Asakusa-bashi, which is well known for its wholesale stores and markets, is located one stop after Akihabara station on the JR Soubu Line. Craft materials such as beads, stationery, Japanese dolls, party items, as well as bag and dress shops are lined up along on the main street.
I visited this town for my friend's wedding party to make a fake flower decoration. Maru-K Kobayashi is a floral design and material shop which is 5 minutes away from Asakusa-bashi station on foot. This shop was founded in 1947, and their main customers are professional corporations, shops, and art schools, all of which testify to the quality of this store. However, general retail customers still can purchase items here.
You will see colorful ribbons and preserved flowers on the first floor. The basement floor has beads, craft paper, and wire which can be used for arranging artificial flowers. The second floor has lots of artificial or fake flowers. Another attraction to this shop are its low prices. It is much cheaper than Tokyu Hands and other craft shops in Japan as it is a wholesale merchant. They don't offer floral arrangement services but only sales of craft materials and fake or artificial flowers. However, you will find displays of wedding bouquet and flower arrangements so we can purchase and make it like those samples. The prices depend on the size and design and range from 150 Yen to 2000 Yen. You may ask for some advice as to which items to choose if you have a strict budget. You will also get some ideas for making your own floral arrangement. As the store caters mainly for the wholesale and corporate market, it is closed on Sundays. Also between January to September it is closed on the first Saturday and the third Saturday of the month.
While we also visited a couple of other artificial flower shops on the same street, we recommend Maru-K due to the quality of its flowers.The color and the appearance looks more authentic and delicate than the other shops. The flowers are premium accents so they is suitable even for a wedding party.
Nearby is a famous wholesale department store called Shimojima. That shop has 8 levels and stocks wrapping paper, wedding and everyday goods, as well as office and shop items.
As with most wholesale markets in Japan, they don't accept credit cards, so bring some cash. For people who are new to Tokyo, it can be difficult to source reasonable craft materials, so go where the locals go at Asakusa-bashi.
