Kikuya Urakami Shoji

Kikuya Urakami Shoji (菊屋浦上商事) is a Japanese stationery retailer based in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture. It was founded in 1947 in Ota, Tokyo, under the name 'Kikuya,' and relocated to Sagamihara in 1972. For its first decades it operated as an ordinary stationery shop. The store became nationally known as a specialist in left-handed goods. Around 1993, the then-manager's left-handed son was seriously injured using a right-handed utility knife. Shocked that even a stationery-shop employee could not provide suitable tools for his own son, and believing many others must face similar difficulties, the manager created a dedicated corner for left-handed stationery. Inquiries arrived from across Japan and television programs came to report on it, prompting the shop to expand into a broad range of left-handed goods. It began with stationery and, responding to demand, grew to include kitchen utensils, tools, and other products. From 1998 it offered online sales for about two years, but discontinued them out of a wish that customers touch and choose goods suited to them in person at the store. Beyond retail, the company sells and repairs office supplies, furniture, and OA equipment, and provides office production services including IT support. It also engages in educational activities such as workplace experience programs, internships, SDGs learning, and inclusive-education product proposals. On January 20, 2022, it donated disaster-prevention supplies to the Sagamihara City Machi-Midori Public Interest Incorporated Foundation and received a letter of appreciation. On July 7 of the same year, at a party celebrating the company's 75th anniversary, it announced that store operations had ended on June 20, and stated a policy of focusing on outside sales (gaishō) while expanding left-handed products and strengthening proposals for left-handed customers.

Kikuya Urakami Shoji was founded in 1947 in Ota, Tokyo, under the name 'Kikuya.' In 1972 it relocated its store to Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture. At that time it was not specialized in left-handed goods and operated as an ordinary stationery shop. The turning point came around 1993. The then-manager's left-handed son was seriously injured using a right-handed utility knife. The manager was shocked that even he, working at a stationery shop, had not been able to provide his son with stationery suited to left-handed use, and thought there must be many others in the same situation. He therefore established a corner collecting left-handed stationery. As a result, inquiries came from all over Japan and television programs came to cover the store, leading it to seriously collect a wide range of left-handed goods. It started with left-handed stationery only, but in response to demand it came to handle a broad range of products including cooking utensils and tools. From 1998 it supported online sales for about two years, but discontinued them because of a wish that customers directly touch and choose goods that suit them at the store. On January 20, 2022, the company donated disaster-prevention supplies to the Sagamihara City Machi-Midori Public Interest Incorporated Foundation and was presented with a letter of appreciation. On July 7 of the same year, at a party celebrating the 75th anniversary of its founding, it announced that store operations had ended on June 20, and indicated a future policy centered on outside sales (gaishō), expanding left-handed products and strengthening proposals for left-handed goods.

• 2022

  Donated disaster-prevention supplies and received a letter of appreciation; ended store operations on June 20 and announced a shift to outside sales at the 75th anniversary party on July 7

• 1998

  Began online sales, which continued for about two years before being discontinued

• 1993

  Established a corner for left-handed stationery after the manager's son was injured using a right-handed utility knife

• 1972

  Relocated the store to Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture

• 1947

  Founded in Ota, Tokyo, under the name 'Kikuya'

A rare stationery retailer specializing in left-handed goods, sometimes called a 'holy land' for left-handed people, combining specialty retail with office supply sales, repair, and office production services.

• Left-handed stationery

• Left-handed household goods and tools

• Office supplies and furniture

• Office OA equipment sales and repair

• Universal design goods

• Biomass cards

1. 1Kikuya Urakami Shoji official websitekikuya-net.co.jp
2. 2Kikuya Urakami Shoji - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org
3. 3Kikuya Urakami Shoji - Wikidatawikidata.org