S2E1 A Journey into Japan's Stationery Wonderland

In this engaging episode of the Japanese America podcast, hosts Michelle and Koji dive into the captivating world of Japanese stationery with special guest Mark Sakaguchi from Kinokuniya Bookstore (https://usa.kinokuniya.com/) and Yuri Aida from Designphil America, Inc (https://travelerscompanyusa.com/). They explore the allure of Japanese pens, notebooks, and accessories, which have evolved from being perceived as cheap to becoming celebrated for their impeccable quality and craftsmanship. The episode offers insights into the cultural significance and growing popularity of Japanese stationery in the United States, highlighting unique products like washi tapes and the beloved Mitsubishi Jetstream pen. With an upcoming stationery festival in Santa Monica, listeners are invited to embrace the artful lifestyle inspired by these exquisite writing tools. Join Michelle, Koji, and their guests as they share personal stories, explore trends, and celebrate the meticulous art behind Japanese stationery.

For more information about the Japanese American National Museum, please visit our website at www.janm.org. 

CREDITS

The music was created by Jalen Blank

Written by Michelle Malizaki

Hosts: Michelle Malizakiand Koji Steven Sakai

Edited and Produced by Koji Steven Sakai in conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum

Transcript

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We are back at JANM for this podcast recording. Michelle, how have you been since the last time I saw you? Anything new? Well, gosh. When was the last time I saw you? Uh, it's been a while. So there was the my birthday, Christmas, new year's. Fire. A fire. Oh my gosh. Many fires. We even got fire close to my house this morning. Aww fires awful. And what else? That's it. I've just been overeating. What about you? Working and being busy writing. And, you know. And the fires affected a ton of people I know. So dealing with that, because we're near Altadena, I'm near Altadena. And so there's a lot of families and people I know that have been negatively affected. So that's been that's slowed down everything. Oh my gosh, the day after the fire started I know I sound so awful, but the milk price went up. Oh my gosh. Was like $16 a gallon. I'm serious. I was like, oh my gosh, what am I going to do? You know what I tell people about the fires? It's interesting. It's usually when there's been fires in California. I'm always like, I think I've seen that or I think I've been there once, you know, this is the first time that I'm like, almost every time I saw images, I'm like, oh, I've been there. I remember driving there. I've spent time there, you know? And I know multiple families like, you know, dozens of families have lost their homes and that's like usually you don't I don't I've never known anybody that's lost a home, you know, from these fires. Um, and so that's what's been really interesting. And then the other thing about the Eaton Fire, at least, is that a lot of the fires aren't in places that are traditionally places the fires go. Welcome, welcome, welcome to season two, episode one of the Japanese America Podcast, the podcast where we explore the blend of Japanese and American cultures, history and traditions, and all the quirky, wonderful things in between. My name is Koji and I am one of your hosts. And I'm Michelle and I'm the other host. Koji. How? Oh, I already asked you. How have you been doing? I don't know, I think you're are doing well. Yes. And today we're talking about stationery. Because I think you are a little obsessed. Yes, I am a little obsessed with stationery. Okay. Maybe more than a little bit. I'm very, very, very obsessed about stationery. And I may or may not have written some stationery-related jokes for Michelle, but spoiler, I have not. Oh, you wish you had this level of pen related passion, Koji, today we are diving into something very close to my heart. Japanese stationery. Actually, the only thing I'm passionate about with pens is eating them. I put them in my mouth and I bite them. Ewww. That's why you should never borrow a pen that I have. Because I've definitely 100% put it in my mouth already. Oh my gosh. But then I could get your DNA. This episode, we're talking about Japanese stationery. And what a big deal it's become in the US. It's not just pens and notebooks, it's an art form, a lifestyle, and apparently an obsession for some of us. Don't judge me, because you'll see by the end of this episode, you'll be walking out of here with a basket full of washi tape and gel pens. Ah, that's probably not going to happen. But before we get into it, let's let's talk about how Japanese stationery has grown so popular here in the States. Did you know there are entire festivals dedicated to it now? Wait, no, there's not really? Yeah, there are many festivals going on. And pen shows, stationery fest. They are all over. That's crazy. And there's one in Santa Monica? There's going to be one in Santa Monica this May. What dates? May 16th and 17. Oh my goodness. All right. I'm definitely won't be I'll probably be very busy on that those days. Oh. Just kidding. And while Michelle buys out the entire festival, we'll be interviewing some of the vendors. Maybe I'll get some ideas for my next project. Speaking of interviews, we've got some great conversations lined up for this episode. But first, Michelle, tell us why you're so in love with Japanese stationery. Oh, where do I even begin? For me, it's the pens and notebooks. I grew up in Japan, and when I was in elementary school, a muji store opened not too far away from my house. It was shocking. Very simple design and pens that wrote so well. Notebooks came in five packs and the price was really good. That's that's a lot about pens and that's a lot about things. Yeah, there there used to be Muji stores in LA too. I thought there was still. No. They're gone. No. It's gone. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I you know, I used to go to that Muji store in L.A.. That was so nice. When I was in, I was going to Second City Hollywood. The Muji America flagship store was right there. So I used to go there all the time. Anyways, Japanese pens are in a league of their own. They are smooth, precise, and most importantly, they make my terrible handwriting look almost good. Almost. This sounds like a commercial. I love Japanese pens. How are Japanese pens different than American pens? It doesn't dry out so quickly and it's more reliable. It's like, I don't know. And then it writes, well, it doesn't skip so much. And I love the designs. And it's not I don't know. In America you have just one pen bic and then it stays in the same design year after year after year, like ten decades later, ten decades, a century later, it's still the same design. But Japanese pens, they have different designs, even though it's the same pen and different ink colors. It's so nice. Well, what what other kinds of stationery are there? Notebooks. Notebooks are nice, too. Japanese notebooks. The, um, spiral bound spirals are smaller, so it's easy to put in your backpack and pull it out. I don't know, I could just keep on going. What else? What else besides the notebooks? I like rulers, I like, oh, there's a there's a thing called Shitazaki in Japan. That means under shiki is too late. I guess you put it in between the pages when you write. Oh, so it doesn't bleed through. So it doesn't bleed. And then you write better. So. Because it doesn't sink in. Oh. Got it. Okay. Yeah. So you won't get the, you know, back pimples on the paper. I remember when I was a kid, the only kind of stationery I really, really loved was the, the pencil boxes. Like when you could, like, you push a button and like, it opens and like, you could put, like, erasers. And I usually would never put stationery in there. I think I put toys in there, but still, that's like the closest I'll get. I know some people would keep roly polys. Oh yeah. The bugs. That's kind of weird though. Yeah, but also stickers and washi tape, right. What are washi tape? It used to be called maste or masking tapes. You know, in Japan we usually shorten words like Starbucks is stubba Stubble or Trader Joe's trada Joe. Okay. And Bank of America. Bank ame masking tape, master. And. But here in America, it's called. Washi tape. It's a tape that's not smooth on the top. It's not made of plastic. It's made of paper, but it's sticks. And you could easily remove the tapes and it's it's got all kind of designs. What kind of designs? Like hello Kitty or something. Hello Kitty to frogs to anything. I don't know why I said frogs, but. Oh, isn't that What's the frog from Sanrio? Oh, Kero kero keropi. Yeah, maybe. Or Gudetama. Yeah. My favorite one is, uh, Pachacho. Oh, there are things. The Japanese. I mean, I've seen people crazy over these Japanese stationaries, so even the simplest items feel special. Speaking of which, let's dive into our next conversation with someone who knows all about Japanese stationery and how it's thriving in the US. I'm here with Mark Sakaguchi, regional manager for Kinokuniya Bookstore in the US. Mark, thanks for joining us today. Mark, please tell us a little bit about yourself. So I'm born and raised here in Los Angeles. I went to school locally here, started working for Kinokuniya back in 91 right after high school, and then graduated and went to San Francisco for about 20 years. And I worked for actually a subsidiary currently now of Kinokuniya as embassy. I work for Embassy Stationery and then they eventually got purchased by Kinokuniya and we're now part of Kinokuniya. After about 20 years, I got transferred back to Southern Cal. We have a warehouse in Torrance and distribution center, and we currently have 21 stores in the United States. Are you Nisei or Sansei? I am second generation Nisei. Yeah, my parents are from Kyushu. I think I could tell you are from Kyushu area. Like your feature, I don't know. Uh, Mark san what makes Kinokuniya special compared to other bookstores in America. So when I first started, there used to be other stores. The Japanese bookstores. American bookstores also. But Kinokuniya is special compared to other competitors because we offer a really well balanced store. We have Japanese books, English books, textbooks for Japanese learners. We also have stationery, gifts, and many trending items that I think you can offer to many different people. And that's why I think we're we're doing really well right now. Like, you started working for Kinokuniya many years ago, and did you expect this Japanese stationery to be so much popular like now when you started? Um, not as much as right now. I think when I was a child, I used to go to the village Plaza, which is in Little Tokyo, in Los Angeles, and my parents would take me there and we would purchase small items like, you know, the scented erasers or mechanical pencils and things like that. Those stores are already gone now. But yeah, I eventually it probably would have been popular, but I didn't expect it to be as popular as it is right now. What are some of the best selling stationery items at Kinokuniya? Best selling stationery items? Uh, at one point we were doing really well with masking tapes. The washi tapes were really popular. Um, we do a lot of pens, paper notebooks, really high end notebooks that, you know, archival type of stuff. We have like pilot pens, era, Tombow, Mitsubishi, all the all the popular ones we carry. We also carry high end fountain pens and and pen nib pens and things like that to offer. And then those are really popular right now. What do customers say they love most about shopping at Kinokuniya? They like the stuff you can't find anywhere else, only in Kinokuniya. It's available. We have, uh, we also have exclusive items that are collaborations with publishers that are Kinokuniya only, uh, book covers that have Kinokuniya that come with come with special signing board, like a board that has artwork on there that's only available for that limited amount of time. What's your favorite section or product in Kinokuniya? Stationery section is definitely my favorite. I've always loved stationery since I was small, when my mom used to take me to the Village Plaza and purchase those scented erasers that smell like chocolate and stuff. But yeah, stationery is definitely, um. My favorite pen is the Mitsubishi Jetstream 1.0. I have a tendency to press hard, so it has to be a specific pen for me to use. So that's why it's great, because Kinokuniya would have a, you know, sizes will range from like A 03 to like 1.0 pens and like millions of colors, kind of. So you get a variety of choice and there's a lot of things you can use. Yeah. What's up with those like 0.3. pens like. So. Yeah, they're really fine in detail. And it writes a clean line. So they're very popular. Gel pens? Yeah, but for my old person vision, I can't read it. I know, that's why I use a 1.0. It's a lot easier for me to write with. And it's easier to read. Yes, definitely. What would you recommend to someone visiting Kinokuniya for the first time? I would say take your time. Uh, spend some time looking around the store. There's a there's always something for everyone, so just take your time. Take a look at the store. We have books, magazines and English and Japanese or stationery. There's gifts. There's a lot of interesting items that you really can't find. We carry a lot of blind boxes now because the trend is in blind boxes. We carry so many angels. Mizuki's Jubilee, there's a lot. There's like craft puzzles, wooden puzzles, handcraft items that you can build and things like that. So I think there's something for everyone. And I heard you are moving in downtown LA store. Yeah. So the little Tokyo store. Um currently is on second floor while we are moving right across actually the hallway into the Kojima building, which used to be the Sumitomo Bank building. Then it became California Bank and trust, and then now it's going to become Kinokuniya on first Street in San Pedro. That store is going to be a big store. That's amazing. Thank you so much, Mark, for sharing your insights. Koji, I think we need to make Kinokuniya trip soon. Agreed. Thanks again. Mark. I have pen TikTok. Wait, what is that? What is a pen tiktok? A TikTok. Talk about pens. I have two TikTok accounts. I have pen TikTok and comedy TikTok. And comedy TikTok. I only get like ten views. But my pen tiktok. I got a viral video of 4.6 million views. Wait, really? Yeah. 4.6? Yeah. You should stop making comedy and just do stationary. I know, right? I don't even know this. I'm gonna. Well, I'm not on TikTok, but, I mean, TikTok was canceled for a while. Yeah, for like six hours. And now it's back. Yeah. It's back, So I'm gonna have to. I'll have to follow you. and you're not. You're not, like, half naked in these big photos. No no no no, it's it's just pens. It's just pens. Yeah. i just talk about pens. Wow. That's crazy. So, I mean, there are people out there who love pens. It sounds like. Yeah, than. Than my Comedy. Well, tell me about your favorite pen. I love all my pens. I have, like, 800 pens, but I like frictions, which is erasable pens. So, like, you know, I get booked for a comedy show and I get canceled sometimes or postponed. So I could erase what I write with friction and it looks just like a regular pen, but it erases. So that's kind. That comes handy. And I also like Energel by Pentel ink just comes out the right amount. And I have terrible vision and it's so vivid that I could read. This is crazy. So are you saying that with one of these pens? My. My handwriting could be good. Better? Yeah. better. Better or Good? Better. And then also also the the person from the Pentel told me. Oh, you need a little bit of engergel. You know. So now we're doing pen humor. Oh, yeah. Okay. Pen puns. Pen puns. That is funny. I've never. I don't think I've ever heard you speak so passionately about anything before. And and also the fact that you've given this so much thought. I don't think that there's anything in the world that I'm as passionate about. So. Or maybe baseball, but not as much. And you haven't given it enough. But it's not just me. We talk to Yuri Aida of Designfil America, Inc. to learn about the craftsmanship behind these magical tools. I'm here with Yuri Aida from Traveler's Notebook. Yuri San, thank you so much for joining us today. Yuri, please tell us a little bit about yourself. So my name is Yuri and I represent design for America, the US subsidiary of our parent company in Japan, which was founded in 1950, starting as a manufacturer of the leather parts. So after you lived in Japan for a while and you came to America to visit, um, what did you think of the offering at the American stores of the stationery? Nowadays is quite different. But, um, for example, when I was studying abroad, when I was a college student, first place I visit is Office Depot. And I was shocked to see, like all the, you know, pen was on the floor and like a very vivid color, like, uh, pen and BIC and a lot, but cheap. And, uh, I felt like a stationery is almost like a toilet paper and disposable items. And for the American people. So it's not something that you care about, you know? It's just a paper. It's just a pen. So, no, no one cares about the quality, you know, material. And it's just, like, cheaper and, uh, better, and nobody cared. Like, if the pen cannot write anymore within one day. So I was shocked. Like, it's totally different from what I know as a stationery in Japan. Japanese stationery has become really popular in the US. Why do you think it resonates so much with people here? So I think the main reasons are Japanese stationery is so popular. Uh, it's it's high quality attention to detail and reliability. Uh, for example, Japanese pen makers are known for their advanced technology. And companies like ours that focuses on paper are always working to improve the writing experience. Uh, that kind of dedication really makes these products stand out. Another reason is that in Japan, People have always care a lot about quality. So stationery has been a part of everyday life since childhood. So it's not just a practical tool. It's also a way to express yourself. What makes Japanese stationery like traveler's notebook stand out compared to other brands? We create something that's more than just a tool. We make products that tell stories, evoke emotions, and offer experiences that bring new perspectives to everyday life. The philosophy behind The Traveler's Notebook are live every day as if you are traveling has deeply influenced me personally ever since I encountered this idea. I've learned to appreciate my life more and see each day as a gift. Do you think there's something about Japanese culture or design that makes these products special for American customers? So Japanese culture has a unique appreciation for the capturing, fleeting Moments, and this deeply resonate with the traveler's notebook users. For example, we admire the transient beauty of cherry blossoms, which bloom for only a short week each year. Similarly, Traveler's Notebook are designed to help users capture the meaningful moments of their lives. So whether it's documenting a journey you know during that, jotting down reflections or sketching everyday observations over time, these notebooks become more than just tools. They evolve into personal life logs that tells the unique story of each user's experiences. What changes have you seen in how Americans use stationery, and how does that compare to how it's used in Japan? I don't want to generalize, you know too much, but in my experience, many Americans tend to view stationery primarily as a utility for studying, planning, or sending invitations, seeing as something functional and practical. In contrast, many Japanese people incorporate stationery into their daily lives as a form of self-expression. The pen we use, we choose the designs of our stationery. These reflect our personality and style. So stationery isn't just functional, it's a way to add the accent to life and communicate emotions. As the President of Designfil in the US, what has been the most exciting part of introducing Japanese stationery here? So when I came to the US in 2017, my goal wasn't just to sell stationery, it was to foster the culture that appreciates analog tools and to build a like minded community around them. If someone is new to Japanese stationery, what's a good product to start with? So my answer is the md notebook. So it's a blank canvas that offers exceptional writing experience no matter what type of pen you use, it works beautifully with MD paper. Our original paper developed back in the 1960s. The design is minimal and distraction free, yet it provides endless possibilities for personalization. So I use the MD notebook literally every day. That's amazing. Thank you so much Yuri-san for sharing these insights. I think I need to add a few more traveler's notebooks to my collection now. Do you have any responses to what our guests said? I don't know. I think we are all proud Japanese people, proud of Japanese products which are stationary. Japan is seen as very high class in everything it does, right? So like ikebana, which is like the flower arranging or or even like the, um, like like any of the other arts. The calligraphy. Yeah, the the calligraphy, writing and everything. And, you know, so even in the stationery, it's like seen as high class. It's the best in the world, which is really interesting because, you know, I wasn't I was a baby when this was happening. But in the 70s and 60s, Japanese products were seen as cheap. Right. They were seen as like what Chinese products are today. And it's interesting how over the course of 20 or 30 years, it's it's changed so much. And the perception of the culture has changed a lot. What do you think about that? When I first came to America, the only thing I saw in store that was Japanese was tofu. That was it. That was it. And maybe Ichiban instant ramen. T hat was it. That was 1984. Yeah. And I was like, oh. And then, um, first time I saw eraser by a Japanese company at Target, I had tears in my eyes. I'm like, oh my God, there's a Japanese eraser. I had to show it to everybody. That's like, this is Japanese, this is Japanese. I was like, so proud of that little eraser. Why did it make you so proud? Because I don't like American erasers. They don't erase they. They shouldn't be called erasers. They should be called. Make a hole on your paper. One of the things for stationery that I think is different is that, you know, it's with everything, is that the Japanese products and the Japanese culture, every part of it is seen as important. Right. Like we Americans think, oh, eraser is a throwaway product so we don't care about we're just going to mass produce the same stuff, right? Whereas for the Japanese, each product is important. So the eraser is important. And the and the pencil and the pen and the, the tape and all of it, it's all super important. And I think that that's, you know, that's the difference between Japanese American culture in my opinion. And also like letter sets, that's letter sets. Like they are seasonal. Like one for the spring, one for the summer, one for the autumn, one for the winter. It's so much wabi sabi. This is crazy. So we've talked about the products, passion and the people behind Japanese stationery. Now let's talk about where you can experience it all firsthand. Yes, if you are in the Los Angeles area, you have to check out the Stationery Festival in Santa Monica on May 16th and 17th. It's called Pen Paper Palooza. It's like Comic-Con, but for stationery lovers. And if you're not in LA, don't worry. These festivals are happening in other cities across the US this year. Check your local listings. Past festivals have included interactive workshops, exclusive product launches, and even meet and greet with designers. It's such a fun way to connect with the community and discover new favorites. What is one thing you would like to apologize for? Probably how much I made fun of your love for this. Pens. Thank you. What about you? What's one thing you would like to apologize for? Um. I'm sorry. I, you know, I look down on American stationery, but I do like the yellow legal pads. What about European stationery? Just is there is that different than American stationery? I think European stationery are a little bit more thought through than American, for sure. But not as much as Japanese. But yes. It's like it's like halfway between. No no no no. I mean, European stationery is a little bit different in a league because Japanese stationery is especially notebooks are thought based on writing Japanese letters. And European notebooks are for alphabets. So it's a little bit different. Thank you, Mark Sakaguchi and Yuri Uyeda for your time and sharing your stories. And thank you all for listening. There are almost 4 million podcasts. We are honored you've chosen to listen to ours. Please consider writing a review of our show on the platform you use to listen to this podcast. We know it's a pain in the behind, but it does go a long way in helping the show. It helps us reach new listeners, grow our show, and most importantly, it enables us to keep putting out the content that we hope you enjoy. This podcast is a program of the Japanese American National Museum. The museum's mission is to promote understanding and appreciation of America's ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Please rate, review and subscribe to our podcast, and be sure to join us next month when we talk about something i love baseball. Woo! Yay! Yay! Bye, everybody. Thank you.