Compiled from 4 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
The Furukawashiko Retro Matchbox Memo Pad is a small matchbox-style box holding 35 memo sheets of Mino washi, each ruled with matchstick illustrations. The box is about 73 × 53 × 18 mm and silk-printed with the poster of an imaginary shop. Yoseka sold the first six designs in our $$ band ($5–20).
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Notes on these facts
Made by Furukawa Shiko Co., Ltd. (Mino, Gifu). Made in Japan: The Journal Shop lists Japan as the country of origin and Paperwhisper writes 'Made in Japan' (both read November 2, 2026). Yoseka doesn't state it, and Furukawashiko's own online shop showed a maintenance page that day. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
Every source gives 35 memo sheets per box; The Journal Shop and Paperwhisper give each sheet as 63 × 45 mm (2.5 × 1.8 in) and the box as 73 × 53 × 18 mm (2.9 × 2.1 × 0.7 in).
Yoseka's figures are 2.9 × 2.2 in (7.4 × 5.5 cm) for the box and 2.5 × 1.8 in (6.4 × 4.6 cm) for the sheet, which is 1 to 3 mm larger.
The first set has six designs; The Journal Shop lists a second set of eight, whose barcodes run 4952270313822 to 4952270313891.
The Journal Shop and Paperwhisper say the paper is Mino washi and the pad is made in Japan; The Journal Shop adds that the empty box can store small items.
Yoseka listed all six first-set designs as out of stock on November 2, 2026, and four of them are marked discontinued in its codes.
What is the Retro Matchbox Memo Pad?
It is a tiny memo pad packed like a book of matches, with each box printed as the advertisement of an imaginary shop. Yoseka’s description names an ice cream shop run by a penguin, a restaurant where the chef is a hen and the Crescent Moon late night bar. The Journal Shop says the boxes are silk-printed, and Paperwhisper adds a short note from an imaginary customer printed on the back of each box.
Each box holds 35 sheets of Mino washi, and the sheets are 63 × 45 mm. Matchstick drawings serve as the writing lines. The table gives the figures each shop lists, all read on November 2, 2026.
We use the millimetre figures, which two shops agree on. The gap is small, but it matters if you plan to fit the box into a tight case.
Which paper is it, and how does it write?
Mino washi, a Japanese paper from Gifu. The Journal Shop describes it as light, smooth and slightly translucent. Paperwhisper says the soft texture works with most pens and pencils.
Neither gives a paper weight, and we haven’t tested ink bleed on it, so try your pen on a corner first.
How many designs are there?
Six in the first set and eight in a later one. Yoseka’s Vol. 1 lists Penguin Ice Cream Parlor, Black Cat Coffee, Crescent Moon Bar, Hen Kitchen, Elegant Cafe and Panda Bakery, with barcodes from 4952270234714 to 4952270234769. The Journal Shop’s six-design page lists the same barcodes under names such as Pigeon Chef, Moon and Cat.
The Journal Shop also lists an eight-design set, with Cat Coffee Shop, Bird Flower Shop, Bear Restaurant, Sheep Barber and Rabbit Romance, and barcodes from 4952270313822 to 4952270313891. Paperwhisper says the matchbox memos are “back with more fun”, which fits a later set. Names differ by shop, so search by barcode.
Who is the Retro Matchbox Memo Pad for?
It suits small notes you hand to someone or tuck into a journal. Each box holds 35 sheets of 63 × 45 mm and measures 73 × 53 × 18 mm.
Journaling and planning: the Journal Shop and Paperwhisper suggest it for journals, planners and small gifts.
Everyday carry: the Journal Shop calls the memos pocket-sized, and the whole box is 73 × 53 × 18 mm.
Skip it for long notes: a 63 × 45 mm sheet holds a few lines. For die-cut sticky notes from the same maker, see Watashi Biyori, and for stickers and tape, our journaling stickers roundup.
Is it still available?
Not in Yoseka’s first set. On November 2, 2026, all six Vol. 1 designs showed as out of stock on Yoseka, and the product codes of four (Black Cat Coffee, Crescent Moon Bar, Hen Kitchen and Elegant Cafe) carry the word discontinued. The Journal Shop lists both a six-design and an eight-design page. We don’t check stock beyond that.
Where is it made, and what does it cost in the US?
In Japan, per The Journal Shop and Paperwhisper. Yoseka doesn’t state it, and Furukawashiko’s own shop was in maintenance when we tried it.
Yoseka listed Vol. 1 at US$6.00 on November 2, 2026, in our $$ band ($5–20), though every design was out of stock. We haven’t found a US shop with a current price for the eight-design set, and JetPens and Amazon block our requests.
Frequently asked questions
How many sheets are in a Furukawashiko matchbox memo?
Thirty-five, according to Yoseka, The Journal Shop and Paperwhisper. Yoseka calls them notecards and the other two call them memo sheets.
What are the lines on the matchbox memo sheets?
Matchstick illustrations act as the writing lines, per Yoseka, The Journal Shop and Paperwhisper. The Journal Shop describes them as whimsical matchstick lines.
What paper is the matchbox memo pad made of?
Mino washi, which is washi paper from the Mino area of Gifu. The Journal Shop says it is light, smooth and slightly translucent, and Paperwhisper says it is soft-textured and works with most pens and pencils.
Can you reuse the matchbox after the memos run out?
The Journal Shop says so and suggests storing clips, stamps or other small items in it. It gives the box as 73 × 53 × 18 mm, so only small things fit.
How many matchbox memo designs are there?
Six in the first set (Yoseka and The Journal Shop) and eight in a later set that The Journal Shop and Paperwhisper list. Each design is a poster for an imaginary shop.
Is the Retro Matchbox Memo Pad still available?
Yoseka showed all six first-set designs as out of stock on November 2, 2026, and four are flagged discontinued in its product codes. The Journal Shop lists the later eight-design set.
Why do shops give different sizes for the box?
Yoseka lists inches (2.9 × 2.2 in) while The Journal Shop and Paperwhisper list millimetres (73 × 53 mm). The two differ by 1 to 3 mm; no source explains why.
