This place is stationary heaven for me. It's also packed with everything I'm into which is journaling, drawing, and calligraphy. The selection of various Japanese pens, mechanical pencils, brush pens, and notebooks is incredible. I also appreciate I can pretty much try out most of them to make sure I like it. I'm most pleased about their selection of fountain pens and inks. So amazing to be able to see them in person. Prices are either about the same or higher than what you'll find online, but it's well worth it to be able to be in the physical presence of all these tools and get lost in the creative possibilities while browsing through the aisles. The staff here are super friendly and helpful as well. I just wish there were more of them. This place can get crazy busy. read more

My family and I are slightly obsessed with Japanese stationery, and few places top Maido in Japantown. We once spent a long afternoon in Ginza Itoya--the eight floor modern, immaculate stationary superstore in Tokyo with rows of perfectly designed pens, playful stamps, gorgeous hand printed stickers and ephemera we didn't know we needed. Maido is much smaller, a little cluttered, but brings some of that experience with its rows of geometric folders and gorgeous mechanical pencils. I've never met a gel pen or cat stamp here I didn't love. I also like to shop both Maido locations: upstairs they have small cubby packed full with stationary and office supplies, and downstairs, a small shop with gifts and cards. If you fill a basket here with over $40 in items, which is easy to do as its pricey, they offer a parking subsidy --a thoughtful touch that hardly any other Japantown shops offer anymore, which can make a visit slightly easier to justify. read more

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Great selection of stationery goods, especially Japanese pens, pencils, and notebooks, fun novelty items. Every end of year and new year, one can buy the new year journal for planning and organization. a bit on the expensive side for the notebooks and pens, inks. Lots of varieties. The only down side is it is hit or miss with the staff, sometimes a nice knowledge lady answers all your questions and sometimes you run into that guy who barely wants to acknowledge your presence. So minus one star for the price and the service. I love the Maido San Jose Santana row service but this SF location has more selections. read more

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Mai Do is a great stationary and fine gifts store located on the 2nd floor of Kinokuniya Mall in Japantown. Driving up from San Jose with friends, whenever we visited JTown, I always stopped into this store. Fine pens & markers, origami, fine stationary, cute stuffed animals, etc. read more

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We enjoyed this shop so much that we went back again two days in a row! I got two stickers for my water bottle. My partner enjoyed looking at the pens. We also got a card for our hosts here in SF and I got an adorable set of tiny cards with a cat on them. Service was kind and prompt, store was well organized. Thank you! read more

Mai Do - San Francisco - Such a cute little shop in the mall - Cards & Stationery Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This is a stationary and gift store inside Japan town . Downstairs is the gift shop and upstairs is the pens and stationery shop . I am writing about the downstairs. It is packed with cute things . Key chains , rocks , toys , characters, arts and crafts in all kinds of materials, animals and figures . It is pricey. Simple acrylic key chain is $15 or more . They are all SO CUTE! I got tow miffy pins , a ceramic coaster with San Francisco theme , a lip gloss that smell like strawberry and in a strawberry case . Some marbles with see through graphic and has that magical look ! I love so many things inside . Would come back whenever I can ! read more

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So much cool stuff! What's more awesome is the staff members are consistently helpful and friendly. Kids love stopping by to look around and buy cute cool things. The quality of their goods justifies the price. read more

Mai Do - San Francisco - Cards & Stationery Near Me - San Francisco, California

I want to leave a great 5 star review simply on the fact that Mai Do is like the holy land for stationery. And it does not disappoint! I was like a kid in a candy shop here. All the other positive reviews will highlight that really well and I agree! On the other hand, I want to leave a 1 star review for the terrible customer service. I was actually near tears after I left because of how poorly I was treated. Two different staff members (so it wasn't just one guy having a bad day), were rude, short and dismissive to my questions. I was SO excited to finally look at Traveler's Notebooks in person and ask a few questions (they are kept behind counter) and it was like I was bothering them. I was really shocked at how impatient they were acting. This is on top of a few other interactions while I was browsing the store/needed help with other items. It was a really sad experience and I left so dejected. The store is absolute heaven but the customer service was awful, it really soured my experience - I don't live nearby (about 8 hours away) so going there was something huge for me. It was a bummer and I left without purchasing some bucket list items I had wanted because of it all. :( read more

Jam packed with quality stationary, pens, pencils (upstairs) and kitschy gifts (downstairs). Got a teeny 1" terrarium kit that my daughter absolutely adores. Lots of unique read more

When we were growing up, we thought there were only ballpoint pens. Later we learned about roller ball pens and gel ink. At this store, they have sections for each. It appears that Japan makes many types of pens. So to save oneself a trip to Japan (which is fun also), visit Mai Do. The prices are reasonable, too. Highlighters are another genre, plus school and art supplies. Their fountain pens are beautiful. This is my go-to store for my annual planner. They sell out quickly, so call ahead in November. Hello Kitty items and beautiful cards are present. It would take much time to list all the fantastic merchandise, so just visit. I would like to mention the exceedingly helpful salespeople. While in the midst of stocking varied items in a small space and dealing with harried Christmas shoppers, they stopped what they were doing and helped me. They go beyond their job, and will advise shoppers where to find something if they don't have it. However, they sell most everything related to stationery. Enjoy your visit! read more

I have been going here to get my pens for over 10 years, and they were great. I had a great experience. Not until Sunday was I overcharged. I didn't go back to the store. I live like 1hr away The last time I bought a pen was last October. The price was $3.95 each, and yesterday, I was charged $9.15. Is there a tariff on pens? Below is the pic of same pen I bought 4 months ago so I took a pic , vs the pen I bought yesterday there was no price they just added the price in the cash register So now I have to be careful next time I visit this store read more

Mai Do - San Francisco - I was overcharged $9.15 each for four pends I bought yesterday. Compare to 4 months ago I bought $3.95 - Cards & Stationery Near Me - San Francisco, California

This store is what retail used to be. I've never been much of a pen guy, I have typed everything since college. But over the last six months, I've started writing in a journal. It's a sensual experience-the paper journal and the pen itself are a big part of it. I started with a disposable fountain pen from Zebra, and it was actually pretty good. But I wanted a treat. I went yesterday and one of their staff walked me through fountain pen basics. They showed me different nibs, and different weights. He carefully avoided upselling me, though I was entirely open to it. He connected me with a Kaweko extra fine nib. When I got home, I realized that the pen was difficult to write more than a page with. I went back today, and another staff person went through the whole thing with me. He exchanged the pen I bought yesterday for a pen with a slightly larger nib and with "wetter" ink. Amazing. I've just written a few pages, and it's perfect. More than the quality of the stuff, I want to emphasize the quality of the service. Before everything was sold online, retail was often a pleasurable experience. Salespeople often were deep nerds in the thing they were selling. I trusted them because they really enjoyed the thing: outdoor gear, audio equipment, music, specialty foods. There are still a few places like this (hardware stores, I'm lookin at you). Mai Do is absolutely in this category. I'll be back, and I intend to bring out-of-town friends. read more

Mai Do - San Francisco - pen & ink with journal - Cards & Stationery Near Me - San Francisco, California

They have a really good selection of pens pencils and markers. The journal collection is decent as well. They also carry interesting portable scissors and highlighters. Not much else to say about them. They've been around for a long time and service is good. read more

this place is like victim of consumerism final boss. there's a lot of random cute stuff in here, probs a lot of stuff you will never need but i like it. just be careful when you walk in bc you can buy one thing and leave 50 dollars poorer. they have calico critters and booknooks and cards and envelopes and stationary etc. in my opinion some of the items can be overpriced, do your research unless you don't care about overspending. the worker at the front is nice. the paper bags are 10 cents. honestly the stuff in here is cute and i always walk in even just to window shop whenever im in japantown. the only thing is it can start to get super busy and crowded to the point where people are just bumping into you/blocking everything. therefore i would suggest coming earlier in the day. read more

Mai Do - San Francisco - book nooks for sale - Cards & Stationery Near Me - San Francisco, California

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If you're a fan of stationery and pens, this is the store for you. There are two storefronts in Japantown. You want the one on the second floor. They have plenty of stock and the price is average. read more

Wow! This tiny store packs in a LOT of goodies from Asia. My favourite section though must be the PENS. They have the latest and biggest selection of pens from Japan. My favourite ones by Zebra -- the Blen pen -- comes in all sizes and colours here! Never seen some of the styles before! Most other places only carry the black and white bodies in 0.7 size. But here they have a lot of 0.5 in various colours! Prices are for most products are average and competitive to other shops. This is a great place to find gifts for stationery lovers! read more

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Lovely stationary store with just about anything you could want. I stopped in to purchase a gift for a friend and couldn't have been happier. The selection of notebooks and pens is fantastic and the staff was super helpful when it came to selecting the right fountain pen. Prices are reasonable. The store can get a bit crowded so be prepared for a bit of a longer visit just to get around the store itself and to speak with the busy team. Highly recommend visiting for your stationary needs! read more

Staff really are the main fault of this place just as other reviews mention. Not only are they unhelpful, they lack customer service skills and plain common sense. Came here looking for a planner and none fit the bill, spent a good 10 minutes looking over all options. Asked the staff for one similar to the display but smaller and they said yes, just take a look. Pretend to look again and ask again. "Oh, we didn't have that size." they say without ever leaving the counter. Didn't even leave the counter to take a closer look or check stock. They apparently had better things to do chit chatting behind the counter busying themselves with side work than actually being useful to customers. I suggest just buying things online and coming here to gauge what you like or not as their prices are all quite a bit higher anyway. The store is also really cramped and hella warm with way too many people milling about, it's a pretty terrible shipping experience overall. read more

This store is a must visit for stationery lovers! The store isn't large but it is jam packed with a lot of high quality stationery (including fountain pens and fountain pen inks). When the store is crowded, the narrow aisles can make it hard to browse and the check out line can get long. But people were polite and patient when I was there so the shopping experience was pleasant. read more

Oooo this place was dangerous for me. They had so many cute little trinkets that would make me empty my wallet instantaneously. My friend got me my very first Miffy here! She is cute and will be planning on getting her more clothes (another expense under my belt). Definitely coming back here to treat myself when I'm in SF! read more

Mai Do - San Francisco - Cards & Stationery Near Me - San Francisco, California

Products available here I can find Nowhere else! Great selection of pens, pencils, paper journals, and many other fun items. Staff is ready to help. The items I have purchased are always of the highest quality! read more

Cute shop! Bought Minecraft things for my kids. Nice selection of goods. Will bring friends when next in town. read more

Mai Do - San Francisco - Storefront of Mai Do (upstairs) - Cards & Stationery Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is fantastic for all of your stationary needs! From washi tape to customisable pens, they have it all. The employees are very helpful and ready to support you in finding exactly what you're looking for! The line moves very quickly, despite there usually being a long one (especially on weekends). I was able to snag two customisable pens, along with three pencils and two pencil cases. Everything is, of course, adorable. They also have keychains, water colour pens and accessories, and notebooks. Things might seem a little pricey but it's definitely worth it! Tip: if you go during a hot day, I don't think they have AC, so that might impact the time you spend shopping! read more

Mai Do - San Francisco - Cards & Stationery Near Me - San Francisco, California

I went to maido and bought stamps, stickers and inkpads. However when I went home and unwrapped the sealed inkpad, it was was super dry and had no ink. I asked if I could at least exchange it and they were so rude. They said they don't do exchanges or refunds if I don't have a receipt and opened packages. There was no way for me to not open a sealed inkpad, hower... I mentioned I could bring all the items I bought, including the packaging of the sealed inkpad and my credit card statement which I still had after opening the inkpad. They said, raising their voice, "It's your fault for not getting a receipt. I don't know why in the world you wouldn't ask for a receipt." I asked for a manager, and conveniently they said they're out at the moment and even if they were here, they would say the exact same thing. Sometimes, you don't want a receipt, because you want to save the environment since receipts are neither compostable or recyclable at all. I believe they slammed the phone on me as well. So much for being polite. This place is super rude, mean and don't care about customers at all. The staff here is deplorable. read more

Mai Do - San Francisco - Dry defective inkpad - Cards & Stationery Near Me - San Francisco, California

Workers were very nice and helpful. There were so many cute things to see and it was so hard to choose. Prices were reasonable.

Eye popping adventure at Mai Do bc there are so many little trinkets to look at. I went to their lower level location which is next to Cafe Maiko & as tempting as it was to bring in a Matcha treat, Mai Do kindly asks that you leave your sweets outside or devour it before enter. For the pure enjoyment of looking, Mai Do has $20 goody bag that is worth $100, so that's a fun to get if you like surprises. I really found the wooden puzzle houses or gazebo's to be very intriguing and so intricate that one day it would be fun to assemble. Prices start from $50 on up to $100 (gramophone-mini record player). I ended up buying a Pop-Up Graduation Card for $8, & wanted a Small compact hole puncher from Upstairs Mai Do, but they didn't carry it. When in J-Town I always stop by Mai Do to see what interesting items they have. read more

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There's two Mai Do in Japantown--one downstairs and one upstairs. Besides everything being SO overpriced, there's always something cute to buy in there. You have a variety of options--gifts, stationary, plushies, and others! I've always bought my Sonny Angels at the one downstairs (big Sonny Angel enthusiast here). I came by today and couldn't find them at their usual location. I looked around the corner and they were labeled among the lines of "EMPTY BOX PLEASE ASK AT THE COUNTER". When I got to the counter, I asked what I wanted and the cashier gave me a paper kraft bag full of unopened wrapped Sonny Angels, WITHOUT their boxes. You were given the choice to choose whichever ones you wanted. Because I wanted to buy this as a gift, I asked for the original box (obviously). Cashier also seemed to have an attitude. I'm not sure why they started implementing this rule (maybe because they've dealt with many theft and people opening up their packaging). But the sole purpose and experience to opening Sonny Angels is to initially OPEN the box and OPEN the second wrapped packaging. I've checked the other Maido upstairs and they seemed to be doing fine with their other mystery boxes--in tact and in initial packaging. Along with THAT specific Maido downstairs they have their other mystery boxes--in tact and in initial packaging. Why just WHY. read more

Mai Do - San Francisco - Sonny Angels (photo captured during Holidays) - Cards & Stationery Near Me - San Francisco, California

Does this place need another 5 star review? Probably not, but this is more of an ode to the awesomeness of this store. I walk in just to peruse the sticker and pen aisles. But pretty much every time I visit, I come out with something. Two weekends ago, it was pens. A few months ago, it was stickers. It's hard to walk away without getting something. And it doesn't help that everything is so cute. The pens are neatly organized. I love how there are sample pens to try out how they feel. And there is just so much variety of pens and stationery. I will def be back because it's one of my favorite places in Japantown. [review20] read more

Such a cute store that you can spend hours looking at the shelves. I will admit that the prices for items are higher compared to the Mai Do in SJ, but I suppose that is SF for you. Service is standard and nothing in particular stood out to me. The main appeal is the cute variety of items. read more

Love this place. They have plenty very unique items for the serious pen aficionados to the casual hobbyist. Wish there were more places in SF to get good pens and inks. Best time to go is during the week when it's not as crowded. During the weekends, the store is packed.. read more

Adorable place. Lots of pens and stationary supplies. I got a felting kit. The kit comes with the wool. The tools are separate. Total was around $30. I talked to a gal and she said it's fun and easy. Let's see how it goes. Lots of nice greeting cards too. Something practical for everyone. read more

Mai Do - San Francisco - $15.55 for the kit. $15 for supplies. Needle, pad ect. - Cards & Stationery Near Me - San Francisco, California

I really wanted to visit this store because of the reviews and cute pictures on Yelp. I was not disappointed. There was so much cute unique and useful things that are made in Japan. They also have some Sanrio products. I bought a Gudetama San Francisco tote back, and a cute SF bear iron on patch. I definitely recommend this store if you want a high quality "JapanTown" souvenir. read more

Dear Cody, When I was around 10 years old, I read a this book series called A Series of Unfortunate Events. I won't ruin it for you, but it's a story about a group of kids who enjoy spending time inside a library. Several of them keep what they call a Commonplace Notebook. Essentially it is a notebook where they write down information they gather from reading, interesting facts and thoughts, or flashes of inspiration in the form of poems or drawings. Throughout the story when the kids get into a pickle, they would refer to their Commonplace Notebook for some timely information to save their skin. I remember reading and being completely enamored with the idea of having a Commonplace for myself. I tried many times to start one. I would use a composition notebook, the ones you can get from a pharmacy store, and write down things that I imagine the kids from A Series of Unfortunate Events would write down. But for one reason or another, my attempts at Commonplace Notebooks never really succeeded. For one, I wasn't very disciplined. And also, to make a generous excuse for my younger self, I didn't have anyone to share my notes with, which really deflates the experience I was modeling from the story. Regardless, I admired the concept of a Commonplace Notebook and would still think about it from time to time. A couple of weeks ago, Mommy suggested that we go on more family outings since you are now actively interacting with your environment. Places like Muir Woods and the California Academy of Science spring to mind for our upcoming weekends. We discussed how it would be perfect for you to explore, and who knows, perhaps even develop an interest in banana slugs! And that's when I realize it's the perfect time for you to have a Commonplace of your own. I convinced Mommy right away and we headed to Mai Do in Japantown. It's important to me that a Commonplace should be nice, and fun. It's one of the alluring aspects of keeping one. The slight elation you feel in your heart when you see it on your desk. I assume you would feel the same and Mai Do is the perfect place for an unreasonably nice notebook. They have all kinds -- leatherbound moleskins, notebooks with artistic covers, and also unassuming ones with paper pages that feel like silk when you write. It must be said they are all costly, especially in comparison to a composition notebook from a pharmacy. But we want you to have a nice one, and if it means it'll increase the likelihood of you keeping the notebook by just 1 percent, Mommy and I are glad to pay a couple of extra dollars. For your first Commonplace, we chose a small sky blue notebook that'll fit snugly inside your dino backpack. The cover is mostly blank, which you can use as a canvas for all the free Trader Joe's stickers you get. A little personalization is always key. It's only been a few weeks and we already made two entries on your behalf! You are surely learning at a much faster pace than I am filling up your Commonplace, but pretty soon you'll be big enough to write in entries on your own. And at that point, maybe we should be more concerned with you using up the pages too fast! There is so much in the world for you to learn and explore, Cody. Mommy and I are pretty excited to see you learn about banana slugs, German cuisine, fossils, and everything in between (Mom & I may very well be learning right alongside you, by the way). And for as long as you find more things to learn, we'll find more cool notebooks at Mai Do. Love always, Daddy read more

I love this place however it is always busy and not enough room for me to really explore. It's a store where you just have to know what you are looking for. Always have what I am looking for but I do t like that there are so many people. Cost varies . Some average and some expensive. Just depends on what you need. Great selection too. No one on the floor to ask questions . All huddled around the cashier read more

AMAZING. As a frequent lover of all things pens and paper this is a must see store for anyone of all stages in their crafting, planning or stationary journey. Their fine pen collection has pens ranging in all price points and you can start anyone out here looking for a nice low budget or high end fountain pen. They have many collectible items that I search for regularly and things I also found while in SE Asia. A must stop!! read more

Maido (other locations mostly) has been my guilty pleasure for high quality but most definitely overpriced stationary for years. This location needs to work on their customer service and policy. They have a sign on the door saying doors close at 6:20 for their 6:30pm closing time. That's fine. What's not reasonable is multiple customers being refused entry before 6:17pm. At that point just update your sign to 6:15 or something? It reflects very poorly on a business for not following through on their policy because the doorman decides whether to let people in or not arbitrarily despite the sign they themselves put on the door. They obviously don't want your business. Best to go somewhere else. read more

I rushed up from San Jose after work. They close at 7pm, I arrived at their door 6:53pm. Doors were already shut. When they opened to let customers out, I asked if I could go in quickly for 2 min because I wanted to buy a gift for my friend. All the employee did was shake her head and close the door. If you are going to close earlier than the listed time, say that. Super disappointing read more

I have an unhealthy obsession with stationary- I'm not sure if it's the interest in wanting to draw anime characters from a young age, the smooth neutrals and minimal designs compared to the louder American counterparts, or the clean and quality designs. So when I'm at Mai Do, arguably the best place in San Francisco for Japanese stationary, I'm in my happy place. The aisles of drawing supplies, pens, and Tomoe River notebooks are something you can only get in so many places. And while Mai Do isn't the sleekest-looking store, the budgetary variety they offer in their stationary is something I've always appreciated. I'll definitely be back...after my next paycheck comes in. read more

What a great find! I did not know this store even existed. We were in the Japanese mall going to go get some ramen when I came upon the place. This past year, I really go into journaling. I have incorporated stickers, markers and awesome pens. This place has all that and more! If you love pens, journals, specialty paper, markers, etc. You need to check this place out. The space is your standard "A" sized small retail space, but it doesn't feel overcrowded at all. The prices are remarkably affordable for being in San Francisco. A great variety of pens, markers for everything you are looking for. I purchased a variety of .5mm colored markers and a cute magnet. I hope to return back to this place the next time I am in the city. read more

Mai Do - San Francisco - Great store for pen lovers and journaling enthusiasts. - Cards & Stationery Near Me - San Francisco, California

MY FAVORITE STORE!!! I always make it a point to come here whenever I'm in japantown. I love everything they have here and it's all so unique and cute. Excellent inventory and place to buy gifts, but I always end up buying things for myself. PROS -they sell a lot of cute crystals and crystal themed items -great and unique card selection -tons of kitty themed items -handmade soaps -everything they sell you can tell is well made!!! read more

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