Best Japanese Stationery Brands

Japanese Stationery Brands and Fun Facts

Pilot

Pilot is one of Japan’s most renowned pen manufacturers, producing a wide catalogue of writing instruments. Their popular products include the Pilot G-2 gel pens, FriXion erasable pens, Pilot Parallel calligraphy pens and the high-end Namiki fountain pens.

Products	Pens, markers, inks, mechanical pencils, erasers, correction fluids
Official name	Pilot Corporation
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Website	pilotpen.com

Fun facts about Pilot pens

• In 1918, Pilot manufactured and sold the first fountain pen made entirely in Japan.
• Pilot first produced a capless retractable fountain pen called in 1963 called the Vanishing Point in some markets.
• Namiki is the luxury brand of Pilot, famous for its Maki-e pens featuring Japanese lacquer art and 18K or 14K gold nibs.

Zebra

Zebra is among Japan’s most comprehensive producers of writing instruments. Some of their noteworthy products are the multi-pen Sharbo, the iconic oil-based permanent marker McKee, the ever-expanding Sarasa series of gel-ink ballpoint pens, and the unusual Mildliner Dual-Tip Creative Highlighter. Zebra’s Zensations product line is a successful entry into the creative and artistic realm.

Products	Fountain pens, ballpoint pens, brush pens, gel pens, markers, mechanical pencils, styli
Official name	Zebra Co. Ltd.
Headquarters	Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Website	https://www.zebra.co.jp/global/

Fun facts about Zebra pens

• Zebra’s founder, Tokumatsu Ishikawa, made and sold the first metal nibs made in Japan.
• Ishikawa chose the Zebra as the company logo based on its herding tendency, and to foster a family-like culture among employees and customers. The logo also appealed to Ishikawa since the zebra has calligraphy – like strokes on its body.
• Zebra’s DelGuard mechanical pencil has indestructible lead! It has a two-part design that makes it nearly hard to break the lead, regardless of how you hold it or how much pressure you apply.

Uni Mitsubishi Pencil

Uni Mitsubishi is a leading maker of pens and pencils worldwide. The company started as a pencil maker but today specializes in pens and mechanical pencils. Popular products include the Uni ball roller pen (the first with water-based ink and a metallic tip), the Kuru Toga mechanical pencil that rotates the graphite lead to sharpen it into an even cone shape, and the Signo Bit UM and Signo Broad UM gel ink pens, and Jetstream ballpoint pens. 

Products	Wooden pencils, rollerball pens, gel pens, mechanical pencils, leads, refills, erasers, sharpeners, markers, highlighters
Official name	Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.
Headquarters	Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan
Website	https://www.mpuni.co.jp/index.html

Fun facts about Mitsubishi Pencil Company

• Jinroku Masaki founded the Masaki Pencil Factory in 1887, which would later become the cornerstone of Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd. Masaki was the first to successfully undertake industrial manufacturing of pencils in Japan.
• The “Mitsubishi” trademark of the 3 diamond emblem registered in 1903 was inspired by the “three fish scales” of the Masaki family crest and the fact that Mitsubishi “office pencils” were available in three hardness levels (lead thickness), namely No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3.
• Mitsubishi Pencil also launched Unicosmo, a cosmetics firm that sells pen-style cosmetics such as eyeliner/brow pens, grey hair root retouch, and empty pen-type packaging.

Tombow

Tombow is a global leader in providing high quality and reliable writing instruments, specially pencils, erasers, brush pens and markers. Some of the most popular products in Tombow’s portfolio include the Mono 100 wooden pencils, Mono erasers, Mono correction tapes, Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens, and AirPress ballpoint pens.

Products	Wooden pencils, colored pencils, mechanical pencils, rollerball pens, leads, refills, erasers, markers, highlighters, brush pens, multi pens, glue tapes and sticks
Official name	Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd.
Headquarters	Kita, Tokyo, Japan
Website	https://www.tombow.com/en/

Fun facts about Tombow

• Tonbō in Japanese means dragonfly. The dragonfly was adopted as the company’s logo because in Japan, the dragonfly is seen to bring good luck and represent fortitude, bravery, and prosperity.
• Tombow was the first Japanese manufacturer to produce lipstick – style glue sticks – PIT.
• The AirPress, an oil-based ballpoint pen by Tombow, features a unique mechanism that ejects ink using compressed air with each click. It can write upside down, on wet paper, and in cold temperatures.

Kokuyo

Kokuyo is a leading brand in office and school stationery, office furniture and fixtures and mail order services. Kokuyo is best known for innovative products like Campus notebooks and accessories like covers, binders, files and folders, Harinacs stapleless staplers, Dotliner glue tape, Kakodeshi – 28 corner eraser, Bobbin washi tape mini roll maker and cutter, C2 tray and Neocritz pencil cases.

Products	Loose leaf paper, notebooks and covers, binders, correction tapes, glue sticks, erasers, folders, gel pens, highlighters and markers, staplers, index cards and tabs, laptop and pencil cases, planners, push pins, report & memo pads, stickers, washi tapes and cutters, office and school furniture
Official name	Kokuyo Co., Ltd.
Headquarters	Higashinari-ku, Osaka, Japan
Website	https://www.kokuyo.com/

Fun facts about Kokuyo

• Kokuyo solved the problem of sharp notice board push pins (thumbtacks) with their Punyo Punyo Safety Push Pins. These pins have a silicone protection for the sharp edge which penetrates the silicone only when you need to use them.
• Kokuyo’s ingenious, lightweight Harinacs stapleless stapler blade punches out and tucks an arrow-shaped flap through a slit to firmly bind almost 10 sheets of papers together — without the use of actual staples.
• The Campus notebook opens amazingly flat, with no need to push down the pages, and this allows you to write as near to the spine and makes it simple to create graphs and images that cover two pages.

Pentel

Pentel is a global leader in user – friendly writing instruments and art supply industry, known for its innovation and reliability. It is recognized as the creator of the fiber-tipped felt pen known as the Sign Pen, as well as the innovator of non-permanent marker technology. Consumer favourites from Pentel are the Graph series of mechanical pencils, Maxiflo markers, Sign pens, EnerGel gel pens, Pentel RSVP ballpoint pens, Pentel brush pens, Correction fluid pens, Vicuna multi pen, and Vistage water brush among others.

Products	Ballpoint pens, brush pens, brushes, correction pens, crayons, drafting and mechanical pencils, erasers, gel pens, highlighters and markers, lead and lead holders, multi pens, rollerball pens, water brushes
Official name	Pentel Co., Ltd.
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Website	https://www.pentel.co.jp/

Fun facts about Pentel

• The name “Pentel” is a combination of the words “pen” and “tell,” which represents the company’s aim of communicating via writing.
• The Pentel Sign Pen was the designated writing instrument of NASA and travelled to space during the Gemini 11 mission in 1966.
• In 1960, Pentel introduced ‘Pentel Pencil’, the world’s first mechanical pencil featuring a push button to advance the lead. At the same time, they introduced the world’s first mechanical pencil lead using synthetic resin instead of clay.

Kuretake ZIG

Kuretake, the company behind the ZIG brand, was formed in 1902 as a maker of sumi-e ink sticks and brushes for calligraphy and painting. Today, the brand is well-known for producing high-quality art materials, calligraphy tools, and writing instruments that bridge the gap between traditional and modern artistic practices. Popular products include the Zig Memory System markers, ZIG Clean Color Dot markers, Gansai Tambi Watercolors, ZIG Cartoonist Mangaka Outline Pens, Kuretake Sumi Ink and their entire range of Brush Pens.

Products	Brush pens and tips, comic pens, fountain pens, glues, highlighters, inks and cartridges, markers, water brushes, water colours, pen refills
Official name	Kuretake Co., Ltd.
Headquarters	Nara, Japan
Website	https://www.tombow.com/en/

Fun facts about Kuretake ZIG

• Kuretake offers unique ink bottles such as Drop of Shimmer (add glitter-like sparkle to your ink by adding a small amount), Drop of Thinner & Shadow (add to the ink for muted or lighter colors), and Drop of Snow (add a small amount to ink to increase opacity, give it a matte finish, and make it pastel color). These inks are compatible with glass pens, dip pens, and brush pens, but not with fountain pens.
• The Kuretake Karappo, named after the Japanese word for “empty,” is an empty brush pen with a wick that you can fill with your own custom-color with the Kuretake Ink-Café Ink Mixing Kit!
• Kuretake created the first refillable brush pen including replaceable ink cartridges like fountain pens.

Sakura

Sakura is a leading brand in art supplies which are widely used by artists and crafters. In 1921, the firm began operations as a crayon maker and patented the “Cray – pas” trademark in 1924, making it the first oil pastel to blend oil and pigment. Some of the most popular products in Sakura’s portfolio include the Pigma Micron, Gelly Roll, and Koi Brush pens, among others.

Products	Brush pens, calligraphy pens, erasers, gel pens, markers, multi pens, mechanical pencils, watercolors, fineliners, ballpoint pens, water brushes
Official name	Sakura Color Products Corporation
Headquarters	Osaka, Japan
Website	https://www.craypas.com/global/

Fun facts about Sakura

•  In 1984, Sakura invented the first gel-based ink, featured in its new ballpoint pens lines. The American market got its first taste of gel pens in the late 1980s.
• Sakura created Pigma® ink, which is used in the Micron® and other pens. The ink comprises pigment particles of submicron size, allowing for consistent flow even through very fine nibs.
• In 1991 Sakura acquired the Dutch company Royal Talens, and in 1997 the Dutch pencil maker Bruynzeel.

Lihit Lab

Founded in 1938, Lihit Lab specializes in functional, high quality & useful stationery & office supplies. The brand is renowned for its silicone pen and pencil cases which are part of the Bloomin and PuniLabo series. Also, very popular are Lihit’s Aqua Drops Twist Ring memo notepads and Smart Fit pouches for carrying everyday essentials.

Products	Files and binders, case and bags, pencil cases, notebook accessories, monitor stands, desk organizers, notebooks, folders, office stationery
Official name	Lihit Lab., Inc.
Headquarters	Osaka, Japan
Website	https://www.eng.lihit-lab.com/

Fun facts about Lihit Lab

• Lihit Labs is listed on ‘Tokyo Stock Exchange Market Part 2’
• Lihit Labs is credited with launching the first colored file in Japan , marking a significant innovation in the stationery market in 1962.

Muji

Muji, which was launched in 1980 is widely recognized for its high-quality products and minimalist design, provides a diverse selection of stationery such as organizers, notebooks pencils, and journals. Muji’s design philosophy is minimalistic, and it prioritizes recycling, reducing production and packaging waste, and maintaining a “no-logo” or “no-brand” policy. Some of the popular Muji stationery products are its gel pens, needle-tip polycarbonate click pens, notebooks, mechanical pencils, word cards, day planner, sticky notes, pen cases and bag organizers.

Products	Albums, files, planners, calendars, sticky notes, gel pens, ballpoint pens, mechanical pencils, markers, erasers, pen cases, pencil cases, bags, organizers, cards, letters, envelopes, packaging supplies, office supplies
Official name	Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd.
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Website	https://www.muji.com/jp/ja/store

Fun facts about Muji

• The name Muji is derived from the first part of Mujirushi Ryōhin, translated as No-Brand Quality Goods.
• Muji’s website asserts that the essence of Muji design is rooted in the Japanese principle of Kanketsu, embodying simplicity,” aiming to “bring a quiet sense of calm into strenuous everyday lives.”
• Muji collaborated with Nissan to produce a limited edition car called the Muji Car 1000 in 2001. The car had no branding logos or paintjob, and it was only sold online.
• The Berlin correspondent for The New York Times reports that the Japanese call Muji-fans “Mujirers.”

Midori / DesignPhil

Midori was established in 1950 and subsequently rebranded as DesignPhil in 2007. Midori is famous for its exquisitely designed travel accessories, journals, and notebooks. Their MD Notebooks and Traveler’s Notebooks are especially popular among creatives and travelers.

Products	Diaries, journals, planners, notebooks, stickers, clips, sticky notes, paintable stamps, stationery paper, rulers, memo pads, index tabs, correction tapes, bookmarks, cutters, correction tape dispenser
Official name	Designphil Inc.
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Website	https://www.midori-japan.co.jp/english/about/history/

Fun facts about Midori

• Midori, which means “green” in Japanese, was selected as the company name to symbolize the force of a plant spreading its green leaves in a field.
• Midori’s business diaries were first utilized by automakers. This marked the beginning of the company’s manufacture of business diaries and customized goods for corporate clients.
• The Multi-Year Diary (Ikusaigetsu) by Midori allows users to record entries for the same date in different years on a single page. Diaries continue to be the main product line for Midori.

Sailor

Sailor Pen Company is a distinguished fountain pen brand recognized for its superior workmanship and high-quality nibs. Their pens are often used by calligraphers and writing enthusiasts. Sailor is well-known for making the first fountain pen in Japan with a gold nib, as well as the first ballpoint pens in Japan.

Products	Fountain pens, fountain pen converters, ballpoint pens, ink cartridges, ink bottles, brush pens, gel pens
Official name	Sailor Pen Company
Headquarters	Hiroshima, Japan
Website	https://en.sailor.co.jp/

Fun facts about Sailor

• A visiting British sailor introduced the founder Mr. Kyugoro Sakata to the fountain pen, which inspired the name of the brand a few years later.
• In 1949, Sailor created the plastic injection machine and began mass manufacturing Japan’s first fountain pens made of plastic. At the time, caps and barrels were manufactured entirely of ebonite or celluloid.
• In 1954, the Sailor Pen Company developed Japan’s first ever ink cartridges for fountain pens, which were launched in 1958. It is believed that the term ‘cartridge’ was coined by Sailor Pen Company.
• Sailor Pen Company is also credited for launching the slimmest fountain pen in the world in the 1970s called the “Chalana.“

Platinum

Platinum is a high – end fountain pen brand, offering a range of pens from affordable to luxury. They introduced the world’s first cartridge fountain pen called the “Platinum Honest 60” in 1957 and the first fountain pen with a platinum nib in 1967. While the gorgeous Century 3776 series appeals to those seeking an executive style, fountain pen beginners and experts alike adore the reasonably priced and incredibly practical Preppy fountain pens.

Products	Fountain pens, fountain pen cartridges, pen cleaners, fountain pen ink bottles, fountain pen converters, drafting pencils, felt tip pen and marker replacement tips
Official name	Platinum Pen Company
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Website	https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/en/

Fun facts about Platinum

• Fascinatingly, the founder’s early success was aided by their inventiveness in the mail order industry. Offices and government organizations received order forms from them, and they mailed them back with cash.
• In 1942 the company was primarily involved in the manufacture of fighter planes and called the Tokyo Weapons Company.
• Platinum’s flagship pen is the 3776 Century (the number is a reference to the height of Mt. Fuji).
• It’s interesting to note that Platinum intentionally creates a heart-shaped breathing hole in their gold nibs. Although it is more challenging to produce, its form facilitates a smoother ink transfer from the feed to the nib.

Hobonichi

The Hobonichi Techo is a popular Japanese brand notebook / daily planner manufactured by Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun (Hobonichi). Hobonichi is well-known for its planners and journals, notably the Hobonichi Techo, which is adored for its Tomoe River paper and practical layout.

Products	Notebooks, notebook covers, Techo planners and covers, pouches, sticky notes, stamps, stencils, calendars, page keepers, penci boards
Official name	Hobonichi Techo
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Website	https://www.1101.com/store/techo/en/

Fun facts about Hobonichi

• Hobonich Techo planners are printed on Tomoe River (Tomoegawa) paper, a very thin and high quality paper which is resistant to bleeding and feathering of inks and paints, especially fountain pen inks and watercolors, though alcohol-based pens will bleed through.
• Each Hobonichi Techo has a unique serial number printed on the final page, as a mark of its authenticity.
• Yugo Nakamura’s promotional video for Hobonichi techo was a global smash. Singer Miu Sakamoto and, techo designer Taku Satoh performed the vocals for the song “Ho! Boniii!” “Chi! Te! Choo!” Song link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWMQ0M_FSL8

Maruman

Maruman offers high-quality notebooks, sketchbooks, and drawing pads that are popular among artists and designers. Maruman is known for its high-quality notebooks and loose-leaf paper. Their Mnemosyne series is highly regarded for its smooth paper and excellent ink compatibility.

Products	Notebooks, loose leaf papers, binders, notepads, planners, sketchbooks, backpacks
Official name	Maruman Co., Ltd.
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Website	https://www.e-maruman.co.jp/lp/session/

Fun facts about Maruman

• In 1920, Koichi Iguchi established Maruman in Tokyo, Japan. They began to specialize in making and marketing sketchbooks to middle schools.
• In 1958, Iguchi visited Europe under post-war limitations to buy a spiral bookbinding machine. They also introduced it to Japan for the first time.
• In 1967, Maruman is also credited with developing and introducing plastic binders.
• An interesting description of how the sketchbooks and notebooks are made in Maruman’s factories – https://www.e-maruman.co.jp/policy/factory/