---
title: "King Jim KITTA: Pre-Cut Masking Tape in a Card"
canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/king-jim-kitta/"
description: "King Jim KITTA explained: pre-cut 15 × 50 mm masking tape pieces in a 91 × 55 mm folding card, 40 pieces in 4 patterns, Slim, Wide and Clear types, and uses."
category: "Accessories"
type: "Washi tape"
published: 2026-10-22
updated: 2026-10-22
author: "Ellis Penhale"
publisher: "Stationery Times"
sources: 7
products:
  - name: "King Jim KITTA pre-cut masking tape (standard, 40 pieces)"
    brand: "King Jim"
    brand_origin: "Japan"
    made_in: "Not stated"
    material: "Masking tape pieces on backing paper, in a folding paper card (King Jim); KITTA Clear uses transparent film tape (Amazon US)"
    released: "2016-06-15"
    price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per item, typical US retail, October 2026)"
    manufacturer: "King Jim Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)"
    model: "KITTA"
    url: "https://www.kingjim.co.jp/hitotoki/sp/kitta/lineup.html"
---

# King Jim KITTA: Pre-Cut Masking Tape in a Card

> King Jim KITTA is Japanese masking tape sold pre-cut: 15 mm wide pieces about 50 mm long on backing paper, folded into a card the size of a business card, 91 × 55 mm. A standard KITTA holds 40 pieces in 4 patterns. It launched on June 15, 2016, and passed 5 million copies sold by May 2026.

- URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/king-jim-kitta/
- Category: Accessories
- Author: Ellis Penhale
- Published: 2026-10-22
- Updated: 2026-10-22

![King Jim KITTA card opened flat with rows of 15 × 50 mm pre-cut masking tape pieces in four patterns, drawn to scale, with a close-up of a piece peeling off](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/king-jim-kitta-16x9.png)

*A KITTA card folded (91 × 55 mm) and open, with 15 × 50 mm pieces (drawn at 1 mm = 1.6 px).* Original drawing (SVG): <https://stationerytimes.com/images/king-jim-kitta-cover.svg>. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

## Product facts

| Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Jim KITTA pre-cut masking tape (standard, 40 pieces) | King Jim (by King Jim Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)) | Japan | Not stated | Masking tape pieces on backing paper, in a folding paper card (King Jim); KITTA Clear uses transparent film tape (Amazon US) | 2016-06-15 | $$: $5–20 per item |

- Made in (King Jim KITTA pre-cut masking tape (standard, 40 pieces)): Not stated. King Jim's KITTA releases (seen through search on October 22, 2026; its site returned errors when we tried to load it) and Amazon US don't state a country of manufacture. Check the card or wrapper.

## Key takeaways

- King Jim launched KITTA on June 15, 2016, at ¥320 (about US$2) before tax for 40 pieces: 4 patterns × 10.
- Each piece is 15 mm wide and about 50 mm long, and the card folds to 91 × 55 mm (3.6 × 2.2 in), per King Jim and Amazon US.
- The Slim type (2017) holds 80 pieces in 8 patterns; the Wide type (2019) holds 30 wider pieces in 3 patterns.
- King Jim said in May 2026 that cumulative KITTA sales had passed 5 million, in its 10th year.
- JetPens recommends KITTA in its planner washi tape guide because the slim holder fits a planner's card pocket.

## What is King Jim KITTA?

**It's decorative masking tape sold already cut into short pieces and stuck on backing paper inside a small folding card.** King Jim, the Tokyo stationery maker, designed it so you can carry several tape patterns in a planner without carrying rolls.

JetPens recommends KITTA in its planner washi tape guide because the slim holder fits a planner's card pocket, and the KITTA Clear Drop design had 221 ratings on Amazon US when we checked on October 22, 2026.

## King Jim KITTA specs

| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | King Jim Co., Ltd., Tokyo (HITOTOKI brand) |
| Pieces | 40 per standard KITTA: 4 patterns × 10 (King Jim) |
| Piece size | 15 mm wide, about 50 mm (2.0 in) long (King Jim, Amazon US) |
| Card size | 91 × 55 mm (3.6 × 2.2 in) folded (King Jim) |
| Launched | June 15, 2016 (King Jim) |
| Japan launch price | ¥320 (about US$2) before tax |
| Price band | $$ ($5–20, Amazon US import listing) |
| Made in | Not stated |

![King Jim KITTA standard, Slim and Wide types compared: 40, 80 and 30 pre-cut pieces](https://stationerytimes.com/images/king-jim-kitta-types.svg)

*The three KITTA formats and their piece counts, from King Jim's releases.*

## How does KITTA work?

**You open the card, peel a pre-cut piece off its backing paper and stick it where you want it.** No cutter, scissors or tearing is needed, and the pieces come in equal lengths.

King Jim's 2016 launch release describes four patterns of 10 pieces each on one folding card. The card folds to 91 × 55 mm, about a business card, so it slips into a wallet or a planner pocket.


## What KITTA types are there?

**Standard, Slim, Wide and Clear, plus many limited designs.**

| Type | Pieces | Launched |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 40 (4 patterns × 10), 15 mm wide | June 15, 2016 |
| Slim | 80 (8 patterns × 10) | March 31, 2017 |
| Wide | 30 (3 patterns × 10), wider tape | July 12, 2019 |
| Clear | 40 film pieces (Amazon US) | Not stated |

The Slim launched at ¥350 (about US$2.20) before tax. King Jim later added a KITTA FILE and a KITTA CAN to store finished cards, and in February 2025 a set with 4 patterns of 10 pieces plus a clear foil sticker sheet.

## Is KITTA the same as washi tape?

**It's the same kind of decorative masking tape, just pre-cut.** King Jim calls it masking tape (マスキングテープ), which is what US shops sell as washi tape; the KITTA Clear uses a transparent film tape so the page shows through.

If you like rolls and want long strips, the Japanese [mt washi tape](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/mt-washi-tape/) is the classic; a cutter such as the [KOKUYO Karucut clip tape cutter](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kokuyo-karucut-clip-tape-cutter/) helps with rolls. Our [journaling stickers and washi tape roundup](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-journaling-stickers-and-washi-tape/) compares more options.

## How can you use KITTA in a planner?

**As short, even strips: the 50 mm pieces fit across a weekly column or a small box.** In a weekly planner, one piece can mark a date, frame a heading or hold down a ticket stub.

Because every piece is the same length, a row of them looks tidy without measuring. You can also write on many paper tapes with a fine pen; test yours first, because some inks smear on tape. Carry two or three cards in the cover pocket and you have several patterns without a single roll.

## How popular is KITTA?

**Very, in Japan: King Jim said cumulative sales passed 5 million copies in May 2026, its 10th year.** It had announced 1 million earlier, and it has released limited designs and collaborations, such as one with Kirin's moogy barley tea.

In the US it's an import, sold by JetPens and on Amazon, which is why it costs more than the Japanese launch price.

## Where is King Jim KITTA made?

**King Jim doesn't say in the releases we found, and Amazon US doesn't either.** King Jim is based in Tokyo, and KITTA is part of its HITOTOKI line of decorative stationery.

Check the card or the wrapper if origin matters to you.

## Frequently asked questions

### How many pieces are in a King Jim KITTA?

A standard KITTA has 40: 10 pieces in each of 4 patterns. The Slim type has 80 in 8 patterns, and the Wide type has 30 in 3 patterns.

### How big is a KITTA tape piece?

King Jim cuts the standard tape 15 mm wide and about 5 cm long; Amazon's listing gives 15 × 50 mm.

### Is KITTA washi tape?

King Jim calls it masking tape, the same low-tack decorative tape sold as washi tape in the US. KITTA Clear uses a transparent film tape instead.

### Do I need scissors or a cutter for KITTA?

No. The pieces are already cut to length on backing paper, which is the whole point: you peel one off and stick it down.

### Where does KITTA fit in a planner?

The card folds to 91 × 55 mm, about a business card, so it fits a card pocket. JetPens recommends it for that reason.

### Is King Jim KITTA made in Japan?

King Jim doesn't say in the releases we found, and Amazon US doesn't either. King Jim is a Tokyo stationery maker.

## Sources

- [キングジム: 4種類のマスキングテープをコンパクトに持ち運べる、マスキングテープ「KITTA（キッタ）」発売 (launch release: June 15, 2016, 40 pieces in 4 patterns, ¥320 before tax, folds to 91 × 55 mm; read via search, October 22, 2026)](https://www.kingjim.co.jp/news/release/detail/_id_20865/)
- [キングジム: ちいさく持てるマスキングテープ「KITTA（キッタ）」に新デザイン・新サイズを追加 (March 31, 2017: Slim type, 80 pieces in 8 patterns, ¥350 before tax)](http://www.kingjim.co.jp/news/detail/46.html)
- [キングジム: 「KITTA FILE(キッタファイル)」とテープ幅が広い「KITTA」ワイドタイプ発売 (July 12, 2019: Wide type, 30 pieces in 3 patterns)](https://www.kingjim.co.jp/news/detail/177.html)
- [キングジム: 累計販売冊数500万冊突破！ ちいさく持てるマスキングテープ「KITTA(キッタ)」10周年 (May 12, 2026)](https://www.kingjim.co.jp/news/detail/img/pdf/2026051202_KINGJIM_Release.pdf)
- [キングジム: ちいさく持てるマスキングテープ「KITTA」 (HITOTOKI lineup page)](https://www.kingjim.co.jp/hitotoki/sp/kitta/lineup.html)
- [JetPens: The Best Planner Washi Tapes and Stickers (King Jim Kitta pre-cut tapes fit a planner card pocket)](https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Planner-Washi-Tapes-and-Stickers/pt/23)
- [Amazon US: King Jim KITTA Clear KITT001 masking tape, Drop (15 × 50 mm pieces, 91 × 55 mm folded, 40 pieces; 221 ratings on October 22, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HV7SC84)