Experience letterpress printing at the retro and cool Bizen Toppan Workshop

Bizen Toppan Kosakusho is a shop that sells paper products made using letterpress printing, created through a collaboration between Onishi Bizen City, a Bizen store founded in 1920 (Taisho 9), and COCHAE, a design unit based in Okayama.

• Table of contents
• You can experience three different types of printing!
• Trying to make a memo pad using letterpress printing
• Automatic letterpress printing machine
• There is also a cafe space
• Cafe time with sweets and drinks
• A gallery featuring exhibits related to paper and printing
• A general goods shop where you can see, touch and enjoy
• Feel free to ask us about printing
• Store Information

You can experience three different types of printing!

Bizen Toppan Workshop offers three types of printing experiences. All require a reservation, but same-day reservations are possible if there are openings. You can check the reservation status on their official website and make a reservation online or by phone.

A: Letterpress printing experience (1,500 yen)

Choose your favorite design and text and experience printing using the manual letterpress printer "Tekin." You can then make a memo pad with the printed card as the cover.

B: Silkscreen printing experience (starting from 2,500 yen)

Choose your favorite design or create your own original layout and print it on T-shirts, tote bags, etc. You can also create original goods by using your own or your child's drawing as a printing plate (plate making fee + 2,000 yen).

*If you bring your own materials, it's free, but if you purchase them in the store, an additional 700-1,000 yen will be charged for T-shirts and 450-700 yen for tote bags.

C: Stamp making experience (2,000 yen)

This is an experience where you can create your own original stamp by engraving your drawing onto a rubber sheet using a laser cutter.

Make a reservation here

Trying to make a memo pad using letterpress printing

This time, I tried letterpress printing, something I had never experienced before. Letterpress printing is a traditional printing technique that has been used in almost the same way since its invention, in which blocks of letters and designs are combined, ink is applied, and the block is pressed to print. I will introduce the process.

① Frame selection

You can choose from two types of frames: a "photo frame" and a "frame with the number 1 in it." I chose the frame with the "1" design.

②Select a design

Choose your favorite design from the available blocks. Depending on the size, you can combine multiple blocks. This time, I chose a design by Bizen Toppan Kosakujo. It's a very cute design.

③Selecting characters

You can choose from hiragana, katakana, the alphabet, and numbers. The number of characters you can include varies depending on the size of the type, but it's generally around 20 characters. I decided on "Date" and "Okatabi!" right then and there.

④ Final adjustment of gap and height

Once you have decided on the text and design, fill in the gaps, adjust the height, and choose the ink color. There are three ink colors: black, Aka, and blue. I chose Aka this time.

⑤Printed using a Tekin (manual letterpress printing machine)

The completed mold is placed into the printing press and pressed onto the paper with a tekin (manual letterpress printing press). It requires a bit of force, but the staff are on hand to help, so it's no problem.

⑥Cover selection

Print several copies and choose the darkness and finish you like. You can also take home the ones you didn't choose.

⑦Decide the spine color

The spine comes in four colors: yellow, light blue, Aka, and blue. I chose my favorite color.

⑧Complete!

Attach the spine, let the ink dry, and it's finished. It took about 40-50 minutes. Even though it was my first time, they taught me carefully, so it wasn't difficult at all. I'm very happy to have made my own notebook!

It is also recommended as a souvenir or to create memories of your trip to Okayama .

Automatic letterpress printing machine

After the experience, we were shown an automatic letterpress printing machine, not a manual one. The machine was cool, and we were also shown a blank press without ink. The letters appeared, which was also very impressive.

There is also a cafe space

You can also relax in the attached cafe space between shopping and activities. You can also use the cafe alone.

Cafe time with sweets and drinks

This time, we enjoyed Japanese sweets, carrot cake, and drip coffee from Shotoen, a long-established Japanese sweets shop in Tamashima , Kurashiki City . Drinks are also available for takeout, so they make a great souvenir.

A gallery featuring exhibits related to paper and printing

The gallery space regularly hosts exhibitions related to paper and printing. Currently, the exhibition "Aozora-tei's Neo Folk Crafts Exhibition - Tsu e and Panzu Tsu" is being held. Unique works using letterpress printing are on display, and merchandise is also available for purchase.

[Exhibition "Aozora-tei's Neo Folk Crafts Exhibition - Tsu e and Panzu Tsu- Inunko and Chunky Matsumoto "]

Event period: Monday, November 3, 2024 - Sunday, January 12, 2025

Learn more

A general goods shop where you can see, touch and enjoy

The shop space, lined with colorful paper goods and original merchandise, is also an attraction. There is also an online store, so if you're interested, please check it out.

Feel free to ask us about printing

In the future, they will be able to provide printing consultations, as well as use the workshop space as a place for intermediate, advanced, and professional crafters to create and work freely (although it is still in preparation).

Store Information

This was my first time trying letterpress printing, and it was a lot of fun. The shop had a stylish atmosphere and was filled with printing-related items, and I was able to create a one-of-a-kind original piece.

Bizen Toppan Workshop is a place where everyone can enjoy delicious sweets, a gallery, and paper goods for sale.

Please do go and check it out. The shelves of retro type in the store are really cool, so I hope you'll come and see the real thing.

[Bizen Toppan Workshop]

Address: 31 Nishikatakami , Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture Prefecture

TEL: 0869-87-0012

Business hours: 9:30-17:30 (last orders 17:00)

Closed: Wednesdays and Thursdays

Parking: 3 spaces on weekdays, 10 spaces on weekends and holidays

*The parking lot is located about 100m away from the store.

Bizen Toppan Workshop Official Website