3 Must-Buy Japanese Stationaries! | Guidable - Your Guide to a Sustainable, Wellbeing-centred Life in Japan

3 Must-Buy Japanese Stationaries!

By Guidable Writers Oct 10, 2017

This post is also available in: Spanish

You’ve been living in Japan for years? Just started your life here or planning moving to Japan? In any case, I really wish you guys to have a very nice and memorable time in Japan! On the other hand, you might get homesick sometimes and miss your family, friends, relatives very much, although it is very easy for you to contact them by cellar /mobile phone or through your computer.

When I was in the United States, I felt the same way, however, there were no such tools at that time and what I did was to call them or to write some letters with some pictures that are still kept by my mother. Whenever I see them, all of my good memories come back. Yes, a cellar/mobile phone is very convenient, however, messages on electronic screens do not always convey what you would like to express.So, why don’t you try something old but romantic and write your families/friends some letters?!

 

3 Convenient Stationary Tools in Japan

You could find many stationary tools in Japan, some of them should be very common in your country, however, there might be something you’ve never seen/heard of before. The following are just some examples of those, just visit a shop and check them out!

 

1. Mechanical Pencil                                                                               

Have you ever irritated by using a mechanical pencil? The lead of a normal mechanical pencil is sort of weak, as it may break when you write too hard. This newly introduced mechanical pencil is super, you do not need to worry about breaking the lead during writing even press it with fingers. The mechanics is very simple, the tube on the top of this pencil protects the lead from breaking by covering it while writing, it is movable and slides gradually together with the lead. Thus, you would need less lead ever and could save your money, ha, ha!

 

2. Masking Tape

This should be firstly developed for protecting some parts from getting dirty. However, in Japan, many students, especially girls in senior high school use it for making cute illustrations, attaching to an envelope, decorating a package of a gift, and so on. If you would send some gifts to your friends (of course to your family as well), it would be a good idea for you to use them. (Well, if you are a male, why don’t you use it for a gift for your girlfriend?) There are so many different colors, designs, and sizes.

 

3. Frixion Ball (Ballpoint pen)

Actually, this Frixion Ball (Ballpoint pen) was firstly sold in Europe in 2006 by Japanese manufacturer named Pilot Corporation, then, it started to sell in Japan in 2007. The ink used for this ballpoint pen is very special, it is developed by Pilot Corporation, you could erase miswriting by rubbing it with the rubber attached to the top and you don’t need to worry about a dirt after erasing as a mechanical pencil. (However, you should not use it for writing an official document as the ink might be more degradable than usual ink. This jelly type ink disappears when the temperature goes over 65 – 70 ℃, thus, it might not be suitable for your writing a love letter as your body temperature should be very high….Ha!) There are 8 colors including black and the price for basic one is 200 yen + tax.

 

Other convenient stationary tools

For organizing letters, postcards, or documents you have, there is a convenient file for keeping them in order. For example, King Jim has been selling the file named SHOT DOCS, Clear File Mini. After filing your stuff, you should take those pictures by your cellar/mobile phone. Those pictures would be automatically digitalized and you could check them with your cellar/mobile phone.

There are many staplers using no staple, which means you do not need to use any staples when filing your documents. Haven’t you had situations where you could not find staple when you want to file your documents by stapler? If you use these staplers, you do not need to have such concern!

 

And…

Japanese are so obsessed with developing new stationaries that there’s even an exhibition called ISOT held at Big Sight in Tokyo annually. This exhibition focuses on new and convenient stationaries, the next exhibition would be held in July 2018. Even though you have to cover 5,000 yen as entrance fees for this exhibition, you might be able to get a free ticket from the exhibitors. It would be a good idea for you to check who would be exhibiting and contact to them by internet for a free ticket. You could see the summary of the exhibition held in 2017 at https://kakakumag-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/kakakumag.com/amp/hobby/?id=10575&usqp=mq331AQCCAE%3D

 

Again, there are tons of convenient stationary tools in Japan to be discovered, I hope you could have fun with them!!

 

 

 

By Kenny Y./Japan

 

Would you like to work in Japan?

Well, let Guidable Jobs help you! Just click here and apply for job!

Of course, you may search for more job information on Guidable Jobs.

v