Family Dining · Practical guide
Sekaido
The Inbound Traveler's Guide to Tokyo's Ultimate Art Supply Empire, Copic Markers & Framing Mecca
Prices, ordering steps, payment details, and common mistakes — in one place.
Quick Facts
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Japanese name | 世界堂 (Sekaido) |
| Brand Name | Sekaido / 世界堂 (株式会社世界堂 / Sekaido Co., Ltd.) |
| Store Type | Mega art supply department store, custom picture framing atelier & manga/comic design specialist |
| Target Audience | Professional artists, manga and anime illustrators, architects, calligraphers, hobbyists, and international tourists seeking premium Japanese pigments at wholesale prices |
| Ordering Style | Dense multi-floor open-shelf browsing, swatch testing stations, counter consultation for fine brushes and custom framing, and floor-level checkout registers |
| Membership Required? | No membership required for general shopping; open to all visitors (Sekaido Point Card available for Japanese residents; physical foreign passport required for Tax-Free registration) |
| Approximate Price Range | Pencils, Copic markers, paints, manga paper and framing supplies vary widely in price and stock. Check the actual shelf price, applicable member/discount conditions and current model; do not treat a fixed across-the-board markdown or tourist tax-free service as guaranteed. |
| Multilingual Support | The Shinjuku flagship has departmental guidance; availability of English-speaking staff or translated signs at a particular counter is not guaranteed. |
| Payment Methods | Cash and shop-accepted credit cards or other electronic methods; specific card networks and IC/QR payment brands were not independently confirmed for every Sekaido location. Check the Shinjuku counter before relying on any individual wallet. |
| Store Network | Main Store at Shinjuku-sanchome and other Tokyo-area shops, plus locations shown on the current official store list. Check the shop locator rather than relying on an unverified total of 11. |
What it is
Founded in 1940 (Showa 15) in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Sekaido (株式会社世界堂) has reigned for generations as Japan's undisputed "Palace of Art" (美術の殿堂). Famous across Japan for its humorous corporate mascot—Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa expressing wide-eyed shock at Sekaido's vast inventory and deeply discounted prices—Sekaido provides creators with one of the most comprehensive inventories of fine art supplies on earth.
The Shinjuku Main Store near Shinjuku-sanchome Station has floors 1F–5F for stationery, comic/drafting materials, paints and framing, with a 6F gallery. Sekaido is known for art supplies and discounts, but rates differ by item and campaign; neither 100,000 current items nor an unconditional 10–20% discount has been established for all stock.
How to order
Step 1: Navigating the Shinjuku Main Store (Floor-by-Floor)
The Shinjuku Main Store has product floors 1F–5F and a gallery on 6F, with the following general arrangement:
- 1F Stationery & Writing: Everyday office supplies, high-precision Japanese mechanical pencils, fountain pens, notebooks, and design stationery.
- 2F Comic, Design & Drafting: The primary destination for anime and manga enthusiasts. Features towering displays of Copic Sketch and Classic markers, Deleter manga drawing inks, screentones, lightbox tracing pads, and architectural modeling supplies.
- 3F Fine Art Paints & Brushes: Oil paints (Holbein, Kusakabe), acrylics (Liquitex, Golden), watercolors, traditional Japanese painting supplies (Nihonga pigments, Nikawa animal glues), and delicate handmade calligraphy brushes.
- 4F Drawing and Framing; 5F Oil-Painting Frames: Browse drawing supplies and frame selections by floor; custom frame services and availability should be confirmed with staff.
- Shinjuku Main Store hours: 9:30 AM–9:00 PM; other branches can have different hours.
Step 2: Selecting & Swatch-Testing Supplies
- Grab a plastic shopping basket at the entrance.
- Copic Marker Selection (2F): Select colors by printed marker codes; test only with shop-provided tester samples when staff permit. Do not mark unopened goods or assume every color has a test pen.
- Traditional Japanese Nihonga Corner (3F): Marvel at rows of glass jars filled with powdered azurite, malachite, cinnabar, and oyster shell white (Gofun). Inquire with counter staff for small sealed sample packets.
Step 3: Cashier Checkout & Consolidating Purchases
- Take your basket to the checkout registers located on the respective floor or main lobby.
- The cashier will scan your items. Delicate brushes are inserted into protective cardboard sleeves, and paper pads are backed with sturdy corrugated boards to prevent bending.
Step 4: Tax-Free Refund Counter Procedure
- Branch tax-free status: Tourist tax-free service has not been independently verified for the branch named in this guide. Ask the store to confirm its current authorization and eligible items before planning a refund; do not assume that displaying a chain name establishes tax-free status.
- Inform the cashier: "Tax-Free kudasai" and present your original physical foreign passport (Temporary Visitor status required).
- Under Japan's airport refund tax-free mechanism (enacted November 1, 2026):
- Pay the full tax-inclusive price. A refund applies only at an authorized shop for an eligible visitor and purchase.
- Only if this specific branch is an authorized tax-free shop, ask staff to register your eligible passport and purchase electronically. A chain name or shopping-mall location does not itself guarantee enrollment.
- Eligible purchase and export: Since November 1, 2026, the former separate statutory categories of “general goods” and “consumables” no longer apply. At an authorized tax-free shop, an eligible visitor must spend at least ¥5,000 excluding tax in total at the same shop on the same day. Eligible goods covered by the purchase record must be taken out of Japan, not consumed or used up in Japan.
- 90-Day Customs Verification: Complete Japan Customs departure verification within 90 days after purchase. Use the required passport and electronic customs procedure; Customs may request an inspection of the goods. Where a check is needed for goods packed in checked baggage, do it before surrendering the bag.
- Flight baggage safety: Art knives and other sharp blades must not be brought into the aircraft cabin. Ordinary permitted nonflammable inks or paints are subject to cabin liquid limits, but flammable paints, thinners, marker refills and some adhesives may be prohibited in both cabin and checked baggage. Check the actual product, SDS, airline and airport rules; complete any required Customs inspection before checking baggage.
- Refund Execution: After Customs confirms export, the authorized retailer or its designated refund provider returns the applicable tax by the registered refund method. Customs does not pay the refund at the airport. The former immediate point-of-sale exemption and special consumable packaging procedures do not apply to purchases under the new system.
What to order first
1. Copic Sketch & Copic Ciao Markers (コピック)
- What it is: The global industry-standard alcohol-based dual-tip marker favored by professional manga artists, car designers, and illustrators worldwide.
- Why buy it: Copic is a marker brand from Too, sold in multiple ranges and sets; compare the current in-store price with your home-market price rather than assuming a 30–50% overseas discount.
- Price expectation: Prices vary by Copic model, retailer and set size; use the price marked at Sekaido or current Copic price information.
2. Holbein Artists' Watercolors & Acrylics (ホルベイン)
- What it is: Professional-grade artist paints manufactured in Japan, famous for intense pigment concentration, brilliant lightfastness, and smooth dispersion.
- Why buy it: Holbein has long-established Japanese paint lines for watercolor and acrylic work. Compare the shelf price and the specific pigment grade before choosing; Sekaido is a retailer, not the paint manufacturer.
- Price expectation: Single 15ml watercolor tubes ~¥320–¥850; 24-color tube sets ~¥6,500–¥12,000.
3. Traditional Japanese Mineral Pigments (Iwa-enogu / 岩絵具)
- What it is: Finely pulverized natural minerals, semi-precious gemstones, and crushed sea shells used in traditional Japanese Nihonga painting.
- Why buy it: Delivers a crystalline, shimmering matte texture impossible to replicate with synthetic pigments.
- Price expectation: Approximately ¥450 to ¥2,500 per packet depending on mineral rarity.
4. Deleter Manga Inks, Nibs & Kent Paper Pads
- What it is: Professional Japanese comic-making supplies, including waterproof black drawing inks, G-pen nibs, and pre-lined comic storyboard manuscript papers.
- Why buy it: The exact tools used by Japan's leading Weekly Shonen Jump mangaka.
- Price expectation: Pen nib multipacks ~¥350–¥650; manuscript paper ~¥480–¥850.
5. Handcrafted Japanese Calligraphy & Watercolor Brushes
- What it is: Fine brushes assembled by master artisans using badger hair, goat hair, or weasel hair fitted into natural bamboo shafts.
- Why buy it: Unmatched snap, spring, and precision tip retention for delicate linework and watercolor washes.
- Price expectation: Approximately ¥800 to ¥6,500 per brush.
Payment & practical info
- Accepted Payment Modes: Cash (JPY), major global credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UnionPay), transit IC cards (Suica, Pasmo), and mobile QR payments.
- Tax-Free Refund Rules (from November 1, 2026; authorized branches only):
- For eligible visitors at an individually authorized branch, the minimum is ¥5,000 excluding tax in aggregate at the same shop on the same day. Check that branch’s current participation before relying on a refund.
- Pay the full tax-inclusive price; if the branch participates, have the purchase electronically registered. Complete Customs export verification within 90 days; for checked goods that need inspection, do this before baggage drop. The seller/refund provider returns the tax by the method registered at purchase.
- All goods covered by a registered tax-free purchase must be exported; items used or consumed in Japan do not qualify for a refund. The former “general goods” and “consumables” statutory classifications no longer apply. Customs can require an actual goods inspection.
- Operating Hours: The Shinjuku Main Store operates from 9:30 AM to 9:00 PM daily (varies by store).
Good to know / Common mistakes
1. Aviation Rules for Art Knives & Liquids
Sharp knives and carving tools must not be carried in cabin luggage. Flammable paint thinners, certain paints, spray products and Copic alcohol-ink refill bottles can be prohibited in BOTH carry-on and checked luggage; checking a bag does not make them permissible. Copic markers and refills have different flight restrictions. Check each product and the airline before purchase.
2. Paper Protection During Long-Haul Travel
If purchasing large sheets of handmade watercolor paper or Kent boards, ask the cashier for a cardboard tube or flat protective sandwich boards (Ate-gami) to prevent creasing inside your luggage.
3. Promotional Discount Coupons
Promotional discount coupons may be distributed during specific promotional campaigns or student art fairs. Terms, validity periods, exclusions, and minimum purchase conditions apply. Check the official Sekaido portal for active campaign announcements.
FAQ
Q1: Is the famous Mona Lisa mascot visible outside the store?
Yes. The exterior facade of the Shinjuku Main Store features a large, colorful mural of Mona Lisa gasping in shock with her hands on her face, making the building unmistakable from Shinjuku-sanchome Station.
Q2: Can I find ready-made picture frames for standard international photo sizes?
The Shinjuku Main Store has a substantial framing department on its upper sales floors. Sizes and in-stock frame models vary, so check with staff for the exact international dimensions and any framing service before purchase.
Q3: How do I receive my consumption tax refund under the 2026 airport customs system?
If the particular branch is an authorized tax-free shop and your purchase qualifies, pay the tax-inclusive price and have your passport and purchase recorded there. Within 90 days, complete Japan Customs departure verification (before baggage drop if Customs inspection of checked goods is needed). The retailer or refund provider, not Customs, refunds the tax using the method registered at purchase. Verify branch participation before buying.
Sources
- Sekaido Co., Ltd. Official Corporate Portal (Verified: 2026-11-12)
- Japan Customs Departure Tax-Free Regulations (Verified: 2026-11-12)