Compiled from 7 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
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.
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A KITTA card folded (91 × 55 mm) and open, with 15 × 50 mm pieces (drawn at 1 mm = 1.6 px).
Product facts
Product
King Jim KITTA pre-cut masking tape (standard, 40 pieces)
Masking tape pieces on backing paper, in a folding paper card (King Jim); KITTA Clear uses transparent film tape (Amazon US)
Released
June 2016
Price range
$$$5–20 per item
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Notes on these facts
Made by King Jim Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture 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. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
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
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.
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.
