[Longing for a Paulownia Tray]

A few years ago, when I visited a friend's house, my friend took out a pen and paper from a paulownia box. It was a casual gesture, but for some reason, it remains a scene that sticks in my mind.

Perhaps what left a strong impression on me was the aesthetic sense of storing stationery, which tends to be messy, in a paulownia box, and the graceful, leisurely manner in which the items were taken out. Since then, I have harbored a longing for a paulownia writing box. However, I have not had the opportunity to actually obtain one, and have yet to incorporate it into my daily life. Yet, I recently came across a paulownia tray that reminded me of that scene.

The mountain-shaped paulownia tray boasts a smooth texture, a lightweight design, and a stackable shape, making it both practical and visually appealing. It is made by Yoshida Co., Ltd., a company in Yamagata City that has been producing paulownia boxes since 1930.

There are two sizes available. For storing pens and small stationery items, the S size is recommended as it takes up relatively little space. Since it is stackable, you can use the “shallow” and “medium” sizes together, placing pens or notes on top of the shallow one, which can also serve as a lid. You can use it as a temporary storage space, or keep frequently used items in the shallow tray. You can also use the shallow tray separately as a tray and keep it as a lid when not in use. You might even find it more practical than the traditional writing box you've always admired. Speaking of which, you could also stack the “deep” tray to store medications or snacks.

The M size is large enough to hold A4-sized documents without folding them, allowing you to store not only documents but also A4 notebooks, tablets, and books you're currently reading, keeping your desk or living room neat and tidy. The lightweight nature of paulownia wood makes it easy to carry around. Above all, the texture is very pleasant to the touch.

Another major appeal is that you can gradually collect them, stack them, or use them separately to create storage boxes tailored to your lifestyle. I’m looking forward to incorporating this tray into my life, using the paulownia document box I’ve always admired.

Yama No Katachi's Paulownia Wood Tray
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yamanokatachi/kiri.html
Sanjo Showroom (Since its opening in 2018, we have been using S-size shallow, medium, and deep trays.)
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/sanjo.html