A five-minute walk from HOTEL RESOL TRINITY SAPPORO, walking along Odori, the central area of Sapporo lined with department stores and fashion buildings, you'll notice the bright blue "CENTRAL" flag fluttering in the breeze on a glass building.

Daimaru Fujii Central is a long-established stationery store that has been in business for over 130 years, aiming to meet a wide range of needs from beginners to experts, from business to personal use, and from children to the elderly.

The store stocks not only stationery, but also notebooks, leather goods, art supplies, miscellaneous goods and more, with approximately 200,000 items available from the first to fourth floors of the building. Based on the concept of "You're sure to find what you're looking for at Central" and "You can buy just one item", the store welcomes visitors with a sales floor that is filled with security and excitement.

Moved from Shiga to Sapporo and became a paper wholesaler

The origins of "Daimaru Fujii" date back to 1892 (Meiji 25), when Senzo Fujii, born to a merchant family in Shiga, moved to Sapporo alone at a young age and began selling oil. He demonstrated his merchant skills by selling his products on foot, and steadily expanded his business area throughout Hokkaido.

Shortly after, they also began selling paper. In response to the urgent demands of people in a time when material things were scarce, they began selling stationery, miscellaneous goods, soap, and other daily necessities. In 1906 (Meiji 39), they moved to their current location as an independent store and grew into a powerful paper wholesaler in Sapporo.

It was later transformed into a stationery store with a gallery, and in 1989, the current Daimaru Fujii Central Building opened. Affectionately known as "Central," it has played an important role as a contact point for general customers.

Creating sales floors that meet customer needs

"The area around Minami 1-jo Nishi 1-chome to 3-chome, including Daimaru Fujii Central, is called Ichibangai Shopping Street, and it was the first place to prosper in Sapporo. It is rare nationwide to see a shopping street that still has its buildings and continues to do business."

This was told by Managing Director and Store Manager Okada Toshihiko, who has many years of experience in the wholesale business at parent company Daimaru Co., Ltd. and became involved with the store about seven years ago.

Daimaru Fujii Central is always on the lookout for new and popular products, and is proactive in hosting events. In particular, they are conscious of the number and volume of seasonal items so that customers can enjoy them.

"New items are constantly being added, so from a business standpoint we have to replace our products, but even with something as simple as a pen, there are customers who want a familiar writing feel, so we have to find the right balance," he told us about the ingenuity that comes with being a store that caters to a wide range of needs.

A fountain pen that makes you excited just by having it in your hand

Heading to the second floor of Daimaru Fujii Central, the "Stationery Floor," you will find a wide range of products, including stationery, office supplies, leather goods, and miscellaneous goods. Among the many products on display, the most eye-catching are the fountain pens, lined up in the showcase with a sleek, elegant appearance.

When Okada was a student, fountain pens and ink sets were often chosen as gifts for new students, and for a long time, stationery stores stocked them. "As the times have changed, the level of specialization has increased, and people have started to appreciate their merits once again," says Okada.

Fountain pens change the shade of ink depending on the amount of pressure applied to the fingertip - stopping, flicking, sweeping - and reveal the unique character of the writer. The greatest appeal of fountain pens is the wide variety of inks available, and the fact that even with the same ink, the character of the letters can change depending on its compatibility with the paper.

When asked what is important to consider when choosing a fountain pen, Okada replied, "Because it is a tool that is held in the palm of the hand, where many delicate nerves are located, I think the most important thing is to choose one that is a size and weight that fits comfortably in the hand."

The sales floor is staffed with professional staff with advanced knowledge called "Fountain Pen Guides," and some customers visit specifically to see them. Customer service that is considerate and considerate to any concerns or questions customers may have when making a selection is one of the important initiatives at Daimaru Fujii Central, which wants to be a store that "provides customers with satisfaction when they leave, exceeding their expectations when they first come in."

While asking our expert staff, test out the writing feel of a number of different pens and choose the one that's right for you. You'll be thrilled to have your favorite pen in your collection, so you can see it all the time.

Communicating the charm of the land through "color"

Choosing the right ink is essential when getting your favorite fountain pen. In recent years, original fountain pens and inks made by stationery stores can now be purchased anywhere, and they have become more popular than ever before.

Daimaru Fujii Central has been quick to grasp these changing times and has been selling original fountain pens and inks for over 15 years.

Aiming to develop products that are more locally rooted, in 2019, they planned a fountain pen with a motif of Sapporo's night view and an original ink to go with it. They released a carefully selected color from the "70 Landscape Colors of Sapporo" selected by the city of Sapporo with the hope that it would "provide an opportunity to think about the city of Sapporo from a color perspective," and it was well received.

Apparently the staff themselves visit the locations that are the subject of the design, conducting research and taking photos for promotional materials, and the products convey the desire for people to "feel closer to the wonderful motifs that exist in Sapporo through these fountain pens."

Fountain pens are useful for everything from diaries and memos to record your everyday life, to letters and other writings to express your feelings to loved ones. If you bring home a pen that reflects the scenery unique to the place you visited, you will be reminded of the scenery you encountered on your trip every time you use it, and the time you spend "writing with your own hand" will be richer and more meaningful.

Spreading the culture of stationery and invigorating the industry

Daimaru Fujii Central is a place where you can find many products that are reminiscent of Hokkaido and Sapporo, such as fountain pens and ink, calendars of landscapes and animals, postcards, Energel pens created in collaboration with Pentel, incense sticks with the scent of lavender or rosehip, and soaps.

"Every year in the early spring we hold a Stationery Manufacturers Trade Fair, which provides an opportunity for customers and manufacturers to interact directly. Through our wide range of products and these rare opportunities, we hope to liven up the region and the entire industry as a 'base for spreading stationery culture'," Okada concluded.

Daimaru Fujii Central is a long-established store where you can experience the deep charm of stationery, from long-loved items to the latest products, along with the commitment of the manufacturers. If you drop by during your trip, you're sure to find something unique to this area or something that will make your heart flutter.

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Daimaru Fujii Central
Address: 2-3-1 Minami 1-jo Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido
Phone number: 011-231-1131
Access: 2-minute walk from Odori Station on the Namboku, Tozai, and Toho subway lines
HP: https://www.daimarufujii-central.com/
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/daimarufujiicentral/
　　    https://twitter.com/daimarucentral

*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.