The Art of Writing with Itoya

By Daniel de Bomford

The digital era has transformed communication, creating an impersonal barrier between people. The simple act of writing a letter with a pen conveyed so much personal meaning, where every flourish expressed dedication to the reader, and even blemishes and mistakes carried the character of the author. What appears to have been lost in an era of digital messaging, Japanese stationery company ITO-YA keeps alive and seeks to rekindle that connection with thoughtful, high-quality pieces.

Someone once said, “If ITO-YA says something is stationery, then it is stationery,” according to Akira Ito, the President of ITO-YA. It is almost inconceivable for a company to gain such a level of trust from its customers. For the Japanese stationery manufacturer, this is the reality it has built, and even in the digital era, the company still strives to create meaningful stationery that goes beyond mere function.

“One of our guiding principles is to create long-lasting items; things you could one day pass down to your grandchildren,” the president explains. ITO-YA is creating products that inspire creativity, spark inspiration and bring a sense of comfort into people’s daily lives.

The company was founded in 1904 by Katsutaro Ito to import Western-style stationery, as there were no manufacturers of such items in Japan at the time. The president recalls how, as manufacturers in Japan began producing Western-style stationery, they would approach the founder for his feedback and approval. In the years since, it has become the leader in quality, Japanese-made stationery and operates retail spaces so that discerning customers can experience the difference in quality.

Its Ginza store has experienced a surge in interest as tourism numbers have increased, reflecting the global appetite for care and craftsmanship. Ito explains that as technology has replaced the need for stationery, a counterculture has emerged, turning it into a luxury item. “This shift allows us to create higher-end products with greater value and higher margins. That’s the reality we’re operating in today,” he explains.

As this segment continues to grow, ITO-YA is looking to replicate its success in the international market and capitalize on the demand for quality Japanese stationery. Ito describes the company’s strategy, “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.”

To achieve these goals, the company is looking to open retail stores in its target markets, exporting its Japanese-made products to eager international buyers. “We see online stores as a complement to physical retail—not the other way around,” Ito says. ITO-YA is looking to focus on its proprietary brands and expand its product lines. “We want to sell our own original items, or products we’ve developed in collaboration with Japanese manufacturers,” Ito states.

ITO-YA is therefore unique in the market, being the only company that produces stationery and manages its own retail space, integrating the products and services into a cohesive experience. Ito posits, “We don’t really have direct competitors doing exactly what we do.” More than the items themselves, the retail space creates value through the overall experience, reflecting that it is the experience and the intention behind writing that ITO-YA seeks to capture and share with its customers.

To hear more from President Akira Ito of ITO-YA, check out this interview with him.