Kyūkyodō (鳩居堂) is a wonderful store that first opened in Kyoto in 1663 and is still run by the Kumagai family to this day. During the Edo period, it supplied incense to the Imperial Palace.

The firm's Ginza branch opened in 1880 and prides itself on stocking one of the finest and most accessible selections of traditional stationery in Japan.

Among the goods on offer are reams of washi (和紙 Japanese paper), in a variety of colours and patterns.

　

Kyūkyodō also sell everything you need to enjoy the traditional art of shodō (書道calligraphy). Many of the goods are crafted by experts and are of extremely high quality. The picture above shows some of the inkpots on sale.

You can also buy writing sets like this one, which combines brushes and ink block in a magnificently decorated metal case.

Kyūkyodō stocks an excellent range of calligraphy brushes. These are ones for you if you're planning to go big with your brushwork.

These small metal cases are for carrying your inkan (印鑑 seal) and ink.

Kyūkyodō also carries a wide range of traditional Japanese incense, greeting cards, and other handicrafts. You'll find its Ginza branch, with its distinctive arched brick entrance, at 5-7-4 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, not far from the Matzuzakaya department store.

For more details, see Kyūkyodō's page on the official Ginza website.