Bear - Retro kissaten matchbox mini memo

A matchbox mini-memo featuring a bear chef

On this box from the matchbox-style mini-memo series, a bear in a chef's hat runs his own restaurant: 洋食レストランクマノ (Yoshoku Restaurant Kumano), a Japanese-style Western cuisine restaurant (yōshoku).

The illustration adopts the visual codes of retro Japanese storefronts, popularized by kissaten, those old-fashioned cafes with nostalgic decor. The phrases シアワセイッパイ ("full of happiness") and オナカイッパイ ("full stomach") sum up the spirit of the place: you leave satisfied and in a good mood.

Tucked into a pencil case, a bag, or a desk drawer, this mini box is perfect for jotting down a grocery list, tucking a note into a package, or keeping an idea handy without having to take out a whole notebook.

A compact format using Mino washi paper, made in Japan

Each box contains 35 sheets of 45 x 63 mm Mino washi paper, a traditional Japanese paper renowned for its soft texture and durability. Each sheet visually mimics a matchstick with a coral-pink tip, aligned along the writing lines, with a small bear chef illustrated in one corner.

Once the sheets are used up, the box can be kept as a small storage container for paperclips, buttons, or small jewelry rather than being thrown away.

This series won 2nd prize in the Memo Award at the 2021 Stationery Store Awards, a Japanese accolade dedicated to the most creative stationery items. Made in Japan.

Features

• 35 memo sheets in 45 x 63 mm format
• Mino washi paper, traditional Japanese paper
• Illustrated matchsticks with coral-pink tips, small bear chef in one corner of each sheet
• Illustration of a bear chef in a toque, kissaten-style storefront, signage for the fictional restaurant 洋食レストランクマノ
• Box is reusable as a small storage container once the sheets are gone
  
• Made in Japan