2025 Guide: minne, Creema and iichi Compared — Japan’s Three Major Handmade Marketplaces
Where should you start selling your handmade work?
I love making handmade items, but I am not sure where to sell them. If you are trying to become a handmade creator, there is a lot to look up and it can be hard to take the first step.
In this guide for handmade beginners, I explain the main points in an easy-to-follow order. The numerical information has been updated as of August 4, 2025.
- What is a handmade marketplace?
- What makes minne different
- What makes Creema different
- What makes iichi different
- Summary
What is a handmade marketplace?
You can think of a handmade marketplace as a sales site dedicated to handmade work. In this article, we look at three of Japan’s representative services: minne, Creema and iichi.
Features of minne
minne is one of the most popular handmade marketplaces in Japan. As the figures below show, it is a site used by a very large number of handmade creators.
Basic data for minne
| Creators and brands | More than 930,000 |
|---|---|
| Listed works | More than 17 million |
| App downloads | More than 15.46 million |
| 300,000 followers | |
| X (formerly Twitter) | 230,000 followers |
As of August 2025
minne fees
| Monthly fee | Free |
|---|---|
| Sales commission | 10.89% (10.56% with minne PLUS) Shipping is included. |
| Bank transfer fee | Sales close at the end of each month and are paid at the end of the following month. Transfer fee: JPY 220. |
As of August 2025
Advantages of minne
1. Customer voices are easy to receive
Compared with other services, reviews are about 10 times more likely, with a purchase review rate of around 40%. It is an environment where communication with buyers is likely to happen.
2. Mainly women in their 20s to 40s
Many buyers are interested in handmade goods. Around 90% are women and about 10% are men.
3. Your work can reach the world
Overseas shipping is possible with no extra burden on the seller.
4. A marketplace that keeps growing
Annual transaction volume: JPY 12.9 billion in fiscal 2023. App downloads: more than 15.46 million as of August 2025.
Items that can be sold or displayed
Handmade items, art and remade goods
Accessories, small goods, interior items, illustrations, paintings and objects made or remade by yourself.
Materials, tools and handmade kits
Materials and tools used only for making works, as well as kits that include those items and instructions.
Antique and vintage items
Crafts, art pieces and similar items made more than 20 years ago and considered historical or rare.
Works supported by production partners
Items designed by you and produced with the help of printing companies or digital technology.
Items that cannot be sold or displayed
Unauthorized agency sales
Selling or displaying works made by a third party without permission for agency sales on minne.
Resale that does not follow the rules
Buying and reselling products without permission. Exceptions include materials, tools, handmade kits, antiques and vintage items.
Some food and drinks
Types of food that minne does not allow to be sold or displayed.
Cosmetics and soap
Skin-care products, perfume, shampoo, bath additives, handmade soap and other items legally treated as cosmetics.
The above notes about what can and cannot be sold are based on information from minne.
Key points and notes
Main users are women from their late teens to their 30s. minne is also useful for buying materials, so some creators use it both to shop and to sell. Accessories are especially active. Prices are usually higher than on flea-market apps, and if items are too cheap they can actually be harder to sell. Products with a clear handmade feel are well received. There are also many items for children and many newer creators, so the atmosphere feels easy to enter. If you are starting as a handmade creator, minne is a strong first choice.
Features of Creema
Creema is another very popular and stylish handmade marketplace. It also holds craft events such as Handmade in Japan Fes, operates editorial shops where creator works rotate every two weeks, and offers Creema SPRINGS, a crowdfunding service that supports creative activity.
Basic data for Creema
| Listed works | More than 16 million |
|---|---|
| App downloads | More than 10 million |
| 137,000 followers | |
| X (formerly Twitter) | 79,000 followers |
As of August 4, 2025
Creema fees
| Monthly fee | Free |
|---|---|
| Sales commission | Works and materials: 11% of the item price excluding shipping, tax included. Food and alcohol: 15.4% of the total payment, tax included. |
| Bank transfer fee | Sales close at the end of each month and are paid at the end of the following month. Less than JPY 30,000: JPY 176 (JPY 55 for PayPay Bank). JPY 30,000 or more: JPY 275 (JPY 55 for PayPay Bank). |
As of August 4, 2025
Advantages of Creema
1. Appeal to 22 million monthly Creema users
Creema started in 2010 with the mission of creating a fair world where truly good things do not get buried. It has strong transaction volume and is known for high sales per creator, so unit prices tend to be stable.
2. Receive direct impressions and thanks from buyers
Buyers who want to bring carefully made works into daily life can send feedback and appreciation, which also helps creators improve their products.
3. Listing is possible even without stock
Creema can handle made-to-order sales. This is reassuring because creators can sell without holding too much inventory risk.
4. Listing takes only about five minutes
You can list by setting images and text. Custom orders and transaction messages can be handled smoothly through the site or app.
5. Promotion tools help beginners too
Functions are available for highlighting new works, issuing shop coupons and running limited-time campaigns.
6. Sales support is substantial
Around 5,000 works a month may be picked up in features or newsletters. There are also push notifications, feature recruitment and regular advice emails.
Items that can be sold or displayed
Original works
Handmade or remade accessories, small goods, interiors, illustrations, paintings and objects. In broad terms, the conditions are similar to minne.
Food and alcohol
Sweets, baked goods, bread, spices, vegetables and alcoholic products are also sold.
Materials, tools and handmade kits
Materials and tools used only for production, and kits that include those items with instructions. This is also broadly similar to minne.
Items that cannot be sold or displayed
Creema lists 17 prohibited categories, including the following:
Major prohibited categories: Non-handmade goods, third-party works, data-only products, firearms and weapons, tobacco, memberships, adult items, medicines, medical products, cosmetics, living animals, items requiring licenses, illegal goods, fireworks and explosives, crime-related items, fortune-telling or spiritual-service products, pages not intended for sale, animal food, and items judged inappropriate by Creema.
The above notes about what can and cannot be sold are based on information from Creema.
Key points and notes
Main users are women in their 20s to 40s. My impression is that Creema is especially strong for mature, high-quality and creative works. Accessories are common, but clothing and higher-priced items also sell well. Because prices are relatively stable and sales per creator are strong, it is a site you should consider if your target customer is an adult woman.
Features of iichi
iichi is a handmade marketplace built around the idea of “good, small-scale making” and the connection between makers, connectors and users. Compared with minne and Creema, it may feel harder for beginners, but it has a loyal following because many professional-level works are introduced. I also created a dedicated feature page about iichi.
Basic data for iichi
| Listed works | More than 770,000 |
|---|---|
| App rating | As of August 2025, 4.7 on the Apple Store and 4.7 on Google Play. |
| 29,000 followers | |
| X (formerly Twitter) | 22,000 followers |
As of August 4, 2025
iichi fees
| Monthly fee | Free |
|---|---|
| Sales commission | 20% of the item price (15% for antiques and food). |
| Bank transfer fee | If sales are recorded from the first to the last day of the previous month, payment is made on the 20th of each month. Transfer fee is about JPY 160, or JPY 55 depending on the bank. |
As of August 4, 2025
Advantages of iichi
1. Transactions are simple and secure
The transaction guide supports the process from order to completion, so makers and buyers do not need to exchange payment directly. Customer support is also available if trouble occurs.
2. Connect with people who use handmade items
You can meet users who care about handwork and craft. Functions such as favorites, restock emails, access analytics and new-arrival emails help you understand reactions and communicate news.
3. Event announcements are possible
Creators can announce exhibitions and workshops on iichi. The service also helps broaden opportunities through craft fairs and related events.
Items that can be sold or displayed
On iichi, the following types of items are mainly sold:
Handwork, crafts and handmade industrial products
Handwork, crafts, fashion, furniture, small goods and art created by the seller.
Materials, tools and reference materials
Materials, production tools and books or reference materials needed for making works.
Authorized agency listings
Agency sales of works authorized by iichi and the maker.
Items that cannot be sold or displayed
On iichi, the following items are prohibited:
Resold items
Works or products not created by the seller.
Food, cosmetics and medical products
Food, drinks, items legally treated as cosmetics, medical products or pharmaceuticals, and similar goods.
Some authorized agency listings are exceptions. The above notes about what can and cannot be sold are based on information from iichi.
Key points and notes
Main users are people in their 30s to 50s, with a relatively high share of men. Many are looking for carefully selected items. My impression is that iichi is less a casual beginner marketplace and more a place where experienced, highly skilled professionals present their work. Many accessories are very high quality, and there are also pieces priced in the tens of thousands of yen. The listing hurdle may feel high, but it is a marketplace full of distinctive works that can inspire creators who want to reach a professional level.
Summary
In short, a handmade marketplace is an online sales site specializing in handmade products. The three well-known options covered here are:
- minne
- Creema
- iichi
Here are the main characteristics of each service:
minne
A beginner-friendly marketplace where new creators can list casually. Prices tend to be approachable, so it is easy to try. For many handmade creators, this is the first site worth opening.
Creema
A stylish marketplace that also handles clothing, food and drinks. It is known for strong sales per creator, and average item prices tend to be stable.
iichi
A marketplace with many professional-level works. Fees are higher, but items are often sold at prices that can work as a real business, attracting buyers who want distinctive, carefully made pieces.
Thank you for reading this long guide. Choose the marketplace that best matches your work and give it a try.
