The Cult of the Pen

The winners of Japan Stationery Awards for 2025 tuned in— and tuned up our desks — from pens engineered with aerospace precision to notebooks bound like heirloom novels. This year’s selection is a masterclass in both utility and emotional design.

by Anamaria Roa

Every designer, editor, and athlete worth their salt knows that the best tools aren’t always the most expensive — they’re the ones that invite daily ritual. For the stationery-obsessed, these tools are the unsung heroes of productivity and inspiration. The pen that makes you sit up straighter. The notebook that begs to be written in.

And perhaps nowhere are these objects more revered than in Japan, where the annual Stationery Awards celebrate a national ethos of precision, beauty, and purpose in everyday objects. A panel of 13 stationery professionals sifted through 1,000 nominated items, selecting the top products across more than 20 categories, evaluating not only aesthetics but emotional impact. Does the pen feel right in your hand? Does the notebook invite you to write? Is the design so effortless, you forget it’s there?

Winners range from minimalist planners to playful highlighters shaped like sea creatures, making it an unmissable event for creatives worldwide. Here are some of this year’s standout selections.