Why Japanese Art Supplies Are Worth It
What Makes Holbein Paints Special
Holbein is a Japanese art brand founded in 1900, and it’s been a favourite among professional artists ever since. The quality is genuinely hard to match. Holbein watercolor paints are known for their rich pigment, smooth flow, and how well they hold colour over time.
What sets Holbein apart is the care put into every tube. They use high pigment loads, which means the colours stay vivid even when you dilute them with lots of water. Many artists say a little goes a long way — which makes the cost feel worth it.
Holbein also makes artist-grade oils, gouache, and inks. Each product line holds to the same high standard.
Why Copic Markers from Japan Stand Out
Copic markers are alcohol-based markers made by Too Corporation in Japan. Artists worldwide love them for their smooth, even colour and their refillable design — a rare feature in the marker world.
What makes buying Copic markers from Japan so appealing is the full range. Japan stocks all 358 colours, plus every nib type and refill ink. Outside Japan, many colours sell out fast or simply aren’t stocked at all.
The markers blend cleanly with no streaks, which makes them a top choice for illustrators and comic artists. If you want the complete Copic experience — every shade, every tool — buying direct from Japan is really the only way to get there.
What You Can Get That’s Hard to Find Elsewhere
Holbein Watercolor Sets and Japan-Only Items
Holbein sells a wide range of watercolor sets in Japan — from small starter kits to large professional sets with 108 colours or more. Many of these sets come in beautiful tin cases and include colours that never make it onto international store shelves.
Beyond watercolors, Holbein’s Japanese lineup includes artist oils, Drawing Ink, and Acryla Gouache in shades that overseas retailers rarely carry. Some seasonal and limited sets appear only on the Japanese market, then sell out fast.
If you follow art communities online, you’ve likely seen artists rave about specific Holbein shades that seem impossible to find. That’s because many of them are Japan-exclusive.
Copic Markers: Full Range, Refills, and Exclusives
Outside Japan, most art stores carry a limited selection of Copic markers — often just the popular shades. Japan stocks the complete 358-colour range, all nib types, and every refill ink colour in one place.
Refills are especially hard to find abroad, yet they’re key to getting the most from your markers. In Japan, you can buy them easily in any major art supply shop or online store, often at a better price than importing them piecemeal.
Japan also sees special Copic sets and collaborations that never reach global markets. These limited releases sell out quickly, so timing matters. If there’s a set you’ve had your eye on, waiting for it to appear overseas likely means missing it for good.
How to Buy Japanese Art Supplies from Overseas
Understanding How Proxy Shopping Works
Proxy shopping is a service where a company in Japan buys products on your behalf and ships them to your home. It’s the most reliable way to access Japanese stores that don’t offer international shipping.
The process is simple. You find the item you want — say, a Holbein watercolor set or a specific Copic marker — and share the product link with the proxy service. They purchase it, check it, then send it to you directly.
This approach works well for art supplies because many Japanese retailers only sell locally. A proxy service removes that barrier completely. You get the real product, sourced from a genuine Japanese store, delivered to your door. Before your order ships, it’s also worth checking the Japan Customs website to understand any import rules or duties that may apply in your country.
Using Globe’s Inquiry Form to Order
Globe Co., Ltd. is a proxy shopping service based in Japan that helps international buyers purchase Japanese products with ease. Getting started is straightforward and doesn’t require any sign-up or account creation.
Find the item you want on a Japanese retailer’s website — Holbein paints, Copic markers, or any other art supply. Then visit Globe’s inquiry form, paste in the product link, and add any details like colour or size. Globe takes it from there.
Once they confirm your order, Globe purchases the item and arranges international shipping to your address. It’s a low-stress way to shop Japan’s full art supply range from anywhere in the world.
