Welcoming winter with a Japan trip
Here's a rundown of stationery things related to this trip
Reading this article, you might think that I’ve already gone to Japan and back! Last year, I actually went on a trip of a lifetime in November 2022 to Tokyo via work. I visited Tokyo, Kyoto, and Himeji right when the fall leaves started turning colors. It was my first trip since the pandemic, and I loved it so much that I convinced my husband to return to Japan with me the next year. So here we are.
I started planning for our autumn Japan trip in early May. For two weeks, we will explore Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kurashiki during its peak fall season. Unlike like year, Japan has already opened its gates to the flood of tourists throughout 2023, so we’re bound to run into a lot of enthusiastic crowds. It’s going to be bananas, but I’m going to love every second of it.
How to pack for a stationery trip
This trip is actually a re-purposed wedding reception where we treated both our parents to a destination. However, instead of a wedding, we wanted to spend all our money on food, stationery, and sightseeing. Don’t tell my husband, but I’ve already planned most of our itinerary around my favorite things: stationery and cream soda.
Japan is one of those destination that appeals to an analog enthusiast. There are so many ephemera you can collect and put into your TRAVELER’S notebook. It also tickles an urban sketcher’s fancy because there are so many cool things to draw. Of course, as a creative journaler, I MUST draw every meal I ate, right?
Therefore, packing for a stationery trip almost felt like a ritual one must go through as a stationery enthusiast. Did I spend an hour deciding which inks to put into the three fountain pens I chose to bring to Japan? Totally.
First, let’s get the most practical tools out of the way:
When visiting Japan, you will inevitably exchange some local currency and use it while traveling around. Instead of a boring envelope, I decided to *use my stash* and store them in these adorable Furukawashiko letter envelopes. They are elegant and hold the dimension of the Japanese yen perfectly.
Of course, one must also bring a portable charger. I busted out my TRAVELER’S COMPANY x TSL engineer case in the slim size to hold all the cords and portable batteries I will need to carry around. Another elegant solution to a practical need.
Now, on to other important tools.
I decided to use my PLOTTER in Bible Size as the catch-all notebook that contains my planner pages, printed trip itinerary, and extra empty sheets to jot down things that come up throughout the trip. The new fastener case transforms this into a convenient wallet that can even hold my passport and extra cash. The system is slim, compact, and holds everything I need.
Another inseparable journal I’ll bring along to document the trip is my TRAVELER’S notebook, featuring the Tokyo Station edition I purchased on my trip last year. It has taken a full year for this TN to debut on an official trip. I paired it with a TO&FRO zipper case, a Kraft folder for memo pages and sticker sheets, and a new white Yudo Refill which features the map of Japan on top of each page. This way I can mark the destinations I visited each day. Inside the TN, I'll also tuck an origami paper trash can if I find myself journaling on the go and need somewhere to toss those fussy bits. You know what I’m talking about.
You’ll also notice that I brought two extra things to complement the trip. Inspired by urban sketcher and artist Andrea Yi Deng who documented his Japan adventure with a TRAVELER’S COMPANY watercolor sketchbook refill. The light blue Yudo refill features the same paper but with postcard-size perforations. I like how it can withstand stamp impressions without bleed-through, and I might use this as a sketchbook to do some urban sketching.
Another useful tool is the limited edition Starbucks Reserve x TRC Paper Pocket Spiral Ring Notebook I purchased last year. I am going to use each pocket to store shopping receipts and ephemera I collect every day so I can sort them neatly in chronological order. I hope this will help me organize my thoughts better when I return and complete my TN pages!
You might say, why bring so much stationery when you could just buy them in Japan? The funny thing is, we’re always saving our favorite stationery for special occasions, and isn’t this trip one of them? Instead of hoarding these items for “someday”, I’m more determined than ever to enjoy my stationery by using them.
That’s why I’m also bringing a backup TRAVELER’S notebook! As the trip progress to the Kyoto and Kurashiki leg of the trip, I shall switch cover like I change my outfit to match the destination. The Kyoto Edition TRAVELER’S notebook is the perfect cover, paired with the yellow Fourruof Zipper case (matches the ginko leaves!) is great for fall sight-seeing. I believe in my power to fill up an entire refill with just one week’s worth of content, so I’m bringing a second refill for the latter half of my trip.
Finally, pens and miscellaneous tools! Most of them should fit into my Wanderlust by TSL Engineer case. The three fountain pens I’m bringing are my Vanishing Point (Monet’s Water Lilies by Usagiya x Ohara Museum), Esterbrook Botanical Garden Estie with CY’s techo nib, and TWSBI Heat. Each is chosen for specific reasons: colors that match fall foliage or provide perfect photo opportunities with places I’m visiting.
I must not forget my on-the-go sketching tools, such as waterproof ink in a TWSBI, the TRC USA x Art Toolkit limited edition pocket palette (with a fall-themed color palette), pocket scissors, glue stick, and some washi/PET tape for decoration. These little knick knacks will fit nicely into my Delfonics pouch in small size.
Just like planning a trip is half the fun, putting together this setup brought me immense joy leading up to the actual trip.
A few stationery things I’m looking forward to
Since the opening of The Superior Labor Kurashiki store, also the first TRAVELER’S COMPANY Partner Shop within Japan, I’ve wanted to visit Kurashiki, Okayama more than ever. I’ve always known about this region being the founding location of washi tape (specifically popularized by the brand mt). “Classkiy”, another iconic stationery brand in Japan, also based its operation here. It makes sense that this lowkey city (most people know Tokyo or Japan) is deemed the stationery mecca location for many fanatics.
A new store recently added to my list is Aun Glass Studio. Glass pens have risen in popularity in recent years, mostly because of ink manufacturers coming out with a huge variety of inks, and fans wanting beautiful and classy tools to play with them instead of traditional dip nibs.
A few months ago, I acquired one of my grail pens: the Claude Monet Water Lilies collaboration Pilot Capless fountain pen between Ohara Museum and Usagiya (a local pen store). I booked an appointment to visit Aun Glass Studio and hopefully will be able to purchase the sister Monet glass pen to my Vanishing Point, and maybe a few more….
I’m very much looking forward to meeting my stationery friends who live in Japan. I want to visit Ayako at Cute Things From Japan at her newly revamped store. I am also excited about Rainbowholic Kissaten, Kaila’s adorable stationery store with cute cream soda drinks. Although I will be traveling with family most of the time, I definitely plan to squeeze in some hours to meet and hang out with friends on this trip.
I am also looking forward to encountering special stationery events! Last year, I visited Ancora on a rainy day, and they happened to be selling a special edition ink that only is available when it rains. I’m also excited to see if major stationery department stores are holding pop-ups featuring local artists and other under-the-radar brands. With the abundance of stores that carry stationery (Loft, Tokyu Hands, Maruzen, and more), there are constantly special features, sales, and events. Although I will be missing the larger events such as Bungujoshi, I think just the regular items will be enough to break the bank.
Perhaps another fountain pen? Hopefully not! Ahead of the trip, I’ve already enlisted my friend’s aid to help me acquire two special pens that were available earlier this fall. I can’t wait to unite with those special pens and bring them home. With my pen budget already maxed out, I hope I don’t see a cool pen I like!
I don’t need to be a fortune teller to see a lot of cafe journaling photos in my future. Food adventure is a huge part of my travels (as you can tell from my previous posts). I look forward to documenting the delicious and beautiful things I eat on this trip, especially all things green (match and melon soda!)
2023 is a year filled with ups and downs for me, and I’m glad I can end it with a bang in Japan. I can’t wait to empty my wallet and fill my heart with precious memories (and stationery).
I talk to you all soon when I’m back! Let me know what you would like to know about my trip in the comments!
P.S. If you have some time on your hands, you can watch this two-hour-long stream in which I meticulously pack for my trip!
Which waterproof ink are you using in the TWSBI Eco Mint?
I very much want the secret to successfully printing on Bible-size Plotter paper. Please share sometime (after recovering from what sounds like an excellent trip)!