Japanese stationery is one aspect of Japan that is frequently overlooked but never fails to astonish worldwide. Japanese stationery has developed a reputation for quality and design, from exquisite writing implements to sophisticated paper goods. In fact, Japan boasts numerous locations where interesting stationery may be found, and the selection can be overwhelming. Price varies depending on the store and the item you are looking at, but you can frequently find well-made, affordable stationery. You've undoubtedly already heard of cult favorites like Kokuyo and Muji, but there are a ton of more fantastic brands to consider. Here's a complete guide to Japanese stationery.

What is Japanese Stationery?

Japanese stationery is renowned for its outstanding quality and clever design. Every taste is catered to in Japanese stationery, which features everything from exquisite works of art to adorable stationery items. Furthermore, stationery lovers cannot disregard some of the best stationery brands for quality, dependability, and aesthetically stunning designs. Japanese stationery producers regularly innovate by enhancing current product lines and developing new ones due to the country's competitive stationery market.

Because there is such a large market for stationery in Japan, several Japanese stationery brands compete with one another to constantly create new and improved items. Japanese products are renowned for their excellent innovative designs and unrivaled convenience. Your preferred online retailer and supply store will most likely carry some Japanese stationery items. You can also go to stores like Tokyu Hands, Donki, Muji, and LoFt if you are in Japan. Even Japanese convenience stores and 100-yen retailers like Daiso carry certain stationery supplies you'll undoubtedly love!

What Makes Japanese Stationery Special?

1. Japanese Stationery Companies Innovation and Creativity are Unmatched.

The Japanese have an endless supply of original ideas. In fact, stationery companies incorporate numerous engineering, design, and science concepts into their goods. They even hire individuals committed to carefully analyzing their products to meet their customers' demands and wants. They always strive to produce stationery that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Manufacturers of stationery are beginning to develop new goods that are more effective and multipurpose. You may purchase a variety of notebooks with various Japanese paper types that are made for certain purposes, ranging from delicate sketch pads made for artwork to stationery developed exclusively for left-handed people.

2. Japanese has a Rich Writing History

The long history of Japan is probably one of the many reasons why the Japanese have such high standards for, among other things, their stationery. In Japan, calligraphy has a long history because, in the past, people wrote letters using brushes and calligraphy. Thus, exquisite penmanship is valued as art in this nation. At a very young age, Japanese kids are being taught the art of shodo (Japanese calligraphy) at school today.

They can, therefore, easily appreciate calligraphy and other beautiful writing styles. Excellent writing supplies are necessary to keep calligraphy as a stunning art form. Furthermore, some of the most well-known professional and student artists in the world have long called Japan their home. The nation has a long history of appreciating the beauty of art, which is seen in its stationery production; thus, it should come as no surprise that Japanese stationery manufacturers prioritize creating superior Japanese pens.

3. Japanese Stationeries are Long Lasting

As Japanese stationery is made to last year after year, no matter how often it is used, you can be sure that it won't wear out too quickly when you buy it. Japanese stationery is known for its superb craftsmanship and use of premium materials. Everything is made to last, from fountain pens to mechanical pencils, so even the most basic products have a sense of quality that makes them wonderful presents or collectibles. For instance, the pens have smooth ink flow that reduces paper scratching and are guaranteed to dry quickly. Also, the design of the high-quality pencils is meticulously thought out to offer a balanced blend of graphite strength and flexibility for an absolutely delightful writing experience. That said, it is no surprise that Japanese stationery is incredibly popular among writers of all talent levels because of its beautiful craftsmanship, dependable performance, and cost. ​​​​​​

4. Japanese Stationery is so Affordable.

One unique aspect of Japanese stationery is its affordable price, which does not necessarily imply that it is of inferior quality. In other words, you can put together a variety of premium writing tools without going over your spending limit! Japanese stationery manufacturers just don't cut corners when serving customers with such high expectations. Japanese stationery is usually more affordable than comparable items bought elsewhere. You can't go wrong with any of the Japanese stationery brands if you're looking for high-quality Japanese stationery. Across the world, you may find Japanese products that are incredibly adorable, inventive, stylish, and useful, even on a small budget.

5. Japanese Stationery has Mimimilastic and Adorable Features.

Japanese stationery manufacturers go above and beyond to make sure their goods are useful. They specifically focus on including the "kawaii aspect" as well. Designers add cute Japanese characters that will excite you because of their sweetness while combining pastel colors with distinctive figures. In fact, the Japanese are really good at creating bizarre yet useful products. You can find a ton of mechanical pencils, ball pens, gel pens, highlighters, markers, stamps, notebooks, brush pens, paper, planners, graph paper, bags, and erasers with adorable designs and patterns when you visit stationery department stores. However, not every stationery is designed kawaii. There are several stationery and office supplies that are geared toward those who want a minimalist style. Typically, they will have a timeless appearance with constant smooth lines and simple hues.

Popular Japanese Stationery Brands

1. Kokuyo

Kokuyo, first established in 1905, is well known for its Campus product line, a collection of stationery items created especially with studying in mind. This product lineup includes the Dotted Rule Kokuyo Campus notebook, Kokuyo Campus Paracuruno, and the Kokuyo Campus Loose Leaf Papers, which are all created to satisfy every student's need. Additionally, Kokuyo frequently creates useful solutions and thoughtfully crafted office supplies, such as pens, pencil cases, and a unique stapleless stapler.

2. Tombow

Tombow started out with pencils but has always focused on writing instruments, later adding pencil sharpeners, pens, and markers. They first only produced pencils, but later they also invented an eraser that was made out of fats and oils rather than rubber. The popular Tombow "mono" line of erasers meets a wide range of needs, from studying to making art. That said, Tombow is highly known for its high-quality products and original designs and is particularly popular with artists and crafters.

3. Zebra

Another Japanese business that has been around since 1897 is Zebra. The business manufactures a variety of writing implements, such as pens, pencils, and highlighters. The Midliner family of highlighters, which have a distinctive shape that enables exact highlighting and underlining, is one of Zebra's most well-known products. Zebra pens have always been creative; they use low-viscosity ink, which results in fewer skips and stutters when writing, and they use a variety of ink colors, allowing writers to express themselves while doodling, drawing, or just color-coding notes while studying. Zebra is also well-recognized for its Sarasa line of gel pens and other mechanical pencils. It's difficult to ignore what Sarasa offers, with over 46 base colors of gel ink, separate luminous and pastel ranges, and four different pen sizes.

4. Pilot

The pilot company is renowned for providing premium writing implements, such as pens, markers, and highlighters. One of the company's best-selling items is the FriXion series of erasable pens from Pilot, which feature heat-sensitive ink that vanishes with friction and enables error-free erasure. The Frixion lineup has grown since the Frixion Ball was introduced, now featuring a variety of colors, felt-tipped pens, fountain pen, brush pen highlighters, and even erasable stamps! They provide various amazing gel ink ballpoint pens, from the bestselling erasable gel pen and Frixion balls to the Pilot Hi-Tec-c Gel Pens, known for their smooth ink flow, different color, and needlepoint tip. These pens are inexpensive, and because of their design and form, they generate readable handwriting.

5. Uni

Uni is a division of Mitsubishi Pencil Corporation, one of Japan's oldest and most well-known pen producers. The company is well known for its high-quality writing instruments, such as pens, pencils, and mechanical pencils. One of Uni's most innovative products, the Kuru Toga Roulette Mechanical Pencil, has a revolving lead that keeps the point sharp and removes the need for routine sharpening. A Kuru-Toga pencil's distinctive spinning grip rotates the lead with every stroke. Wherever a point has experienced this rotation, there will be consistent sharpness. Thanks to this special rotating grip, your medium and broad strokes will all have a clear, crisp line.

6. Sakura

Stationery enthusiasts don't need an introduction to Sakura. Sakura is well-known for its art supplies and has achieved significant advancements in the ink industry with its micron pens and gel-based inks, which offer excellent pigmentation, gloss, and dimension as you write. In fact, this Japanese stationery manufacturer made history in the 1980s when it unveiled the Gelly Roll, the first pen to use gel-based ink. Even now, the Gelly Roll is a very popular piece of stationery. Consumers adore it because of the smooth ink flow, compact design, and variety of colors available, including glitter and raised 3D-style ink.

Where to Buy Japanese Stationery

1. Muji

Muji is undoubtedly a must-visit store for everyone who likes simple, minimalist look stationery. Even if they sell virtually anything, including clothing, food, and furnishings, their stationery is something you need to have. For those looking to keep things simple or professional, they also provide notebooks without any obvious branding and sets of colored pens at reasonable prices. Their gel ink pens' dark ink and smudge-free ink flow are also highly known. Of course, if you want to customize your stationery, you can do so in Muji. Several Muji stores let consumers add stamps and other embellishments to their notebooks to make them more distinctively their own.

2. Tokyu Hands

Tokyu Hands dubbed a "creative life store," offers a wide range of products with a strong emphasis on DIY, home remodeling, and crafting. This store may be the right choice for you if you're looking for stationery for bullet journaling or scrapbooking. You can choose from various pens, pencils, markers, paper, stickers, and tape for your artwork or project. Many of the most recent products, including a limited edition pencil case and various goods perfect for your stationery collection. Additionally, Tokyu Hands is friendly to visitors from abroad and offers various beautiful items and souvenirs. Although the price isn't very low, the products' high quality justifies the price.

3. Loft

You might be able to locate a wide variety of the best stationery at Loft if you're looking for a lot of choices from some of the most well-known brands, including Kokuyo, Pilot, and Sakura. They provide a wide range of items, including pen cases and planners, all in different colors, sizes, and styles. Similar to Tokyu Hands, Loft offers a wide selection of products beyond stationery. If you're seeking to bring home some omiyage for friends and family, the store is worth a visit. They also frequently sell cosmetics, among other presents and souvenirs.

4. Itoya Ginza

Itoya Ginza is one of the biggest stationery stores with 12 floors with a separate category on each floor. Itoya Japanese stationery comes at various prices, from budget-friendly items to high-end products. Excellent for those who want to buy pens and paper in numerous colors. Itoya Ginza should definitely be visited if you like fountain pens and ink. On the third floor, there is a huge assortment of fountain pens you may try out before buying. They even offer a service to personalize their products to match the consumer's preferred designs.

It's Japan Crate Time!

The Inku Crate offers everything related to office supplies, desk accessories, stationery supplies, and crafts. The fascination with this stationery-filled crate surely extends to both children and adults. Inku Crate will fill your home with the best stationery from Japan and create a kawaii ambiance in your room. Get your Inku Crate and enjoy a bundle of gorgeous Japanese-themed treats and unique items. Don’t forget to pair these new stationery goodies with a monthly delivery of exclusive Japanese snacks from Japan Crate! Just click this link to sign up right now.