Introducing our first Holiday Gift Box 🎁
The holidays are coming up, and this year I wanted to try something new at Paper Bento. Today I'm introducing our very first Holiday Gift Box.
It's a one-time box, separate from the monthly subscription. You can give it to a friend who loves stationery, or you can keep it for yourself. I think both are wonderful reasons.
I didn't build this one around a theme the way I do for the monthly boxes. If I had to give it a name, it would be "my love for Japanese stationery." Every piece comes from a brand I love, and I think anyone who loves stationery would be happy to open it. Today I want to walk you through each one and why I picked it.
If you have been around for a while, you know I like to share the thinking behind every item. I hope this feels less like a reveal and more like a continuation of a conversation we have been building.
SAILOR TUZU ADJUST Fountain Pen (Medium Nib)
The heart of this box is a fountain pen from Sailor, one of Japan's most loved pen makers. The TUZU ADJUST has a smooth steel nib that glides across the page with very little pressure. The grip has flat spots for your thumb and index finger to guide your hand. Not everyone holds a pen the same way, so Sailor made the grip adjustable. Loosen the silver ring behind it, turn the grip to the angle that feels right for you, and tighten it again. It comes with ink cartridges and a converter already installed, so you can start writing the day it arrives. Each box comes with one of two limited edition colors, Crystal Sky (blue) or Crystal Cherry (pink). I'll pick the color at random, so it's a little surprise when you open it.
The pens are still on their way from Japan, so you won't see one in today's photos. I'll share them on Monday when the Holiday Gift Box page goes live.
SAILOR Shikiori Ink in Shimoyo (霜夜)
I love Sailor inks. Honestly, I think they're some of the most elite inks out there. Shikiori means "four seasons," and every color in the line takes its inspiration from a season in Japan. Shimoyo means "frosty winter night." It's a deep blue that sits close to black, so it carries that dark, wintery feeling right now. It's also a color you can use every day, for notes, letters, and journaling, all through next year. Once you finish the cartridges, you can use the converter to fill your TUZU straight from this bottle.
Pansy Daisy L'après-midi Kyoto Travel Journal
I fell in love with the artwork in this journal the moment I saw it. Pansy Daisy is actually a Korean brand, but this journal is all Kyoto. The cover shows Hōkan-ji, also known as the Yasaka Pagoda, with two maiko (apprentice geiko) walking down the street in front of it. Inside, illustrations of favorite Kyoto scenes are scattered across the pages. It's absolutely beautiful. The Hokanji design isn't easy to find in the US, so I'm really happy I could include it. You can use it for travel notes, a daily journal, or a place to write down the things you want to remember.
Oeda Letterpress Memo Pad Book
I found Oeda Letterpress at NY Stationery Fest this year, and I couldn't stop thinking about their beautiful products. Oeda is a small letterpress studio in Osaka, where two designers make everything by hand in small batches. Letterpress presses the design right into the paper, so you can feel it under your fingertips, and every sheet comes out a little different from the last. I love that about it. It makes even a quick note feel special.
Oeda Letterpress Stamp Sticker Sheet
From the same studio, this sticker sheet has numbers printed in a stamp design, in dark blue or bronze. I'll pick one at random for each box. I picked it because you can use these numbers to mark the months in your journal, so it carries you right into the new year. The stickers aren't pre-cut, so you get to decide the size and shape of each one yourself. Like the memo pad, they're letterpress printed, so you can feel the design on the surface.
Hyogensha Japan Block Memo
Ai Okino captures the vibrant essence of Japan through playful illustrations. On this block memo, you'll find Mt. Fuji, the Shinkansen, Tokyo Tower, sakura, maneki-neko, and so many other little pieces of Japan. It has four patterns, and you can flip through it for grocery lists, quick notes, or a message to tuck inside a gift. It's bright and fun, and I like how it balances out the quieter pieces in the box.
Seitousha Block Memo "Picture Diary"
I discovered Seitousha this year, and I fell for their artwork right away. It's so beautiful, so delicate, and calming. It felt like a perfect fit for Paper Bento. Seitousha is a stationery brand from Tokyo, started in 2009 by designer Sei Yamamoto, and every design begins as a hand drawing. Its Japanese name is Enikki (絵日記). In Japan, it's the kind of diary where you draw a little picture of your day and write a few lines about it. This block memo has 100 sheets of the same design, so you can use it for quick notes, a to-do list, or a small moment from your day that you want to remember.
Put together, this box holds a little of everything I love about stationery and Japan. A good pen, a beautiful ink, paper you can feel, and a few small things that make you smile.
Pre-orders open Monday, October 26. Through October 31, the box is $70. Starting November 1, it goes to $80, and we'll keep taking orders through November while supplies last. If you bought each piece on its own from US stationery shops, it would come to about $120. Every box ships on December 1, so it arrives in time for the holidays.