My Uncle’s Fountain Pens

There’s a Japanese saying, 灯台下暗し (toudai moto kurashi). It means it’s darkest right at the foot of the lamp. The light reaches everything around it but misses the spot right underneath. That saying came to mind right after this conversation.

I was chatting with my aunt about Paper Bento, telling her about the business I started and the stationery I’ve been finding for our community. Then she mentioned that my uncle loves stationery. He’s a fountain pen enthusiast, and he’s deeply fond of all of it. She told me that a lot of their dates in the early days were at stationery stores, with the two of them looking for the “right” paper.

I had no idea. I’ve known my uncle my whole life, and I never knew this about him.

The timing couldn’t have been better. Right then, my uncle came home from work. He was a teacher and later a vice principal, and now he works for the education committee. He opened up his work bag to show me the fountain pens he uses at work. Then he pulled a page out of his System-Techo binder so I could try his Sailor and his Montblanc.

He told me he likes the Sailor because its nib is longer, so it’s easier to see where you’re writing. The Montblanc is a pen he got when he became a vice principal.

I love imagining the two of them on those early dates, taking their time in a stationery store and trying to find just the right paper. All these years later, he still carries his favorite pens to work every day.

I started Paper Bento to bridge my Japanese cultural background with the world, and to share the stationery stores I grew up loving. I didn’t expect it to show me something new about my own family. Now I keep wondering how many people around us have a quiet love for these small things that we just haven’t asked about yet.

 

A little sneak peek at what’s coming

Speaking of the people around us, I have two new things I’m excited to tell you about.

Discovery Box. This is a one-time box filled with items from past Paper Bento boxes. What’s inside is a mystery, and that’s part of the fun. It’s perfect for gifting, or for anyone who wants to try Paper Bento before signing up for the monthly subscription.

Holiday Gift Box. Pre-orders open the first week of November at a discounted price. It’s a one-time gift box of Japanese stationery, made for gifting or for treating yourself this holiday season. We’ll ship every Holiday Gift Box by December 1, so it has plenty of time to reach you before the holidays.

I’ll share more about both soon, so keep an eye on your inbox.

 

Thanks for reading.
I hope you find a little something new in the people close to you this season.
Is there someone in your life who quietly loves stationery? Hit reply and tell me.

Paper Bento