Letters and lessons from Japan

Cumulonimbus We read this word after ages in a book It means a dense vertical cloud that produces heavy rain and thunderstorms and it is mentioned in one of the stories in a book we chose to cosy up during the last week of December We had picked Letters from the Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop HarperCollins for our love for stationery but fell in love with the lucid writing leaving us longing for Japaneseinspired stationery and deepset traditionsThe book is divided into five stories about people who visit Shihodo a stationary shop tucked in Ginza a district in Tokyo known for its upscale shopping dining and entertainment Its shop owner Ken Takarada has a unique gift for understanding what his customers need most mdash both from his store and in life As the story unfolds Takaradasan helps his patrons unlock repressed memories and secret longings by documenting them in the timeless art of the written word at a dedicated desk on the shoprsquos upper floor Along the way we also witness the unfolding of his own journeyKenji UedaAuthor Kenji Ueda is known for blending fantasy with everyday lifersquos charm and thatrsquos what he does in this story In layers that slowly unfold it explores the beauty of human connection and the quiet power of introspectionmdashincluding familial romantic mentormentee mdash blended with emotions of love loss and rediscovery We adored how delightful this book is mdash with its beautiful descriptions of stationery and the thought of Japanese tea and snacks that Takarada offers these customers luring us to visit the quiet corners of Tokyo where tradition meets modernityAt Leading bookstores and estoresCost Rs399Stationery buffs look hereIn Japan stationery is a way of life Drawing inspiration from the bookrsquos chapters wersquove curated a list of brands to help you level up and live your best life in 2025 Fountain PensStarted by pen connoisseur Sripal Jain Makoba has partnered with over 50 international brands including Montblanc mentioned in the book and the famed Japanese brand Namiki From 14 and 18k gold nibs and different body and inkfilling systems mdash therersquos a pen for all to write a new storyLog on to wwwmakobacom NotebooksYoursquoll be spoilt for choice here From cute Hello Kitty notebooks to minimalist designs that Muji has a serious collection of great minimalist designs in pocket and A6 sizes notebook covers leaflets and loose paper in case you need a refill mdash we are fansLog on to wwwmujiin OrganisersWhile we run to Satyam at Churchgate for our Filofax mentioned in the book for our planner needs the Hobonichi Techo is a Japanese brand we love too Flexible enough to fit the lifestyle and tastes of its users they have dailypage books weekly books called the Weeks undated notebooks with monthly calendars called Day Free and 5Year Techo to name a few Our current favourite is the Masamune Kusano x Junaida Through the Purple Night PostcardsJapanese postcards were a popular form of visual expression and communication in the early 20th century and are now considered a significant part of Japanese culture Etsy has some cool picks including vintage travel paintings handdrawn options and artworksLog on to wwwetsycom MemopadsThese are delightful and functional brightening up your workspace and allowing you to jot down notes reminders or creative ideas making them versatile tools for personal and professional use While Scooboocom does have the French memo pads that the book mentions we find the collection of Japanese ones on the Bungu store to be uber cuteLog on to wwwbungustore