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!
This is a
Tokyo Live Blogger post posted from the iPhone.
You can read more by this and other live bloggers or follow them
via RSS.
Student, part-time slave
http://yakuri.wordpress.com/
Well I do like stationary, especially the Korean brands; mostly because I've already tried several, I haven't tried a lot of Japanese ones, but the ones I did try were good.
The problem is exactly that: it takes a lot of space, space that I need for other things; so no I can't buy much of it, only stare at it. Unfortunately digital mediums seem to be a lot more advantageous in terms of space and resources, so I doubt I'll go back full stationary.
Software Engineer (Web)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cachopls/
i LOL'd..i do love their pens here in Japan. and their notebooks..love the paper..love the ink..oohh..can i join Stationary Anonymous? haha!
http://otakuposts.blogspot.com/
lol. i have a pack of Faber Castell- Uniball pens that my cousin gave me more than a decade back. they still work.
http://www.alternatesam.com
I do have a very unhealthy obsession with stationaries, especially notebooks. I used to have stacks of beautiful notebooks which I never use for fear of 'damaging' it. And then I realized its kinda stupid (and psychotic) so I started using all of them in sequence. Now I try not to go into any stationary shops unless absolutely necessary.
I agree, Muji stationary rocks! Over here, we have Muji as well and I was just telling my friend the other day that I can practically live in Muji. Their prices are a little exorbitant here but they have such wonderful stuff, simplicity and beauty combined. They have everything you need too, from clothing to toiletries to other what-nots
Tech Support Officer - Network Security Engineer
http://burugureibi.blogspot.com/
wow - true or not, that was awesome
i love stationery too - Standing in the aisle just imagining all the 'things' that you could do, create, write, design - it blows my mind too
That being said, i really need to get myself some 0.5mm leads soon...
writer/blogger/gamer/otaku
http://popgoespj.blogspot.com
oh, nice to know there are old-school pen-and-paper otaku too!
I love collecting those rainbow-ink gel pen collection things. I really must get myself a large set if I should win at NaNoWriMo this year! I'm also working out the plot details for that on my first moleskine-type notebook - I'll definitely invest in another one soon!
http://www.alternatesam.com
Oh yeah, the moleskine type notebooks look too nice for me to write stuff in! Always catch my eye when I'm at the shop though
providing temporary relief to nymphomaniacs since 1986
http://www.nihonterebi.com/blog
I completely understand you...whenever I entry in a stationary shop, even if i dont have to buy anything, I'll usually end up with lot of stuff that I don't need but "you never know"/"it is so nice!"
Too bad there is anything japanese here, something tells me I'll spend even more, ahaha:-)
Stationary is awesome! ^__^
Student and full-time otaku
.....o~0 riiight. Well nice pens are good to have, but they are after all, just tools. Nice to see you're recovering well though ^^
Podcaster and tech-otaku
http://www.tamegoeswild.com
Of course it's only after a couple of thousand hits that I notice I spelt 'stationery' throughout the post...
> <
Podcaster and tech-otaku
http://www.tamegoeswild.com
note the clever way in which I forgot to include the word 'wrong' in the above comment
Pastry and baking / Culinary
http://www.illidangdn.deviantart.com
i always buy note books and sketch books haha
got lots of sketch book which i just use a few pages, and its left there. And the nxt time i visit stationary shops i just end up picking other sketch and note books. They just keep looking better and better =O lol
Mechanical Engineering student
http://sabekujikaneda.multiply.com/
You would get along with my little sister XD
Metallurgist
http://www.projectharuhi.net
I am undergoing the eventful quest to find the ultimate mechanical pencil. My current Maoutu pacer, while I love it, is the source of my bad handwriting, due to an inaccurate tip which moves as you write. Wish me luck, as my quest continues~
Postgrad Student Viticulture
Hi Joseph, You have actually made me register after your stationery post. I have been reading this site since the start of the year but hadn't registered until tonight. I have been hovering in the background awaiting the right time to post. Yes, I am a stationery otaku and proud! It is just one of the many everyday items that Japan does best. I love the look, the smell and the texture of it all and the range of little stickers you can put on your envelopes to evoke different moods eg. cherry blossoms etc.
Podcaster and tech-otaku
http://www.tamegoeswild.com
Excellent! Delighted to have encouraged you to come out with it and admit your otakuness to the world! I hope it's a relief for you to now be able to talk about it!
The stickers are cool aren't they... I send them to my nieces and nephews back in the UK
カタイ－ガクセイ
Im not so much for stationary, but Ive had an unhealthy obsession with pens since I was little. Every time my dad would take me to Walgreens or something like that, I demanded that he buy me a package of pens. At my last job I managed to fill up an entire pencil bag with different colors of pens, most of which I never used because I only used my favorite. I am a fan or stationary as well, but I generally don't have as much of a use for it so I have a hard time justifying spending money on it when I know it's just going to sit in my desk for a year.
I do tend to collect good sketch pads though. Especially when I find ones that have that perfect texture of paper that I love for drawing.
Student
Well my favorite stationary is pencil~~ but spoil to easily...
Student/Amateur Artist
http://poisondusk.wordpress.com/
I'm terrible with notepads. I buy them even when I don't need them and have piles lying around my room in the UK. I like any kind of paper as long as it's reasonable quality, but my favourite is probably really smooth plain paper that I can use to draw on. The only one I've bought in Japan so far is a regular lined paper pad for purely practical purposes, but if I find anywhere that sells some more decorative ones I'll end up spending far too much money in there.
Student
i'm my way to being one ): just obtained a kuru toga and graphgear 1000 pencil. haha my wallet!
free lance otaku, full time Protector of Peace.
when i thought I'm alone, i'm not!! *happy* ^_^;;
Yap, me have obsessions with stationaries too. I prefer collecting notebooks and organisers (or those year books). and when i enter a bookstore, i would be staring at those and thinking to myself, Nope, you do not buy them!! >_< It hurts but ya. when you're financially restricted, you can't. Unless you're in Daiso, or a SG$2 shop that sells japanese stuffs at SG$2 each. That really hurts, my pocket that is. LOL
Design Student
http://wraith11.deviantart.com/
Haha, Muji is great... Kikki.K is also highly dangerous and does some really nice stuff :D Personally I blame one of my old tutors for my interest, he was an ex-Lamy designer and completely insane, which was a good thing.
My own approach to stationary I guess is probably a bit more utilitarian, Molskine, uni-pin micros, Tria markers and bond paper for me. That said, I can quite happily debate the merits of various manufacturers and equipment for litterally hours.
Student, Writer
http://lecrit.tumblr.com/
/joins the stationary otaku anonymous group
I spent way too much on stationary on my last visit to Japan. But it was all worth every yen. :3
Student
http://stillkuro.blogspot.com/
lol, there are some muji shops in Milan too :D
Office Administrator
http://aquilla429.co.uk
While not Japanese, I also love stationary. I have to avoid stationary shops like WH Smith and Staples because if I go in, I come out with all sorts of stuff I don't need. Another diary, a pencil case, 3 different patterned ring bnders I'll never use, pretty printed note paper I won't even write on, note books I will never fill, staplers which will never staple, selotape that with never be stuck, pens that will never write and so on.
working to pay for figures etc.
http://spacejunq.deviantart.com/
Most unusual, but I thought it was spelled statioEry.
working to pay for figures etc.
http://spacejunq.deviantart.com/
I mean StatioNEry.
Podcaster and tech-otaku
http://www.tamegoeswild.com
you are quite right. see my comments above :-)
どエロエロ星人
Don't worry, your definitely not alone.
occuwhat?
i don't know about japanese stationery because as far as i know, there isn't at sale here. However, i have a small obsession with a Mont Blanc pen ^^
Otaku
No way! I'm also a stationary otaku! I have about 300 USD worth of erasers alone, and haruhi only knows how much paper & pencils I have. I'm also starting to collect more and more small pencil sharpeners... Stationary is so much fun to collect! I usually get ahold of them through online or when I travel to different countries. The only thing is, I never actually use the stationary x3
Podcaster and tech-otaku
http://www.tamegoeswild.com
300USD of erasers? Cripes, that's extreme
Student/Illustrator
I think I would go completely broke if I lived in Japan!
Ever since I could write, my mom would give me a new pen from their variety store if I got an A on my schoolwork. I have so many pens now! I like to believe that I have lucky pens that help me draw and pass courses. And I MUST buy/use a new pen every time I start to study for one exam, and I must use the same pen for that exam. A different pen for every different exams, lol.
I also check out other people's pens if it's different enough. Hot stuff :3
Student
Stationary: The word or its spelling is sometimes confused with stationery, meaning paper or office supplies
I believe that is the case here? =P
either way it was a funny read, I lol'd :)
High School Student
Haha yes I love stationery. I go crazy when I go school shopping, all the fancy pens, and notebooks. And then I discovered that there was Japanese stationery on J-list. @_@ Japanese pens are amazing.
Medical student
http://www.protocolsnow.com
I'm not into stationery that much, but I love Japanese pens. I just recently bought a few actually. I really like the Hi-Tec-C Coleto multi color pen http://www.protocolsnow.com/2009/10/07/japanese-pens/
Student / artist
http://Springs.deviantart.com
I jizz in my pants over stationery. I don't care what country its from, any will do. But since I'm an artist, I tend to get all srs bsns about my stationery stuff. I don't particularly like notebooks though, they remind me too much of school.
I do, however, have a crap ton of Staedtler pencils and erasers, pens from all sorts of brands, and over 100 copic sketch markers (yes, I know, they're EXPENSIVE).
purchasing monkey
Stationary! <3 If you have to be an otaku, that's a pretty good choice.
I love the stuff. So does my sister. And a lot of my girlfriends. But a male stationary otaku? Rare (at least here in Sydney). Most of my male friends are mystified by the obsession, and refuse to come into OfficeWorks or Kikki K with me T_T My pen needs are pretty well covered by an uncle who works for Uniball (though I reeeeeally love Zebra pens; I'd buy one from Kinokuniya if they weren't so painfully expensive).
Japan-wise, I spent an inordinate amount of time in the stationary section of Loft last time I was there. Took all my will power not to buy all the pretty paper... and the diaries... and the notebooks... and the pens... and invitations for weddings and funerals and other things I don't need right now. Ahem.
I have shelves full of pretty stationary at home that I can't bear to ruin by writing on it. Is there a Sydney chapter of Stationary Anonymous? ; )
Looking for work again
http://flickr.com/photos/darktek13/
Hehehe very nice 'confession' ^_^
Student, Game Artist, Programmer...
http://jakel168.blogspot.com/
Sometimes I don't understand why I buy erasers, pens and pencils (lots of them) when I don't really need that much... I took my time admiring them, looking at how much they were perfected... I just loved them!
Student
http://kokost.deviantart.com/
I also like my stationary to a certain extent. For me, it started with the Sanford Logo 4 mechanical pencil with the twisting eraser. It had everything I ever need so I kept it in my pocket at all times. Eventually I actually destroyed a metal ring around the eraser half so the twist action didn't work... next was a Papermate Dynagrip pencil. It was thinner and longer than my Logo 4 but was actually heavier than it appeared. What impressed me the most was the design of pencil. Instead of screwing the advancing segment and spring against the tip, a metal barrel under the grip contained the spring and kept it there. It was a sturdy and reliable design. Unfortunately I broke the plastic barrel of the body... I got my hands on the Sanford Titanium following the Dynagrip. Its still in relatively good shape with a swapped grip for something that actually felt comfortable in my hand but my primary writing instrument is a Pilot S10. This thing was much heavier than I expected and towards the writing tip too. Its a nice feeling but the sharp cornered tip actually hurts my hand after prolong usage. I'm a stationary otaku as well but only for mechanical pencils ^^;
Exploring worlds and ways of thought
I think a lot of artists share the same feeling on the stationary section. Particularly when about to start a piece of inspiration. Pencils of varying hardness, compound curve stencils, metal ruler for crisp straight lines, Bristol Strathmore paper.....
research student
http://osakacchi.blogspot.com/
haha. i love stationeries too.
bought lots of cute notebooks even though i ended up not using them, too cute to use.
i love muji too, but really, all stationeries stores here is just too amazing... x_x
Student
http://www.psws-blog.de
As a Penspinniner, I have a wide collection of japanese and korean pens myself 8) Check out my youtube account ("ichi1082") for vids.
I think the best raw mechanical pencil is the dr. grip shaker, while the best ballpoint pen is perhaps the Pentel RSVP.
Student
I too am addicted to notebooks. Especially pretty leather or leather-looking ones. I'm trying to cut back though, at least until I fill up more of the notebooks that I already have...
Nendoroid Hunter
I was collecting and trading stationeries back in grade school with other girls ( all-girls school, collecting scented papers and stickers ). But I'm not doing that anymore.
However, I still do browse at fantastically bound notebooks that are priced sky high. Run my fingers across fine paper. Sometimes take a whiff of the pages. Then turn around and leave.