Top > Shopping > Exploring Nippori Fabric Town, a DIY paradise

The main part starts here.

Exploring Nippori Fabric Town, a DIY paradise

If you're a sewing hobbyist or tailor, a walk through Nippori Fabric Town will feel like a treasure hunt. This shopping district near Nippori Station includes over 90 shops, centered along Nippori Chuo Street. Arakawa City is known for its crafts, and these specialty stores offer textiles, buttons, sewing equipment, and more.

Search dozens of shops for textile supplies and more

Many people come to purchase items for their sewing projects. Visitors from abroad shop for products with Japanese motifs. DIY enthusiasts buy craft supplies and buttons. You'll discover materials that are unavailable anywhere else. Even if you've never thought about buying fabric, this district is captivating.

Before starting your adventure, pick up a map and guidebook at Furatto Nippori. Ask English-speaking staff about the area and sit down at the tables. If you want a bite to eat, Furatto Nippori's maps show the locations of nearby restaurants and cafes.

Visit fabric stores such as Humongous and Mihama Cloth

As you wander down the street, the fabric shops will start to cast their spell. Why resist? Let's pop inside for a look.

Established in 2011, Humongous offers fabrics that are hand-printed in India using a traditional technique. Workers use wooden stamps to add dye to the cotton. One unique quality of these hand-stamped patterns is that the lines overlap slightly.

Offering original designs as well as traditional Indian patterns, this store is popular with sewing hobbyists from Japan and elsewhere. Customers are drawn to the shop's colorful patterns and cheerful atmosphere. Fabric can be purchased from one square meter.

Not far away is Mihama Cloth. Specializing in Japanese patterns and prints, this shop attracts many customers from outside Japan. Fabric is sold in 2-meter lengths, which is said to streamline the purchasing process and make the fabric easier to pack.

Mihama's cotton fabrics are printed in Japan. The designs range from bold and striking to serene and understated. Especially popular are the store's original designs featuring gold lines and intricate prints. These present traditional motifs such as cranes and kimono in colorful new ways.

Shop vintage and modern at L. musée

Fabric isn't the only treasure you can find in Nippori Fabric Town. Don't miss shops like L. musée, which sells buttons, buckles, and bag handles. This store stocks vintage and modern buttons from all over Europe. Some of its vintage buttons were designed by luxury brands. Others are made of Bakelite, a retro plastic material that's popular among collectors.

L. musée staff can help customers find a button to go with a specific item of clothing. If you like to make things by hand, you can buy handles and chains to use for bags and necklaces. L. musée's vintage items, meanwhile, add spice to clothing and accessories.

Nippori Fabric Town showcases a wealth of options for the most experienced tailor. Come here on a journey to find your inspiration and you may well leave with more than you could have imagined.

Basic Information

How to Get There

Updated: March 27, 2024