Some awards celebrate performance. Others, popularity. But the 2025 Japanese Stationery Awards? This year, they revealed something deeper: what truly matters to those who write, sketch, and plan with intention.
As Japan’s most beloved stationery award—curated by industry experts and backed by nationwide voting—this annual list has become a trusted compass for enthusiasts, collectors, and casual journalers alike. This year’s judging panel reviewed over a thousand new products, representing a wide spectrum of pens, planners, stickers, and accessories. The final list reflects not just innovation, but what real users actually reach for.
From minimalist pens to nostalgic sticker sets, this year’s lineup shows a shift toward stationery that balances utility with emotional resonance. And while many brands earned their moment on stage, one name stood out across desks, wishlists, and journaling corners worldwide: Midori.
We’ll walk through three award-winning tools worth using every day—including one from Midori that proves why it continues to earn loyal fans year after year—and explore how these thoughtfully crafted products can become part of your personal rhythm. For a complete overview of all recognized products, visit the 2025 Japanese Stationery Awards Full Winners List.
3 Award Winners Worth Your Desk – and Why They Stood Out
While the awards celebrated 35 official winners across different categories, not all of them resonate equally with end users. We looked for three standout products that not only earned recognition from the judging panel—but are also available directly through Paper Whisper’s curated 2025 collection.
Uni Jetstream Ballpoint Pen – Lite Touch Ink
Why it won: This pen took home the Functionality Award for its upgraded ink and user experience. The Lite Touch Ink retains Jetstream’s signature smoothness while offering greater control, especially on slick or coated paper.
Why it matters: For fast-paced note-takers, students, or professionals, it’s a game changer. The redesigned matte body and subtle grip reduce writing fatigue, making it perfect for long study sessions or meeting marathons.
Midori Flower-Colored Washi Ippitsusen Letter Set
Why it won: Honored with the Letter Award, this set combines traditional Echizen washi paper with Midori’s delicate floral dyeing and letterpress techniques. The result is tactile, translucent, and quietly expressive.
Why it matters: In an era of digital messages, this set elevates the act of writing by hand. Whether used for thank-you notes or seasonal letters, it reconnects us to a slower, more intentional form of communication.
King Jim HITOTOKI Kori Jirushi Ice Stamp
Why it won: Awarded the Idea Prize, this crystal-clear acrylic stamp allows precise placement and layering—a thoughtful solution for those frustrated by misaligned traditional stamps.
Why it matters: Whether you’re decorating journals or crafting layered card layouts, this stamp makes every impression cleaner and more satisfying. It’s a tool that brings control back to creativity.
Midori didn’t take home a trophy this year—but if awards measured loyalty, longevity, and emotional attachment, it would win every time. Technically, Midori was recognized in two special categories—one for its floral washi letter set and another for its brass calendar template. But it wasn’t the trophies that kept it top of mind. It was how people actually use it.
While other brands dazzled judges with novelty, Midori quietly reaffirmed its role in everyday analog life. Its appeal lies in refinement, not reinvention.
MD Paper Products: The Everyday Luxury
Uncoated, understated, and beautifully responsive—MD Paper notebooks continue to be the gold standard for distraction-free writing. The smooth ink flow, gentle paper texture, and flat-lay binding make them more than notebooks. They’re a daily ritual.
2025 Midori Diary Line: Familiar Forms, Subtle Upgrades
The 2025 Midori planners didn’t chase trends—they honed their strengths. While not part of this year’s official award winners, they remain a cornerstone of the brand’s premium collection. With minor layout adjustments and size tweaks, they invite users to plan more intuitively, not more loudly. Their updates—like more flexible sizing and subtle page layout shifts—may not grab headlines, but they solve real frustrations for long-time users.
Midori’s staying power isn’t about buzz. It’s about presence—how its tools consistently earn a place in our routines, even when the spotlight shines elsewhere. Explore the full Midori premium stationery collection.
From Collectibles to Daily Tools – How to Use the Winners Well
Award-winning stationery doesn’t belong on a shelf. It belongs in your workflow, your morning desk ritual, your pencil pouch.
For Students & Highlight-Lovers
The Pilot Kirei-na Highlighter, winner of the 2025 Grand Prize, was designed with study sessions in mind. Its flexible nylon tip and guide plate make it easier to draw clean lines—even on curved textbook pages. With quick-dry ink and smudge resistance, it’s a favorite among note-takers and visual learners alike.
For Letter Writers & Stationery Collectors
Midori’s award-winning Flower-Colored Washi Ippitsusen letter set turns every note into a keepsake. Made with delicate Echizen washi and printed using traditional letterpress, it adds emotional depth to thank-you notes, seasonal greetings, or journal entries. It’s a reminder that writing by hand still matters.
For Creative Planners & Color Coders
Sun-Star’s Decot 3 Overlapping Marker, recognized for its innovative triple-color layering effect, is ideal for planners, journals, and bold layouts. With one pen, you can blend, highlight, and decorate—making your pages visually dynamic without overloading your desk with tools.
Pro Tip: The best tools make you want to use them—not because they demand attention, but because they quietly improve how you think, plan, and create.
This year’s awards weren’t just a roll call of winners—they signaled where stationery culture is headed.
Less Gimmick, More Meaning
Today’s top tools prioritize writing experience over features. Jetstream’s redesigned pen and Midori’s planners show that thoughtful design—rather than showy extras—is what lasts.—rather than showy extras—is what lasts.
Sustainability & Longevity
More products emphasized refillability, minimal packaging, and enduring form. The industry is maturing—and users expect their tools to align with mindful living.
Community-Driven Influence
Brands like Midori thrive not by chasing trends, but by nurturing loyal user communities. Through journaling clubs, social media showcases, and fan-based tutorials, the culture is now co-created, not dictated. On platforms like Instagram and YouTube, Midori’s products continue to appear in study setups, journaling routines, and “desk tour” videos—often without any brand promotion involved.
So, whether you’re a seasoned pen addict or just discovering your first washi tape, the 2025 awards are more than a ranking. They’re a quiet reminder of how deeply design, intention, and ritual shape the tools we choose to live with.
In a world that moves fast, stationery helps us slow down—to notice texture, enjoy silence, and write something just for ourselves. And that, perhaps, is the true mark of a winner: not just a product that performs, but one that becomes part of how we think, create, and remember.
These aren’t just tools—they’re small acts of care we extend toward ourselves, day after day.
