Side-Quests: Tokyo's Stationery Stores
How to spend your entire afternoon testing pens...
Growing up with a gaming influence it feels like ‘Side-Quests’ could be a fitting name for a travel tips series all about sharing the various hobbyist opportunities on offer in Japan for anyone planning their next big trip here, or for those already here.
The every day happiness of Japanese Stationery…
Dear Diary,
…ever wrote that before? I guess many of us have, across hundreds of years. That is to say we’ve been a journaling obsessed species for a long time now. I don’t know if capturing your current thoughts and laughing at them later can be called a hobby, but I’ve been bullet-journaling for about 7 years now. Year on year, with each notebook, I’ve added a little more colour, a little more thoughtfulness, and even a little more pizzazz! (╯✧ ∇ ✧)╯
In a kaizen way, it’s fun to think about how to level up and enjoy it more. The answer this year has been Japanese Stationery.
It’s no wonder that Japan’s cultural tendencies around thoughtfulness, precision and convenience have manifested into world leading stationery ideas. You can find things here that once you know they exist, you can’t live without. And that’s the magic of it!
Stationery can be that pen and notebook you chuck about without much care, but it’s ultimately a carrier of your personal thoughts. Writing is valuing them and the right stationery can feel like carefully wrapping those thoughts in a timeless blanket and carefully storing them away.
That’s how Japanese stationery has made me feel this year. I’m confident that finding the tools that really bring you happiness when you use them, means that even the simple task of writing about your day, or a to-do list, or completing endless paperwork, can bring a little bit of fun to your every day. I’m currently enjoying a combo of the travelers notebook, ohto pens, washi tapes, Ghibli stamps and more. It makes every day a small creative outlet and what’s not to love about that - no matter how bad I can draw! - the stamps and stickers can always redeem you.
Where to go - Tokyo edition:
So… are you writing any of this down?!
Good, I hope not. Because, first we gotta stock up! And second, the above can just be summarised as: “more pizzazz (╯✧ ∇ ✧)╯“.
In Tokyo, you’ll find potentially unlimited options here. Especially because Japan’s talent for brand collaborations means that if you go to any popular museum, exhibit or tourist spot there’s a high chance you might stumble across some great themed-stationery gems!
But as a starting point I have a few personal favorites…
Daiso and Tokyu Hands are the foundations of my stationery box. Cheap and functional - these are the places where I found myself stocking up on Jetstream pens, binders and all the random tools you might need for getting started.
Next is the big red paperclip… Itoya. A recent recommendation for me with a dedicated floor just for wrapping and a separate one just for fountain pens.
If you’re a bit more low key and minimalist, MUJI always delivers sleek and well designed stationery, while Travelers will satisfy any travel enthusiast with notebooks that will last a lifetime - literally, they patina.
And lastly, if you know, you know. LoFT. Be prepared for chaos if entering between the hours of 12-3pm. It’s Shibuya Crossing if it was crammed into store and filled with crazy stationery fanatics. What makes it worth it is the selection choice. Everything you could ever need can be found here. The notebook and diary selection is huge as is the pen selection with plenty of opportunity for testers.
And if the timing is right I’ve recently learned about Japan’s biggest stationery festival Bungu Joshi. Summary of the festival here if you wanna head down the Japanese stationery rabbit hole. The festival is a ticketed event seemingly held in December if you don’t want to miss out in 2025.1
My now most anticipated announcement of the year will be the Japanese stationery awards. The 2024 article is here. I've already tried the Campus Flat Kimochii Notebooks and they are actually pretty fun!2
If you felt this stationery update was on ball-point, I’ll keep the content coming with favourite notebooks, pens, crafts and more later in the year.
I’ll leave you with this Journaling Prompt and a question I bet you’ve never been asked before…
What has been your favourite piece of stationery that you’ve ever received or used over the course of your life and why? - was it sentimental, functional, help you pass that exam, or keep you organised at work… I wonder.
As always, thanks for reading,
KaizenWriter (^-^)
P.s. Technically this should have been sent to you on midori paper has a hand written letter with a Mt Fuji stamp and cherry blossom stickers for a more interactive stationery experience. I’ll keep that in mind.
No copyright intended. All rights reserved.
Credit to @BunguStore for their excellent video content and articles.
Credit to @BunguStore for their excellent video content and articles.