topdrawer stores are our proprietary products, and over 80% are produced by us directly. In contrast, at our ITO-YA Ginza store, only 18% of the products are originals—the rest are sourced from other makers. If we tried to replicate the Ginza model abroad, there would be a gap. That’s why we’re currently focused on increasing the proportion of original products before expanding internationally.

Ultimately, our goal is not to procure products locally for overseas stores. Instead, we want to sell our own original items, or products we’ve developed in collaboration with Japanese manufacturers. That’s the standard we’re working toward.

Founded in 1904, ITO-YA played a key role in introducing Western writing tools to Japanese consumers. Today, the company continues to blend tradition with innovation, including the development of its own product lines. What would you say are ITO-YA’s core strengths and competitive advantages compared to other stationery companies in Japan?

We don’t really have direct competitors doing exactly what we do. Unlike most stationery manufacturers, who focus solely on production, we operate our own retail stores as well. And even in cases where manufacturers do have stores, they typically don’t build their brand identity in the way we do, by integrating products, store space, and services into a cohesive experience.

That’s our core strength. Our stores aren’t just places to sell products; they’re spaces where we offer a complete shopping experience. While we do sell stationery, that’s only one part of what we’re providing. Our focus is on creating value through the overall experience, not just through the items themselves.

My fiancé loves stationery, but I always struggle to choose the right gifts for her—and I know I’m not alone. Many people find it difficult to select the right products, whether for themselves or for others. How does the in-store experience at ITO-YA help guide customers toward the right choices?

First and foremost, we listen to the customer and try to understand their situation. For example, we’ll ask about their relationship with the person they’re buying for or what that person enjoys doing. We don’t immediately recommend products or promote specific items. Instead, we focus on understanding the occasion or the emotions behind the gift. Our goal is to connect with the customer’s intent and help them find something meaningful, whether it’s for themselves or someone else.

Your Romeo line, first introduced in 1914 and revived in 2009, offers fine writing instruments and related items. You also have the Color Chart brand, known for its vibrant leather accessories, and Contrail, a collection of travel tools for modern professionals. What inspired the revival of the Romeo brand, and what is your vision for its future?

As for why we revived the Romeo brand, it actually began around the year 2000, when Tokyo Disney Resort approached us about opening a store in the shopping mall that schedule to open within the Resort. I told my uncle about the opportunity, and he agreed we could move forward with it, but he advised me not to use the ITO-YA name.

Still, I wanted people to know the store was connected to ITO-YA, and since they specifically requested a pen-focused concept, I started looking through our company archives. That’s when I came across the Romeo brand. It felt like the perfect fit, so I decided to bring it back.

Then, in 2004, we wanted to commemorate our 100th anniversary by reviving the original Romeo pen. My goal was to create something highly functional—with well-balanced proportions, a refined appearance, and a satisfying feel in the hand. I wanted it to be something truly enjoyable to use. The result was a pen with a timeless, classic design—something you wouldn’t grow tired of owning or using.

Do you see opportunities to expand any of your existing brands into new product categories?

Romeo has already expanded into notebooks, but we’re not looking to move into digital products. One of our guiding principles is to create long-lasting items; things you could one day pass down to your grandchildren. While products like the iPhone or iPad are undoubtedly impressive, they become outdated quickly. That’s why we focus on more analog products.

Within those boundaries, there may be room for further expansion. The kinds of products we aim to create—and believe will resonate most with customers—are those that support creativity, spark inspiration, or bring a sense of comfort to people in their busy daily lives.

Your Ginza flagship store reflects your vision of offering superior, high-quality products. It features premium furnishings by Swiss brand Vitra, a juice bar called Drink, a café named CAFE Stylo, and even an indoor vegetable factory called FARM. Do you see ITO-YA expanding into new segments beyond stationery, or will your focus remain on high-quality writing and creative tools?

We do see opportunities to expand, and we believe we can move into areas like furniture or kitchen items—as long as people remain at the center of what we offer. The key is that the products evoke the same feeling people get when using our stationery today.

Someone once said, “If ITO-YA says something is stationery, then it is stationery.” In Japanese, the word for stationery is bunbougu, and the character bou means “space.” So, we interpret stationery as anything that fills a space with creativity. That’s the mindset we bring to our product development—it’s not limited to pens and paper. If it inspires or enhances creative living, we see it as part of our world.

If we were to return for another interview in five to ten years, what would you hope to have accomplished by then, and where do you envision ITO-YA as a company at that point?

I would like people around the world to recognize ITO-YA as the number one stationery brand. When we think of global super brands, most are European. But if you were to ask someone to name a leading brand from Japan, I want them to say ITO-YA. My vision is for ITO-YA to embody the spirit of Japan while establishing a strong global presence.

For more information, please visit their website at: https://www.ito-ya.co.jp/ext/lang/en/index.html

To read more about ITO-YA, check out this article about them.