Tokyo Stationery Eye Candy (Part 5) – Suica the Penguin

I think it is not necessary to restate my obsession with penguins. In Tokyo, one of there main metro line called JR has a mascot of a little penguin! Designed by illustrator Chiharu Sakazaki, Suica the penguin is a cute little thing featured everywhere in the train stations. Seeing a niche and a customer base, JR company has developed a whole line of merchandise featuring this little penguin. From mugs to tablecloth, from toys to stationery, anything you can think of, Suica probably has its own version.

You can find Suica products at certain bookstores and convenience stores called Newsdays that are located inside JR train stations.

This is where I bought a collection of Suica stickers~ This shop is well stocked and I bought the Suica calendar under a last-day panic shopping spur.

Tokyo Stationery Eye Candy (Part 3) – Kitte at Tokyo Station

Kitte is located at the Marunouchi South Gate of Tokyo Train Station. It’s is a renovated commercial building from the former Tokyo Central Post Office and now host many different stores and tenants. This spot was initially on my to-see list because Suica of the JR Line has opened a new cafe “Suica-fe” to celebrate their 10th anniversary of the electronic currency system.

Tokyo Stationery Eye Candy (Part 2) – Parco at Ikebukuro

During our trip to Tokyo, Japan, we stayed in the Ikebukuro area because of its convenient location. Here in this busy conjunction there are about 5 to 6 major department stores. After splurging and spending a lot of time at LOFT in Seibu, I decided to pop by PARCO which is actually connected to the Seibu Department store. This mall is targeted toward younger customers and has many fashionable clothes and commodities. My main goal of course is to look at stationery and accessories. After doing some research, I went to the 6th floor of the building, where there is the famous Sekaido (世界堂).

Sekaido is actually an art supply store stocking professional tools and accessories, but it also has a large selection of commercial stationery. To a stationery addict, I almost had a heart attack seeing so many pens and papers all tightly packed together like this.

In addition, it wasn’t until I look back at the photos that I realize that many items in this store is currently on sale (20% off)!! (bang head against wall). Does anyone have a time machine that can take me back to Tokyo again?

This is Pilot Coleto’s multi pen collection. The pattern of the pen is just amazing. Even though I’m a hard-core fan of Uni Style fit’s ball pens, I can’t help but be attracted to these beautiful pens. This series is a collaboration with the clothing brand “Earth music & ecology”.

Tokyo Stationery Eye Candy (Part 1) – LOFT at Seibu, Ikebukuro

Tokyo Fall Leaves trip~ I’ve been waiting for this trip since purchasing the plane tickets way back in May!!

The last time I’ve been to Tokyo was when I’ve just graduated high school. Since then, I’ve developed a passion for stationery and all thing planners related, and it was also then when Japanese stationery items are introduced to Taiwan’s market. Naturally, I was obsessed with it and couldn’t wait to go shop in the variety of stationery stores based in Japan. Even if I don’t have the budget to purchase everything in sight (no matter the temptation and urge to do so), just feasting on the giant selection is gratifying enough.

From giant outlets featuring pen and paper products to local stores selling stamps and postcards, I’m gonna visit them all! (as if it is possible)

The first leg of my stationery eye candy journey begins at Ikebukuro 池袋, the huge and busting district where we will be staying for the five day journey. LOFT is a Japanese chain store that sells everyday commodities, from kitchen supplies, electronic goodies, home decor, and of course, the reputable stationery selection. By the West entrance of the busy Ikebukuro train station is Seibu, a large department store. LOFT itself took up the whole 9-12th floor of the building, one of the largest LOFT chain store in the city.

On my list are cocofusen label stickers, Hobonichi (of course), schedule stickers, and anything interesting I can find. From the 9th floor a showcase of 2015 planners are set up right by the elevator. This is just a small fraction of what I’m going to see on the 12th floor (the stationery floor).

Piles and piles of planners/journals all stacked up. Japanese really do value the use of planners in professional work. These plain covers are marketing to the everyday business man, and they even have famous actors as testimony in their ads.