One of my favourite things I did in Japan this year was visiting Jiyucho, a little café where you can write a letter to your future self.
I first discovered Jiyucho while sitting in a Starbucks in Ginza, googling bookshops in Tokyo that resemble Kenji Ueda’s Letters from the Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop. The moment I read the words “letter” and “café” in the same sentence, describing Jiyucho, I knew I had to go. It sounded less like a place and more like something pulled straight out of my personal wish list.
This is the kind of experience my dreams are made of.
The next day, I found myself wandering through the quiet neighbourhood of Kuramae, standing in front of a pair of small wooden sliding doors with a simple sign that read: Jiyucho.
Inside, everything felt intentional. The lady behind the counter greeted me kindly and asked if it was my first time there. When I said yes, she explained the process before letting me choose my seat.
Jiyochu held a mix of people: a tourist family with three young children, two women travellers chatting quietly across from me, a couple seated near the window, and me, taking it all in from the corner of a wooden bench.
One corner table was filled with beautiful pens, stamps, stickers, postcards, and textured paper. Every stationery lover’s fantasy was laid out neatly in front of me.
Writing a Tomoshibi Letter in Jiyochu, Tokyo
After ordering my hojicha tea, I was shown the different types of Tomoshibi letter sets available. Each came with its own stationery and purpose. Since it was still technically the beginning of the year, I chose the milestone letter set.
The set itself included several pieces: a letter to myself, postcards, and little paper keepsakes. I won’t spoil too much in case you decide to visit someday because discovering it for yourself is part of the magic.
I put on the Stardew Valley soundtrack through my earphones, sipped cup after cup of tea, and slowly began writing. Somewhere between the second and third cup, time disappeared completely. I forgot there were other people around me. It felt strangely intimate, like having a conversation with a version of myself I hadn’t met yet.
At first, I thought I would finish within an hour. Instead, I ended up sitting there for the full two hours.
Wax Sealed Letter to My Future Self
When I finally handed my letter to the lady at the counter, she smiled and reminded me that it still needed to be sealed.
With wax.
I had never wax sealed a letter before, and for some reason, that tiny detail filled me with an embarrassing amount of joy. I got to choose from four wax seal colours, which were melted over a small tea light candle before carefully pressing the stamp onto the envelope.
Ever since that day, I’ve become slightly obsessed with wax seals and even bought my own set. So if you are my friend, there’s a very high chance you’ll eventually receive an unnecessarily dramatic handwritten letter from me.
Looking back, Jiyucho was one of the most memorable things I did during my travels because it made me sit still for a while. It made me reflect. It made me romanticise my own life a little.
And now, almost five months later, despite spending nearly two hours pouring my thoughts onto paper, I can barely remember what I wrote anymore. I think that’s what makes the letter I’m supposed to receive next year even more memorable.
A tip: if you want to write your own Tomoshibi letter at Jiyucho Tokyo, make sure to book in advance through their website. As of 2026, the experience costs 3,630 yen for a two-hour letter-writing session, which includes a letter set, a beverage, and postage for your future letter.
Future Self Letters Around the World
Would you believe this wasn’t my first letter to my future self?
The first time I stumbled upon the idea was on Jeju Island at Yeha Guesthouse, where they had beautiful little pigeon boxes for guests to write postcards to their future selves.
I wrote three postcards to myself for 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years into the future, all addressed to my parents’ house since I was renting back then.
I received the last one two years ago. It brought the older-me so much joy reading them.
Ever since then, especially after being completely swept up in the moment at Jiyucho earlier this year, I’ve found myself wondering where else in the world I could do this while travelling.
A new mission is born.
Jiyochu Tokyo address: 4 Chome-11-2 Kuramae, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0051, Japan.
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