2025 Japanese Stationery Store Award: Expert Picks & Highlights

April 21, 2025 Ame Jin

The results of the 2025 Japanese Stationery Store Awards (文房具屋さん大賞, Bunbougu-ya san Taishou) were officially announced this February. For stationery fans around the world, this Japan-based award has become a trusted reference for discovering the year’s most noteworthy new products.

Last year, I wrote a full roundup of the 2024 award winners, which received many visits and kind feedback from readers (thank you! :）). That article introduced the background of the award, its judging process, and why it matters. If you’re curious, you can click here to view more.

This year’s judging panel once again brought together 13 popular stationery stores, professionals in the industry, and members of the media. From over a thousand new products released in the past year, items were carefully reviewed from multiple angles.

The most prestigious Grand Award went to the Pilot Kirei-na Highlighter, while the Design Award, Functionality Award, and Idea Award were given to the Luddite Sustainable Leather Bendy Pen Case, the Uni Jetstream Ballpoint Pen (Lite Touch Ink), and the King Jim Hitotoki Kori Jirushi Ice Stamp, respectively. In addition, 35 products were selected as category winners or store favorites.

Quick Guide: What Is the Japanese Stationery Store Award?

The Japanese Stationery Store Award is a major annual stationery prize in Japan, judged by store owners, staff, and enthusiasts. It recognizes the previous year's most innovative and beloved products. Along with the Grand Award, there are individual honors for design, functionality, and innovative ideas, plus standout selections across various product categories and special recognitions chosen by stationery stores. The award serves as a trusted guide for consumers and represents a mark of excellence for brands.

You May Also Like to Read — Another beloved Japanese stationery award:

The Bungu Joshi Haku Award (Stationery Girls Expo Award)

CONTENT

Grand Prize - Pilot KIRE-NA Highlighter
Design Award - Luddite THE POST Sustainable Leather Bendy Pencil Case
Functionality Award - Uni Jetstream Single Ballpoint Pen (with Lite Touch Ink)
Idea Award - King Jim HITOTOKI Kori Jirushi Ice Stamp
Category Awards
Judges' Special Awards
Conclusion: This Year’s Standouts, And a Few of Mine

Grand Prize - Pilot KIRE-NA Highlighter

By dramatically improving control and consistency, the KIRE-NA highlighter takes the highlighting experience to a new level. Its flexible nylon tip bends slightly during use, and the built-in Kichinto Guide gently touches the paper, helping the entire tip stay in contact — even on curved or uneven surfaces. The improved design also prevents ink from pooling at the start or end of each stroke, keeping your highlights clean and sharp.

Available in Standard Colors and Pale Tone Colors.

"While stationery is increasingly shifting toward adult hobby items, students — who use them for studying every day — remain the largest user base. That’s why the Grand Prize this year goes to the KIRE-NA highlighter.
In addition to quick-drying ink and reduced smudging over written text, this pen stands out for its design features that minimize stress during study: straighter lines, less ink pooling at the end of strokes, and most notably, a flat plate near the grip that helps stabilize the pen angle for more consistent contact with the paper.
With a wide range of colors and an affordable price point, it’s easy to see why it earned strong support."
— Takagi Yoshinori （高木芳紀）, Chair of the Judging Panel / Novelty Lab

"Thanks to the guide tip, it’s less likely to smudge and draws beautifully — like having all the features of a highlighter in one pen. I often use the gray and yellow ones."
— Takuya Takahashi (髙橋拓也氏) / Stationery Media Professional

"It draws amazingly clean lines! I also love how quickly it dries. This pen solves all the frustrations I used to have with highlighters in one go."
— Makiko Fukushima (福島槙子氏) / Stationery Media Professional

Design Award - Luddite THE POST Sustainable Leather Bendy Pencil Case

Luddite THE POST Bendy Pen Case won this award for its eco-friendly leather and practical design. Made from bonded leather fiber, it’s a more sustainable choice that supports SDGs while keeping the look stylish and the price accessible. The case is compact but practical, with individual pen slots and a zippered pocket—perfect for keeping different writing tools neatly organized.

"This pen case uses eco-friendly recycled leather. Priced under 3,000 yen, it’s an incredible value that lets you easily store your favorite writing tools and small items."
— Fumihiro Iguchi (猪口フミヒロ氏) / Stationery Media Professional

"With zipper compartments and pen pockets that open flat for full visibility, this design combines practicality and universality in one. A thoughtfully crafted item with a clear concept behind it."
— Kazumi Udagawa (宇田川一美氏) / Stationery Media Professional

Functionality Award - Uni Jetstream Single Ballpoint Pen (with Lite Touch Ink)

Jetstream is already one of Uni Mitsubishi’s most iconic ballpoint pen series, known for its smooth and vivid ink. This updated version introduces a range of thoughtful improvements, both inside and out.

This awarded Jetstream Single Ballpoint Pen uses the new developed Lite Touch Ink, which retains the signature smoothness and rich color of Jetstream ink, but adds a lighter, more controlled writing feel for better comfort and precision. The pen body has been redesigned with a more refined and cohesive look, featuring a soft matte finish and muted colors. It's simple, sleek, and adds a relaxed tone to your writing experience.

"It’s been 18 years since the first Jetstream was released in 2006, and now there’s a new series. While the slogan is “lighter and smoother,” there’s another important improvement: reducing the pen’s tendency to slip on the page.
Actually, I feel this myself—Jetstream pens are so smooth that on certain types of paper, they can slide too much, making it harder to write. A good number of users had the same issue.
To address this, Mitsubishi introduced a "light touch ink" that keeps the signature smoothness of Jetstream, but adds a more controlled, lighter writing feel. The pen earned positive reviews and even won a functionality award.
The seamless, simple body design is also part of its appeal."
— Takagi Yoshinori

"Jetstream is now practically synonymous with ballpoint pens! The lighter touch gives it a fresh feel, and the rubber grip makes it easy to hold."
— Dai Ishizu (石津大氏) / Stationery Media Professional

"It feels even lighter to write with than previous Jetstream models, yet it still has the satisfying feel you expect from an oil-based ballpoint."
— Makiko Fukushima

Idea Award - King Jim HITOTOKI Kori Jirushi Ice Stamp

The King Jim HITOTOKI Kori Jirushi "Ice Stamp" offers a fresh take on traditional stamping. Made entirely of clear acrylic, each stamp has the appearance of a small block of ice—clean, transparent, and beautifully minimal.

But the design isn’t just for looks. The transparent handle allows you to see exactly where the stamp will land, helping to avoid misalignment—something that's often tricky with wooden stamps, especially when layering designs. It’s a simple yet thoughtful improvement that makes stamping more precise and enjoyable. It’s no surprise this clever design has earned recognition.

"In 2024, the world of personal stamps really came into the spotlight, with more events and more people getting hooked. But one frustration shared by stamp lovers is clear: it’s easy to mess up the placement when stamping.
Especially when combining several stamps into one layout, even a slight misalignment can ruin the whole thing. This 'Ice Stamp' is exceptional for its crystal-clear transparency, which allows you to see exactly where you're stamping and place it perfectly.
Many users are probably thinking, 'If only my favorite stamp had been made like this...'
If possible, I hope King Jim will consider collaborating with popular stamp artists and expanding the lineup dramatically."
— Takagi Yoshinori

"Because it’s made from transparent material, you can clearly see how the ink is applied, making it much less likely to mess up. You can check the position as you go and stamp exactly where you want."
— Takuya Takahashi

"Since it's transparent, it’s easy to see exactly where you're stamping. Just like its name, it looks like ice—beautiful and clear. It might be prone to scratches, which is a concern, but the visual appeal is undeniable."
— Misato Suga（菅未里氏） / Stationery Media Professional

Category Awards

Ballpoint Pen Award: Zebra bLenU

The bLenU is an upgraded model of Zebra’s bLen series, known for its design focused on reducing writing vibration and minimizing hand fatigue during extended use. It retains the original bLen System, a built-in stabilizer that keeps the tip steady, and now features upgraded S oil-based ink for darker, clearer lines with less pressure. The clip has also been redesigned for better durability. Its unique shape allows for wider opening while reducing the risk of damaging or bending pages when clipped onto notebooks or documents.

All of these features—vibration control, low-pressure dark writing, and a user-friendly clip—make the bLen ideal for handheld writing and on-the-go use, even on uneven or unstable surfaces.

Mechanical Pencil Award: Uni Mitsubishi Kuru Toga Metal

As the high-end model in Uni Mitsubishi’s Kuru Toga mechanical pencil series, the Kuru Toga Metal quickly gained attention for its refined design and performance.

Like all models in the series, it features the signature Kuru Toga mechanism, which automatically rotates the lead as you write. This helps maintain consistent line density and width, so your writing stays clean and uniform across the page. Additionally, the tip is equipped with a built-in damper to absorb writing vibrations and increase stability.

Its full metal body, sleek shape, fine grooves on the grip, and matte dark finish all contribute to a premium feel — both in the hand and on the page.

Multi-function Pen Award: Uni Mitsubishi Jetstream 4&1 (with Lite Touch Ink)

Following the Functionality Award won by the Jetstream Single, the Jetstream 4&1 (with Lite Touch Ink) gained the Multi-Function Pen Award. In addition to the upgraded ink, this pen carries over the refined design introduced with the new Single model. The pen body is more compact and shorter than the standard version, making it easier to carry. Despite including four ballpoint tips and one mechanical pencil, it remains comfortable to hold—especially for smaller hands. The matte finish, soft color palette, and smooth contours give the pen a gentle, relaxed presence, both in appearance and in use.

Fountain Pen Award: Sailor TUZU Adjust Fountain Pen

Before receiving this award, the Sailor TUZU Adjust Fountain Pen was also honored with the Functional Department Award at the 33rd Japan Stationery Awards, organized by ISOT (International Stationery & Office Products Fair Tokyo).

Its standout feature is an adjustable ergonomic grip. The grip section has two gently angled flat surfaces that help position the fingers comfortably and securely. What makes it unique is the ability to rotate the grip in 10-degree increments, allowing users to fine-tune the writing angle to suit their hand position and writing style, while keeping the nib aligned at an optimal angle for smooth writing.

Plus its lightweight body and smooth writing nib, the TUZU is well-suited for everyday use, especially during long writing sessions.

Available in three nib sizes: F (Fine), M (Medium), and B (Bold).

Color Pen Award: Sun-Star Decot 3 Overlapping Marker Pen

The uniquely designed Sun-Star Decot Marker is back with its third-generation release, the DECOT 3, which has been recognized with this award.

Like its previous versions, the DECOT 3 is a dual-ended marker with a broad chisel tip on one end and a fine tip on the other, each loaded with a different ink color. The ink is specially formulated so that when you layer the two colors—chisel first, then fine tip—they remain clear and distinct, creating playful and eye-catching effects.

This clever layering function has made the Decot series popular among stationery fans and bullet journal lovers, inspiring creative layouts, color-coded notes, and decorative borders and highlights with just one pen.

Eraser Award: Seed Sakura Tree Radar

Known for its excellent erasing performance and smooth feel, the SEED Radar has been a long-time favorite since its release in 1968. It’s often remembered as "the eraser with the blue case" — a familiar sight in pencil cases for generations.

Now, this special award-winning edition replaces that iconic blue case with "Jingū Omiyasugi" , sacred cedar trees over 300 years old. You can feel the fine grain, enjoy the natural scent, and appreciate the quiet beauty of this material — bringing a deep sense of Japanese tradition to a beloved everyday item.

Pencil Case Award: Sun-Star UFO Pen Case

It’s hard not to smile when you see this unique pen case from Sun-Star! It looks just like a little UFO beaming something up! But the design isn’t just for fun. It cleverly uses the spaceship shape to create separate storage zones: the “cockpit” is perfect for small items like erasers, sticky notes, clips, or a pencil sharpener, while the “light beam” holds pens, rulers, and other longer tools.

Made from clear PVC, the case lets you easily see what’s inside—yes, even the tiny cow being abducted! It also stands upright on your desk, adding a playful and lighthearted touch to your study or work space, every time you look up.

Desktop Storage Award: Raymay Memory Tray

The Raymay Memory Tray is a thoughtfully designed storage box that combines practicality with a clean, gentle look. Its standout feature is the lid, which flips open and locks in place to become a mini whiteboard—perfect for jotting down reminders or attaching sticky notes. It’s a simple yet smart way to keep important tasks in view.

Inside, the tray includes slots for adjustable dividers, so you can customize the layout to fit your storage needs. There’s also a dedicated holder for a whiteboard marker and a label space on the outside for easy identification.

Whether you’re organizing documents, books, stationery, tools, or daily essentials, this tray fits naturally into both home and office spaces.

Pouch & Bag Award: LIHIT LAB myfa Decoration Box Pouch

The myfa Decoration Box Pouch from LIHIT LAB is designed for displaying and carrying your favorite small items—especially character figures and cute collectibles. With its compact, boxy shape and clear PVC material, it’s perfect for showing off what you love while keeping things protected. The pouch also comes with a detachable strap clip, so you can easily hang it on your bag for quick access on the go.

This fun, playful style of carrying has become especially popular among young people in Japan, adding a youthful and expressive vibe to everyday look.

File Award: PLUS Ito/oshi

Designed for Japan’s oshi-katsu (推し活) culture—where fans actively support and celebrate their favorite idols, artists, or characters—the PLUS ito/oshi series offers practical storage and protection for the essentials of fan life. Whether it’s uchiwa fans, oversized photos, posters, tickets, or CD cases, these files are sized to help fans organize and carry the items they often bring to or collect from concerts, meetups, and pop-up events.

Some items also thoughtfully considers how fans choose to express that support. For example, transparent material are perfect for proudly displaying their idols, while opaque material offer more privacy. It’s a functional and emotionally aware series that meets fans where they are—both practically and personally.

Sticky Notes Award: Daigo Isshoni To-do Sticky Notes Film

Made from transparent PET material, these isshoni To-do Sticky Notes from Daigo won't cover up the text underneath, perfect for layering over documents or planner pages. Additionally, the clever design lets you stick them along the edge of a page, leaving a tab-like section visible, so they double as both a task reminder and an index tab.

The material is slightly thicker than regular sticky notes, making them durable and resistant to bending. A practical and versatile tool for study and office use.

Letter Award: Midori Flower-colored Washi Ippitsusen

This award-winning letter set is part of the Midori Letterpress Series, known for its refined materials and dedication to traditional craftsmanship. It uses Echizen washi (越前和紙), a handmade Japanese paper with a soft texture and gentle translucency. Before the paper is formed, the fibers are dyed using the sakizome (先染め) method, creating a delicate depth of color inspired by lace-like white flowers. The floral design is then printed using letterpress (活版印刷) at Midori’s own workshop, adding a quiet, tactile impression to each sheet.

Paired with matching envelopes and floral artwork by Megumi Sasaki (佐々木恵), this set brings together beauty, texture, and tradition—perfect for thoughtful, handwritten messages.

Card Award: Ryu-Ryu Transparent Card

This award-winning postcard from Ryu-Ryu is made from thick transparent material, enhanced with vivid printing and full-surface silver foil. The result is a card that feels both clear and refined, perfect for sending as a gift (the packaging itself can double as an envelope!) or using as a small interior accent.

Whether placed by a window, pinned to a wall, or set on your desk, the card catches the light beautifully. As the sunlight shifts throughout the day, it sparkles gently — turning into a little scene within your everyday space. Its lightness and translucency bring a subtle sense of movement that changes with the weather and time of day, adding a soft, airy touch to any room.

Memo Award: Maruman Kurutto Ring

The KURUTTO Ring by Maruman is a highly flexible mini binder system that lets you create a notebook entirely your own. Choose your favorite cover design and color, pair it with the exclusive binder rings, and combine it with Maruman’s Loose Leaf Mini refills—available in a wide range of refill layouts and functional accessories.

The cover provides enough support for handhold writing, while the ring allows pages to flip a full 360 degrees, making it especially convenient in compact spaces like in front of a laptop or on a crowded desk.

Note Award: Daigo Tea & Reading Time Note

The Tea & Reading Time Notebook by Daigo is designed to accompany relaxed moments with a book and a cup of tea or coffee. It encourages a gentle, reflective approach to reading, perfect for peaceful personal reading moments. Even if you’re not sure how to start writing a reading journal, the structured prompts on each page help guide your thoughts, making it easier to jot down impressions, reflections, and favorite lines.

Light and compact, this notebook fits neatly into a book cover and is easy to carry around.

Stamp Award: Sun-Star Pyokkori Stamp

The Pyokkori Stamp Set from Sun-Star features three different poses of the same adorable animal, allowing for both individual use and playful combinations in your planner or journal.

What makes this pre-inked stamp set especially clever is the alignment guide printed on the stamp body. By lining it up with the border of a date block on your weekly or monthly planner page, you can create the perfect effect of the animal peeking out from the frame—bringing your layout to life in the most delightful way.

Diary Award: Mark’s Life Log Weekly Planner Block

This year’s Diary Award went to the Life Log Weekly Planner Block by Mark's. This is a journal designed to make life logging approachable and enjoyable, even for beginners who’ve never kept a diary before. Its layout gently guides you through daily and weekly reflections, with sections for weekly habit tracker, daily to-do/record, today’s highlight, mood and health log, and hobby-themed review. The format takes the pressure off writing, guiding you gently while still offering the flexibility to record in your own way.

Its square size adds to the relaxed tone of the journal, and offers a fresh feel for journal lovers who used to standard formats.

Masking Tape Award: Kamio mt Upcycle Tape

The top-ranked masking tape in this year’s award went to a product with a strong eco-friendly message: the mt Upcycle Tape. It is a masking tape made from leftover materials from the coffee filter production process—giving waste a second life in a thoughtful, eco-friendly way. It was created as part of the "mt next 100 project," launched to celebrate mt’s 100th anniversary and to look toward a more sustainable future.

Aside from its environmentally conscious concept, the tape also features soft, natural colors inspired by the original coffee filter material. The warm, neutral tones make it easy to use in a variety of projects, adding a gentle touch wherever you stick it.

Seal Award: Sun-Star Palettone Sticker

The Palettone Sticker from Sun-Star stands out with its clever and impressive design. Shaped like a miniature oval paint palette, each colored "paint block" is actually a small stack of stickers, ready to peel and use. The stickers themselves come in soft, irregular circular shapes, giving them an organic, painterly feel when placed on your notebook or journal.

You can write on them using pencils or oil-based pens, or layer them to create interesting color depth and visual texture. Whether used for decorating, labeling, or highlighting, they bring a subtle artistic touch to pages.

Clip Award: Sun-Star Terasuno Glowing Clip

The Terasuno Clip by Sun-Star combines a sturdy clip with a built-in LED light. It’s ideal for moments such as checking paperwork in the dark or reading quietly without bothering people nearby. The LED light provides a soft, eye-friendly glow that comfortably illuminates an area about the size of an A5 sheet. When the light isn’t needed, it functions as a normal sturdy clip that opens up to 4 cm wide, easily holding thick books, notepads, or stacks of documents in place.

Scissors Award: Kutsuwa Cap-integrated Kid Scissors

These kid-friendly scissors from Kutsuwa feature a clever cap-integrated design, where the blade cover is built right into the handle. With a simple push or pull, the cap slides open or closed—making it easy for children to use, and eliminating the common problem of lost scissor caps at school.

The scissors are strong enough to cut through materials like milk cartons or thick craft paper, yet the rounded blade tips help ensure safety during use. It’s a thoughtful balance of functionality and safety, made with classroom needs in mind.

Cutter Award: Sun-Star AKELKEY 2WAY Opener

Sun-Star AKELKEY 2WAY Opener functions as both a letter opener and a box cutter, and can also be used to cut through tape or the plastic string often found on product tags. The short blade is slightly rounded at the tip, helping to prevent damage to items inside a package. When not in use, the blade retracts for safe storage. Roughly the size of a coin, it also features a small hole so you can attach it to a key ring or tuck it into your wallet—always within reach when you need it.

Judges' Special Awards

This year's Special Jury Prize, selected by participating stationery stores, was awarded to the following products:

石丸文行堂賞 (Ishimaru Bunkoudou Award)

Lion Hanisakku vol.3 Haniwa-shaped Finger Cots

Haniwa are traditional clay figures originally from ancient Japanese burial culture, now widely loved for their quirky and charming appearance. They've become a familiar motif in stationery and lifestyle goods.

This fun finger cot set turns the classic haniwa shape into a useful office item. Worn on the thumb and index finger, it helps with page turning and protects both your fingers and documents—making it a popular and playful tool for everyday desk work.

オフィスベンダー賞 (Office Vendor Award)

Midori Calendar Template

The Midori Calendar Template is a handy tool for journal and bullet journal lovers who want to draw clean, consistent monthly layouts with ease. The various geometric shapes on the template also make habit tracking easy and tidy, perfect for creating satisfying check-off marks.

Made of durable brass, the template has a sleek, timeless look. The back features a non-slip design that keeps it steady when use, so it won’t shift around on the page as you draw.

くまざわ書店賞 (Kumazawa Bookstore Award)

Nakabayashi Manual Pencil Sharpener for Standard and Thick Pencils

This hand-crank sharpener can handle a wide range of pencil sizes—from 6.5mm to 12mm in diameter—making it ideal for both standard pencils and thicker drawing or coloring pencils. It features five adjustable settings for tip sharpness, allowing you to choose the point that suits your needs.

コーチャンフォー賞 (Coach and Four Award)

Kutsuwa Wakeari Writing Board

The Kutsuwa Wakeari Writing Board is a cleverly designed, multi-functional writing board that helps with both neat layouts and focused studying. The surface is divided into alternating transparent and opaque bands, with slight raised edges between them. These ridges guide your pen when drawing vertical dividing lines—no ruler needed—while the opaque areas can also be used to cover parts of your notes for memorization practice. The back of the board is completely flat, so it works just like a regular writing board when used normally.

精文館書店賞 (Seibunkan Bookstore Award)

Kokuyo Campus Blue Memorization Sheet

This clever study tool by Kokuyo uses color contrast to support effective memorization and self-testing. Designed to work with a special dual-tip marker, the blue transparent sheet makes highlighted or written content disappear when placed on top.

Use the orange chisel-tip highlighter to mark important phrases in textbooks, and the highlighted content vanish under the blue sheet. For notes or answers, write with the blue fine-tip pen and cover them to quiz yourself. It’s a simple yet smart way to turn your notes into an active learning tool.

TSUTAYA賞 (TSUTAYA Award)

LACONIC LACONIC®FLEX

With a wide range of refill papers and functional inserts to choose from, LACONIC®FLEX is a highly flexible and customizable planner system that lets you build your pages exactly the way you want. Instead of flipping back and forth, FLEX even allows you to layer content directly on top of your weekly or daily pages. For example, you can overlay a monthly calendar for quick reference, jot down memos, or even add your favorite photos for a motivational boost—all within the same spread, making planning not just practical, but fun.

ナガサワ文具センター賞 (Nagasawa Stationery Center Award)

Sailor Hocoro Dip Pen Stand & Nib Case

The Sailor Hocoro Series has become a favorite among stationery lovers for its clever design and flexibility. Hocoro dip pen features a removable, interchangeable nib—available in various shapes and sizes. Users can freely mix and match nibs, barrels, and accessories to create a setup that suits their writing style. To further enhance the series, Sailor introduced this award-wining Stand & Case accessory. It functions both as a pen rest for easy access during use and as compact storage for extra nibs—making the Hocoro series feel more thoughtful and complete.

ノベルティ研究所賞 (Novelty Lab Award)

Atabo Stationery Marufude-sen Hexagonal Grids

This unique letter paper from Abota stands out for its round shape and hexagonal grid layout, giving it the appearance of a honeycomb. It's an uncommon design in the world of writing paper, and naturally invites curiosity—it feels fun just to try writing on it! While visually striking, this type of layout is likely best suited for vertical writing systems, especially languages like Japanese or Chinese, where the structure of the characters naturally fits the grid.

ハンズ賞 (Hands Award)

Sonic Pico Training Mental Arithmetic Drills for Arithmetic Calculations

This calculator-shaped device is a learning tool developed by Sonic to help children improve their math skills through play. Designed to look like a toy but function as a study aid, it presents simple arithmetic problems in a fun, game-like format. Compared to using smartphone apps, this standalone device minimizes distractions and offers a more child-friendly way to build focus and confidence in basic math.

丸善ジュンク堂書店賞 (Maruzen Junkudo Bookstore Award)

Max Vaimo 11 Flarme Stapler

The Max Vaimo 11 Flarme is a compact, thoughtfully designed stapler that delivers smooth, reliable performance for everything from 2 to 40 sheets. No matter the thickness, the staples lay flat and neat, giving your documents a clean, professional finish.

It’s small and lightweight—easy to hold in one hand or carry around—and features significantly quieter operation compared to previous models. A small window lets you check the staple supply at a glance, without needing to open the device.

It was also recognized in the 2024 Good Design Award, highlighting its attention to detail, usability, and refined form.

有隣堂賞 (Yurindo Award)

Sugai World Tiptoes Bookmark Pen

Tiptoes is a fun and practical bookmark with a ballpoint pen hidden in the animal’s feet. It marks your place in a book and lets you write instantly whenever needed. The animal design peeks out while holding pages in place—both useful and amusing.

Made from FSC-certified paper, it’s lightweight, biodegradable, and sturdy enough for daily use. The pen is refillable and retractable, making Tiptoes a great choice for both eco-conscious users and gift-givers.

ロフト賞 (Loft Award)

El Commun MATOKA Die Cut Mouse Pad

This playful die cut mouse pad features the charming animals and quirky designs that have made MATOKA’s diaries so popular. Just placing one on your desk brings a touch of humor and cheerful vibe to your workspace.

ヨドバシカメラ賞 (Yodobashi Camera Award)

Pentel Art Crayon

The Pentel Art Crayon brings the softness of a crayon together with the expressive depth of oil pastels. Its smooth, blendable texture allows for rich layering, subtle color mixing, and effortless control of line thickness with pressure.

Vibrant pigments, minimal residue, and a satisfying glide make it a joy to use—whether for sketching, coloring, or simply rediscovering the pleasure of drawing.

Conclusion: This Year’s Standouts, And a Few of Mine

Just like in 2024, Sun-Star once again took home the most awards and first-place category prizes this year. The brand continues to stand out for its creative energy. Past recognized stationery items like the Ukanmuri Clip, Ninipie Pen & Marker, Metacil Inkless Pen, and KiritoRING Washi Tape Cutter (which won the top prize at Bungu Joshihaku) have all become beloved favorites among stationery fans thanks to their simple yet clever innovations. This year's Decot 3 Marker and Pyokkori Stamp Set may well follow in their footsteps, earning a place in the hearts of journaling and planner lovers.

Outside of Sun-Star’s impressive presence, Uni Jetstream (with Lite Touch Ink) feels like the biggest winner in the ink pen category, with both the single and multi-function pens receiving recognition. With upgraded ink performance and a sleeker look, this refreshed series fully deserves the awards it earned. As one of Uni Mitsubishi’s flagship lines, it's remarkable how Jetstream continues to evolve, even after so many years.

On a more personal note, here are a few of my own favorites from this year’s winners:

Pilot KIRE-NA Highlighter – I was genuinely surprised by how smooth the tip feels and how well it prevents ink pooling at the end of strokes. I thought my collection of Kokuyo Beetle Tips and Mildliners was already more than enough, but actually not yet! When I’m doing heavy reading and note-taking, KIRE-NA is now definitely my go-to highlighter.

King Jim HITOTOKI Ice Stamp – Wooden stamps can be tricky to layer, and clear stamps (the kind that require an acrylic block) can feel like a hassle. Kori Jirushi Ice Stamp solves both problems. And it sparkles in the sunlight in such a satisfying way that I find myself always wanting to use it!

Sailor Tuzu Fountain Pen – I tend to rotate my nib slightly to the left to control ink flow and get a finer line. Tuzu’s adjustable grip finally gives me a pen that supports this naturally. Plus, I angled one facet of the grip to rest right on the first joint of my middle finger — where a callus has lived for over 20 years from constant writing. It’s the first pen that’s ever made that spot feel truly comfortable.

Sun-Star UFO Pencil Case – I may not be the target user, but if I had a niece or nephew, I’d absolutely buy this for them. Honestly, not many of this year’s winners stood out at first glance, but this hilariously charming design completely won me over. Whoever made it clearly has a playful, childlike spirit.

LACONIC®FLEX – If you, like me, have always dreamed of an all-in-one planner, this system might be just what you’ve been waiting for. Running a small stationery shop means my work and personal life are deeply intertwined, and FLEX reignites my motivation to plan everything in one place. Letting small-size inserts layer on larger planner pages is really a genius idea. I feel like using it would make me more motivated and energized when working.

All in all, as a stationery lover, I’m truly happy this award exists. Each year, it introduces me to new products, new ideas, and thoughtful designs that remind me how stationery can quietly — but beautifully — support the way we live, learn, and express ourselves, and how deeply it understands and responds to the diverse needs of different users.

— Ame, Paper Whisper

Ame@PaperWhisper

Paper Whisper Stationery

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