ZenPop Japanese Stationery Pack is a subscription box brought to you by ZenMarket filled with unique Japanese stationery and studying goods handpicked by their staff in Japan.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About ZenPop Stationery Pack
The Subscription Box: ZenPop Stationery Pack
The Cost: $29.50 a month with free international shipping. Save with longer commitments.
The Products: 12 or more cute and useful stationery items like pens, notebooks, stickers, and more.
Ships to: Worldwide
ZenPop Stationery Pack February 2018 Review
The ZenPop Stationery Pack has one of the most detailed info sheets of any stationery sub. The theme this month is "Spirit of Japan" which ends up being a really fun way to learn about Japanese history and traditions!
Japanese Folk Tales Die-cut Pochi Bukuro
First of all, Pochi Bukuro is a name for a small decorative envelope used to give congratulatory money or a token of appreciation in. Out of three possible folk tale themed ones, I received Momo-taro that you see above who was born from a peach and fights demons. Really cool!
Mt Fuji Washi Stickers - Retail Value $2.85
Oh my, these are cute. I'm a sucker for anthropomorphic items and I can't get over the little faces on the mountains, cherry blossoms, eggplants, etc. Too much! The watercolor style is also really nice for these textured paper stickers that have soft muted colors. Can't wait to stick these cuties on EVERYTHING.
Ninja Notes Notepad
These are cool, right? I am aware that you can roll any piece of paper like this, but these have a little slit to tuck them into themselves and are designed around the fact that you roll them! I'm also a huge fan of the ninja relaxing and eating snacks on the inside.
Showa Memo Notepad
I learned by reading the info sheet that the Showa period happened between 1926 and 1989 in Japan which was when Japan recovered from WW2 and moved towards modernization and westernization. The different styles of notepads available illustrate different areas from this period. I am really glad I received the cafe version that has all sorts of cute coffee drawings, but the Shinkansen (bullet train) one looks awfully cute as well!
Japanese Warlord Stickers - Estimated Retail Value $2.95 (a similar style found here)
Another history lesson lies in these stickers! There were three variations I could have gotten, and I received the warlords! They feature various leaders of Samurai between the 15th-17th centuries like Kenshin Uesugi and Masamune Date. So tiny here, but such warriors!
Sushi Eraser
Each different sushi eraser also comes with a cup a green tea to "enjoy" along with it. I have been known to collect cute Japanese erasers like this, so this makes a welcomed addition. Sushi wasn't always fresh like it is today. It used to have to be pickled (before refrigeration). They only started using fresh fish in the Edo period, so this is what they call "Edomae-zushi".
Japanese Traditional Colors Sticky Notes
These sticky notes are named "Nippon No Iro" which means "Japanese colors" and always come from nature. The one I received includes a really beautiful combination of hiwa-iro (lime green color), byaku-gun (blue), and usu-koubai (light pink), illustrated with migratory birds flying against the wind. So pretty!!
Goldfish-shaped Paper Clips
I received the goldfish paper clips (rice balls were also an option) and learned that the black ones are called "demekin" which means "goldfish with bulging eyes". 😳These are a pretty good size and will be way more fun to keep my tax documents together with than a plain silver paper clip!
Zig Manaka Pens in Sepia (02) and Violet (05) - Total Retail Value $4.00 ($2.00 each)
I"m so happy to get not one but two of these lovely pens! They're similar to the Sakura micron pen that I'm more familiar with and are used by artists (like the ones who draw Manga) to create detailed illustrations that won't fade or bleed. I'm normally more drawn to a thinner point, but the thicker 05 is very nice to handle.
Kuretake Brush Pen, Medium - Retail Value $3.50
Mainly used for calligraphy, this is a modern version of the brush and ink of traditional Japanese lettering. I've come across many, many brush pens over the last year and this one has to be one of the nicer ones. It has a nice rubber grip and a loop at the other end to presumably hang the pen with. I clearly need to work on my lettering, but this one seems special!
Shinzi Katoh Washi Tape
This made me giggle a bit because I received the exact same roll of washi tape in another sub box recently. What are the odds? This one has blue, red, brown, and white colors that make up several traditional Japanese items and was designed by Shinzi Katoh, a famous illustrator.
BONUS: Message Card
The card I received translates to say "Your smile is my treasure" which sounds so lovely, don't you think? This mini greeting card is perfect for including with a small gift and has beautiful ink illustrations on the front, back, and the inside.
Verdict: ZenPop Stationery Pack, I missed you so much! I was really delighted by the "Spirit of Japan" theme here and learned so much through awesome stationery items! The Mt Fuji stickers, mangaka pens, and sticky notes are probably my favorites this month, but it's all so useful and cute! A lot of these items are hard to track down online which makes them that much more special to receive.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes! It looks like you can still order this pack right now!
Value Breakdown: At $29.50 for this box, you are paying approximately $2.27 per item.
Check out all of our ZenPop Stationery Pack reviews and more stationery reviews in the Paper and Stationery Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What do you think of the ZenPop Stationery Pack?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.