If you’re looking for some exquisite Japanese stationery, this long-established outlet in Nihonbashi should be your first port of call. Haibara counts more than 200 years in business and knows how to turn traditional washi paper into beautiful letter sets, uchiwa (round-shaped fans), notebooks and much more.
The elegant design of their products can be traced back to the late Edo (between 1806-1868) and Meiji (1868-1912) periods, when Haibara’s previous owners collaborated with the most famous painters of that time. Ask for their best-known item, the gampi paper, which has been in high demand since the shop first opened. This artisanal paper is made from the outer bark fibres of gampi trees, which gives it a silk-like surface and smooth texture.