My name's Joseph, and I'm a Stationary Otaku.
There. I've said it. I've admitted my relentless addiction to 'bunbougu' (文房具）
It all started with a pen. It was a pretty pen, with the option of writing in any of six different colours. I loved the way it would click. Such a satisfying sound.
I used it for a whole year when studying Japanese at university - it helped me through all of my toughest exams. It rocked.
Alas, one day I dropped in on the road and it got run over by a car. Crushed. Red, pink and blue ink blobbing out, staining the tarmac with sadness.
When back in Japan a few months later, one of the first things I did was go to a Japanese stationary store. I was like a kid surrounded by candy... "oooh look at the pencils! Ahh, a note book! I must buy one!".
I'd get home and my wife would ask me why I had bought yet more stationary when we already had 3 drawers full of the stuff.
"But I like it"
Then things took a turn for the worse, when I discovered that Muji products (including their stationary range) were now being sold in Family Mart Convenience stores.
Every time I saw a Family Mart I couldn't stop myself from slipping in and admiring the erasers. Oh, and the flash cards. And the notebooks - they were just so cute in their plainness, so desperate to be filled with my 'stuff'. Muji products were just the cream of the stationary crop.
It all came to a climax one day when my wife was unable to open the front door because of all the spiral-bound note books behind it. That was it. No more.
"It's me, or your stationary!"
It was a hard decision, but I realised that without her I would have no visa, and that meant no more trips to the Muji section of Family Mart. It had to stop.
I'm recovering pretty well now. I go to my local Stationary Anonymous group every week, when we talk about what we'd like to do with a pencil sharpener, but also how we realise that that's not really appropriate.
Does anyone else have a fascination for Japanese stationary? Perhaps Japanese paper?
Go on, you can admit it here.
Joseph
p.s. this story is only partially true - the true bit being that I do love stationary!
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