Paper Tree

So cute!!! Lots of variety and I got a flower postcard today :) also great prices + hidden gems on sale !! Also super cute stickers and origami selection. Best part of this visit was seeing Maura!! What a sweetie angel baby!! 10/10 coming back!!

So cute and pretty! I bought two travel diaries from there, and their origami selection is so nice!

Very cute exhibits throughout the store of what can be made with specialty paper and great selection of paper too! You can request your paper to be cut down to smaller dimensions if you are planning to travel with them - excellent customer service and would love to visit again.

One of my favorite small businesses in all of America! And the 2nd longest running business in Japantown. Paper Tree also serves as a wonderful Origami museum and a sponsor for the annual Japantown Origami festival/events. The shop will even teach you how to do it, and make recommendations based on your skill level. But the store has so much more than origami and paper craft — their unique wares are some of the coolest in SF. Highly recommend visiting and saying hello to Moira, the shop owner’s gentle Wolfhound.

I didn’t buy anything but really enjoyed walking through it. The employees were very kind and shared cool tidbits about the incredible origami art on display. So cool!

Great store. The store dog is sweet, and the staff is very helpful. They have everything you can think of for origami.

Whenever we are in Japantown, we visit this store. They have a variety of fun and unique stationery and gift merchandise. The staff is helpful. Great store!

The light and airy space at the Paper Tree is so inspiring. Is it a store or a museum?? It is always nice to visit with Linda. Her love for origami is contagious.

I found them a few years ago while I was on vacation. Excellent customer service and a very nice selection of papers. At the time I went there, they had many models folded on display which adds a very nice touch to the ambiance. Just recently, I ordered a small amount of paper, around 15 sheets, ranging from 12 to 24 inches. The sheets of kozo and unryu I bought are amazing to fold with, and I also ordered a few sheets of tissue foil, which fold super crisp. Absolutely gorgeous paper. The shipping online does seem expensive at first, but they ship the rolled up papers in a strong tube with crumpled tissue paper on the ends to help protect the papers edges. Unfortunately, USPS can be sloppy with how they handle things, and it did come with a small dent in the tube. Regardless, the paper is virtually unscathed. Once treated, the imperfections disappear. Will 100% be buying from here again!

What a cool place to explore! The staff was super friendly and the origami exhibits all around were incredible to look at. My partner got a lovely set of cards in a Japanese traditional art print.

Lovely shop filled with nice origami paper, paper balls, small tiny ceramic figurines, special paper for special occasions, and many other neat items that reminded me parts of my childhood. They had these koi fish flags I've been meaning to try to find in multiple sizes. I will come back for the other colors some day. These flags were raised for Boy's Day, a Japanese Holiday. Very kind staff and store guard dog.

Beautiful and gentle Irish Wolfhound and great place to find unique, local-to-SF gifts.

Reserved for the super kool and the young at heart. When art mixes with real life and lightens your life and makes life just wonderful without asking for anything in return. Simply superlative from Hector & his grey-hound furry dog that never barks or jumps on you but simply welcomes you. and sweetly greets you at the door and looks forward to your return and remembers everybody. I celebrate the owner too- Linda a true artist who makes Origami wedding dress with matching shoes- check out all the incredibly intricate one of the kind orgami throughout the store- original art to be found here!!

Marvelous place! If you can't go to Japan but want a small glimpse of their exquisite culture and the beauty of paper art, this is the place! PAPER PAPER PAPER! They have every kind of decorative papers from beautiful cards, to envelopes, wrapping papers, to origami materials. Also on display are some amazing works of origami. A great place to browse and enjoy beautiful paper works!

Holiday gift giving is made all the more special when the gifts are beautifully wrapped. Paper Tree offers paper of breathtaking beauty, and will wrap your gifts with artistic talent. You can choose how the gifts are wrapped, or rely on their award-winning talent instead. Such a pleasure to see how people appreciate gifts that are so beautifully "presented"!

My favorite place in San Francisco. Excellent customer service. Store carries a great variety of items for origami and other crafts. They also offer cutting services for all kind of papers which is convenient and reduce time when starting a project.

Every time I have gone to Japantown I have wanted to go to Paper Tree but hadn't had a chance. This time we went in and what a lovely surprise! My intention was to browse, but how could I resist a Godzilla t-shirt? Or a Japanese "Jaws" tee? It is awesome!! I also got a couple of unique and gorgeous gifts for my friends at home. The paper goods are endless, and high quality. The service was wonderful, they were very helpful and even let me try on the t-shirt to make sure I was purchasing the right size. They are very good about explaining the significance and process of making Japanese paper and have an extensive collection of mind-blowingly complex origami figures. Loved it here, it is a must-see!

I go to Japan Town on a regular basis and never knew this store existed. I was scouring the internet for large (like 9in x 9in) yellow origami paper and after striking out on Amazon and some other places, luckily stumbled upon Paper Tree's website. After discovering that they were in SF, I called the store inquiring about inventory (they were out of the size I wanted online) The lovely staff member I spoke with on the phone said they were indeed out, however they have the large size, and they were going to be able to cut it to the size I wanted for a small cutting fee. They cut my paper to size and held it for me for a week (when it was convenient for me to head into the city). Traffic was awful and I called the store to let them know I was running late and she told me it was no problem and was waiting for me past closing time so I could pick up my order. The store has a huge array of origami books and paper and even socks and other fun stuff. Prices are extremely reasonable (the paper for quantity and quality was way better than what is offered on Amazon) and the staff is just super amazing. I highly recommend coming here for all your origami needs.

I love this place. I go every time I go to japan town. They offer so many different types of paper. They have lots of origami paper and books. What I love is the displayed of origami art experts. It shows you that you can go beyond the basis.

I recently hired Linda Mihara, Origami Master, and owner of Paper Tree-The Origami Store in San Francisco to teach making some basic paper folding objects at a local private birthday party I hosted. We decided upfront on a theme which was creating objects to decorate the home, tree, or presents, for the upcoming holidays. Included were ornaments, mantel pieces, and Star of Davids. She came equipped with papers, instructions, and examples. She was a delight and so patient. The capabilities of the attendees were quite a range, but not one of them felt excluded from being heard or came home empty-handed. She was a delight, cheerful and welcoming. I highly recommend Linda as a teacher of the art of origami as a party, icebreaker, or team-building activity.

Linda- thanks for the help. The piece works great in our bedroom! Look forward to working with you in the future.

This is such a cute origami and sticker shop tucked in Japantown. I bought two books of stickers from here for my class and my student loved it. I'm so glad I stumbled across this shop. I would recommend checking this place out if you need any origami supplies or stickers.

A worthy place to visit especially if you are an origami enthusiast. They have a gallery of world class origami from dragons to ethereal trees, frogs on a plant and an abstract picture of Bruce Lee. What blew my brain off is one intricately scaly dragon that was folded from one paper without cuts. I am like; "Wait...what?!?!?" * jaw dropped. The store also has various kinds of paper materials from painting, folding and those buddha boards which my daughter explained to me teaches one of self expression and letting go. (Very zen like) There are intricate designs from their wrappers which looks high quality. I remember buying those handmade papers in the 90's with flowers on them. But these are vibrantly colored and very exquisitely patterned. You can also get the gel pens cheaper here than at the art store that my daughter goes to. To top it off, our yelp check-in got honored and we got a mini folding paper. Sooo cool!

My visit to Paper Tree made my entire day. Their passion for...and knowledge of paper is amazing. Answered all my questions with more care & detail than I could have possibly hoped for. Love my purchases. This is a really happy place.

Amazing shop that provides all that you need to dive into the art of origami! The staff was kind and provided so much information regarding the various products offered. They also have free online classes and beautiful and museum quality pieces on display.

This is a super cute origami and paper shop! We stumbled upon it as we were walking around Japantown. The staff are all very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. They have some items on display that are handmade by local artists. Worth a stop!

I travelled from Berkeley to successfully search out some beautiful paper to cover a window and was super-impressed with, and appreciative of, the service that I received from a young man in the store. He pulled out several papers that weren't on display and also advised me on adhesives. I wish I had learned his name so that I could insert it here. A beautiful store with wonderful service! Thank you!

I visited Paper Tree after passing their window & saw a large amount of Totoro items on display. I was looking for Totoro items for my nieces who live in NYC and bought stuffed animals, coin purses, ceramic cups with silicone lids for hot beverages, socks, pens and key chains. Prices are very reasonable, much less expensive than any store in Japan Center or Japanese accessory store in my current location of Honolulu. They also sell a huge variety of origami paper and cards. The store owner is super nice and helpful too. She told me that it's a family run business for the past 50 years. Thank you Paper Tree! My nieces will be very happy with their Totoro accessories.

Everything origami! They have specially printed Japanese paper for all purposes. Books to teach origami. Packs of origami paper in all sizes. Very impressive authentic shop.

Beautiful selection of paper at great prices, very fast shipping (buying from the Bay), and absolutely great customer service. My packages was wrapped neatly and we'll protected in a shipping box. I'm very satisfied with my order and my experience with this business, in person and online. I will definitely be ordering again. Thank you so much, Paper Tree!

Pretty neat store for nick-knacks and all things origami. They also currently have exhibits of amazing origami people (I've included some pictures). The people seemed really nice talking to them (Grandson and grandfather), said they have been there for 40 years and family lived in the area for around 100 years. They also told me a lil bit about the history of the area. Great place for presents!

Thank you Paper Tree for offering to mail us paper for all our happy origami folding activities! Our order was placed on Tuesday night. It was shipped the following morning and arrived this afternoon in a USPS Priority cardboard mailer. My son held his breath as he opened the box, then breathed a huge sigh of relief when he saw the stacks of papers were carefully wrapped in packing paper and bubble wrap. Everything remained flat and no corners were bent - a true testament to the care you put into ensuring your products arrive in perfect condition. We always visit your store when we visit San Francisco. We cannot wait to return to see you all again. Be safe, stay healthy.

Small cute store to get stationary and plushies, there was some trinkets as well. The lady there was super nice, but I felt weird when I pulled out my phone to check in. Then I found out your not supposed to take pictures in this store which is fine, but I felt like she kept watching me to make sure I wasn't. Plushies are super over priced though, but so dang cute. I saw a molang in a cat costume plushie for $60. Not even that big. But I did get a little charm for my phone for $1.×× and some Washi tapes.

What an amazing origami store, great selection of papers and very helpful staff

The short: Charming and cute paper shop Large sized washi paper of all sorts of colors and patterns lightly hang in racks on the front of the store. I asked what people buy them for: some people buy them to hang up as decorations and others use them for craft projects. Throughout the store are lots of origami paper selections, origami displays, cards, and how-to books. They also have a section of cute Japanese toys and knick knacks. I ended up buying this cute little hamster holding a sunflower seed for my friend. The lady helping me out was so friendly and helpful. I am so eager to go back to explore more of their paper products!

My 14 year old son was interested in making paper cranes that connect. I think it is the Renzuru method? He is on the shy side but the owner was very patient to explain what paper to use, how to cut the paper, and how to assemble. She also mentioned that she teaches classes that are in store and online. The classes range from beginners to more advanced. They sell origami online which is a plus since we live a few hours away. We can't thank Linda enough for the time she spent with us.

Do you love origami? Do you love washi (Japanese paper)? Then you'll dig this spot. This unassuming little shop in the cobblestone plaza area of J-Town has the best assortment of origami I've ever encountered. Even origami squares that are one inch across for that special gnome origami affecionado in your life. They also sell other gift-y items like those kawaii Japanese erasers and other Japanese omiyage (gifts). I bought a children's book on the kappa - a mythical water-dwelling beast that has been rumored to lure children to their watery grave. But of course in true Japanese illustration, it is very cute and smiley. Hey, even if you don't have enough spatial skills to fold a paper airplane, you should still check out this shop. They currently have an origami exhibit that will amaze you. Dragons, creatures and the like come to life out of a flat piece of paper. Also my aunt sells her beautiful handmade cards here. Check out Donna Ueda Creations - they are truly one of a kind creations!

Great selection of crafting goods, oragami paper , stationary, cards and books. Worth checking out for activities for couples and kids, easy place to g eat unique gifts !! The staff is very kind and knowledgeable, and even gave us some recommendations on where to go eat while visiting Japan town !! Worth checking out This store is on a street with a great variety of restaurants bars and shops, come check it out!

A stationery and paper lovers dream! I arranged an origami class for my 10 year old niece and she had a great time learning about origami from Linda. Linda is the owner and the business is family owned. She's a fantastic teacher for all ages. The shop is beautiful and the service was excellent. I messaged the shop through Yelp and she was very responsive. We will definitely be back for more lessons and shopping!

All the japanese craft supplies contained in one store! They have origami papers galore plus the mizhuhiki paper cords (way cheaper than what Flax was charging!). They also sell Shikishi boards. These are used for calligraphy but you can draw on it or paste your origami onto these. Some boards come w/ a pretty string or framed with gold paper so you can instantly hang your art. Their prices are cheaper than Kinokuniya's.

Only place in the area that sells origami paper. That is paper from JAPAN! You heard me! All the way from JAPAN! I like all the displays they have of fancy origami stuff. The owner I believe decorates the Christmas tree in City Hall. I look forward to Dec so I can go see it.

I stopped by this quaint store on my trip to the west coast. Pretty soon I realized that the store is quite literally a goldmine of difficult to obtain and beautiful papers. As if that wasn't enough, the store has on display models by some of the most important names in modern origami. I literally could not believe that pieces designed and folded by the very same people I idolized as a child are out there in those display cases. If origami was more mainstream, some of these pieces could be in museums. Thank you so much to the Mihara family for keeping this store going for so long and having such a deep connection to the origami community. Please visit them if you get the chance.

Paper Tree is one of the only stores left in the U.S. to carry traditional Japanese paper products. The staff are very helpful and polite. Highly recommend to anyone looking for paper craft supplies.

Super nice couple that stayed open as we ran in just before closing. They had the squishies and spinners my daughter had been looking for. Prices were fair (I'd seen higher at the stores across the way in the Japan Mall). Better quality than what we'd seen in Chinatown. I know this is a fad but I really appreciate their patience because it made the trip extra special for my daughter. Needless to say the store had a ton of other items but we didn't want to take up extra time.

Amazing staff, and an extremely helpful and welcoming shopkeeper! I came here on a Sunday afternoon, and was just browsing around, and ended up getting some Autumn themed letter paper from Japan. This store offers a unique array of stationary materials, focusing on mostly origami paper. The best part is, they have many items that you probably won't find in Maido or Kinokuniya. Thank you for all your help!

Great place and service. We needed gold markers and tried out a similar kind but the tips were actually different that won't be expected. Chisel versus the other type. There wasn't a tester at the time I bought them which is why we got the wrong ones but I was able to return all the pens I bought including the open ones. Make sure to check what type it is but would go back for other supplies I needed.

I popped in here during a quick detour in to Japantown to be greeted by the sweetest and most friendly woman who owns this business named Linda. Inside is a mini-museum of origami artwork- from Dresses and Heels, a remarkable Dragon, to Wall-E. This is definitely a must stop!

This place still spells D-A-N-G-E-R to me! Despite it's small size it is filled with so many things I love----greeting cards (traditional Japanese cards,cards for all occasions) , tons of origami paper and origami books, miniature obento boxes of plastic food, cute cute cute animal umbrellas, koi noburi in all sizes, paper blow up balls, and much much more. I ended up buying a couple of those mini obento boxes for an ofrenda I'm making, some origami paper and a baby lion umbrella. There is also an ongoing origami exhibit with mind blowing figures--dinosaurs, lobster, beetle, birds that are beyond awesome! This is a wonderful family-owned store that has been around for decades. I am happy to support this warm, friendly store!

Vicky, the owner, was on a post-prison Martha Stewart show! They are the only place I can find that makes copies in this area. They also have about 1,000 origami how-to books.

I just love this place. I have just gone there for browsing. When I walk in there 1st time, 28 years ago, J-town was more J-town. Old Authentic J-town. I think this place is original J-town store still going strong with Benkyo-do right next door. I just give my respect.

GOOD PRICES, GREAT SELECTION, AMAZINGLY FRIENDLY SERVICE (Skip the mall stationery store...come here for small town cozy experience) This place makes you feel like you've stepped into Mayberry in Japan. Not only do they have a great selection of paper goods and Japanese chotzkes, but their prices are super reasonable. Much better than the stationery store in the mall next to Kinokuniya Bookstore. The best thing about this place are the owners, Vicki, Linda and their dad. They are super friendly, and have that "we care about our customers like they're family" kind of feel. So refreshing and makes me nostalgic for the good ole days!

Did you know that this is the place to make photocopies in J-town? Don't go to Kinko's because it is gonna cost an arm, a leg, and your brain cells and frustration at the non-customer service. Nobu Mihara has been running this place since the late 60s and they probably will have Vicky run it with her garnered fame with origami on Martha Stewart, etc. Not the most organized store and the Mihara's will put your document on the copy machine and it's not private love letters that should be reviewed by them for J-town gossip news, but hey gotta love that it is not a Officemaxigalorioussuckholeindapocketnon-service-athong-amongstslacksters. Still, love Kinokuniya for glorious paper and stationary, though.

My fave store in Japantown! The owners are ace and super into paper crafts. They have sumi brushes including the ones that are a few together. 3-10 sumi brushes in various widths. Perfect for ceramics and large areas. They have cute stationary, fun little bits, interesting math books re: the science behind paper folding. There is stuff for scrapbooking, paper curling, and more. Awesome specimens to look at. 500+ fold wall-e! Paper sculptures made from 1 sheet of folder paper. It's mind boggling g and amazingly cool. Part of my top 10 SF haunts. The Thai place down the street "jitlada" is a great place to go if you need a snack.

Just celebrated my daughter's 6th birthday with an origami class. She had so much fun making a butterfly, heart, house, and a cup. Such an adorable local shop. The instructor was extremely knowledgeable, and patient with instructing both my 6 and 12 year old. Definitely will continue in supporting this local gem.

I can't tell you how impressed I am with Linda and the Paper Tree. After writing a cold email to their website asking about a service not mentioned on their website Linda was not only quick to respond but very enthusiastic about the idea. This was not just another job for Linda, she wanted to know details to help her complete the task I asked. There was the genuine interest in not only making this idea work but making it amazing. The final product was everything I was asking for and more. Five points for five stars - Customer Service - Actually caring about what the customer wants - Going above and beyond what is asked - Setting accurate time expectations - Affordability

My friend Katie F. needed to buy a present for her "niece" (not by blood, by friendship), a precocious 8 year old. We figured no ordinary present would do, so we stopped by the Japanese stationary shop Paper Tree. When we walked in on a cold drizzly Thursday afternoon, there were only a few other people there but I blame it on the weather (and weekday). This small shop is packed with old fashioned Japanese toys (paper blow up balls anyone), erasers in the shapes of hamsters, VW bugs with surfboards, pandas, different piece of sushi, and even lobster on a bed of lettuce haha. Katie picked up a great little Buddha Board- paintbrush+water=eight year old zen moments (until the water evaporates leaving a clean slate once again). This place was a little piece of Japan, right down to the warm and friendly customer service. Just what I needed after braving the rain! :)

This little store is so charming! My friends and I came in here after having lunch in the area and we were amazed by the various origami pieces displayed around the store. I used to love doing origami when I was younger, so I was very much in awe of the skillfully crafted paper animals and characters that the store had. Aside from the works of art on display, the store also has a huge variety of origami paper and some other craft supplies at fairly reasonable prices. They have paper of all textures, colors, and patterns. I got a little set of paper for folding stars for around $2! The clerk behind the counter was an older man who was very kind and courteous. He explained some of the origami art displays around the store to us and you can just immediately sense his enthusiasm about the craft. All in all, I say come here for your origami supplies! I feel like it's important to support good local business and this is a place that seems like it really understands what it's doing and will treat its customers well!