While inner Tokyo’s metropolitan landscape feels worlds away for suburban-aligned DIY home renovation projects and large sprawling gardens, the city still boasts a large range of hardware and home improvement stores.
Known in Japan generally as ‘home centres’, these stores cover all lifestyle and home necessities you could need. From furniture to pet supplies to tools and gardening supplies, here’s a guide to some of the nation’s biggest and best-stocked outlets.
Homac
Homac is your all-rounder go-to for all your basic home DIY needs. What makes this store particularly impressive is that in addition to offering a range of tools and home care needs, the chain has a wide selection of plants for those wanting to create their own nursery. They have it all from everyday tools, to basic outdoor apparel, car oils, BBQs, building materials and even pet supplies. If you’re planning on doing a little home construction you should definitely locate your nearest Homac store. It won’t be hard because there are outlets all across the country.
Tokyo locations: Hachioji, Shinagawa
Web: https://www.homac.co.jp/shop_detail/id=18
Keiyo D2 Home Center
With almost 200 outlets across the country, Keiyo D2 Home Center is never too far out of reach for most DIY fanatics. This mega lifestyle, hardware and home outlet has all the basics covered from storage, tools, furniture, bottled water, bulk toilet paper and everything in between. However, what makes the Mita outlet in Tokyo such a hit is its impressive urban garden. It's one of 10 D2 Centers in the city, but Mita’s horticulture section is a heaven for green thumbs. If you’re looking to stock up, you may want to consider bringing or renting a car, because there’s plenty to buy and parking is free.
Tokyo locations: Mita, Itabashi, Tachikawa, Hachijoji, and more
Web: https://www.keiyo.co.jp/
Viva Home
When making a list of well-stocked home centres, it’s hard to look beyond a store that boasts over 200,000 items, which is exactly what Viva Home does. The store sells pool toys to work shirts, everyday homewares and serious renovation ready tools. If there’s an item that’s not stocked by Viva Home, it probably doesn’t exist. If you’re a shopper who likes to be treated for your loyalty, then you can also sign up for a Viva card to earn points for your purchases. There are three card tiers: Club Card for the regular shopper, Pro Card for the serious DIY enthusiast, and Corporate Card for businesses. You can sign up for a card and any of the nationwide stores.
Tokyo locations: Toyosu
Web: www.vivahome.co.jp/
Cainz
Cainz Home Centre was originally founded in Tochigi Prefecture back in 1978. Since 1970 it's made its steady ascent across the map to become one of the nation’s farthest-reaching home centre outlets with multiple locations in all of Japan’s nine regions. Like most other home centres, Cainz stocks everything you need to set up, upgrade, redo or undo home repairs. They too also have an impressive garden centre too, so if you’re just on the hunt for some fresh greenery, you don’t be disappointed here.
Tokyo locations: Oyamagaoka
Web: http://www.cainz.co.jp/
World Import Tools
If you’ve got some urgent work to do and can’t risk being distracted by additional features like nurseries and clothing, then make a beeline for World Import Tools. Located in Yokohama, this mega tool outlet sells both everyday and super-specialist tools, like bike repair tools and multi-coloured toolboxes. There’s only one outlet, so if you can’t make it to the physical store, they also sell online via their homepage. One nice little added bonus if you can read Japanese is the shop also runs a handy blog run by the store manager, which covers novel new stock additions and DIY tips.
Tokyo locations: Yokohama
Web: http://www.diy-show.jp/2019/e/index.php
Joyful Honda
Joyful Honda as a company is actually multiple sub-companies in one: Home Center, Garden Center, and Pet Center. For your DIY needs, make your way to the Home Center section. The Home Center sells to both regular everyday folk and professional tradespeople. The stores are stocked with all the necessary home improvement and building essentials like raw timber, paint, tools, electrical fittings, and any other material you could possibly need for your home renovation projects. If you’re an inner-city Tokyo local though, be prepared to travel as all the Joyful Honda stores are located in the outer suburbs, which is why they also operate self-service gasoline stations.
Tokyo locations: Tonogaya
Web: https://www.joyfulhonda.com/
By Lucy Dayman
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