Japan’s adorable new Nikukyu notebooks have the squeezable feel of cat and dog paw pads【Photos】

And naturally the Shiba Inu is part of the lineup.

In our increasingly digital world, many of us find ourselves being less and less likely to put pen or pencil to paper. There’s an argument to be made, though, that the tactile qualities of good stationery spark creativity and promote mindfulness in composition…and if you need one more reason to reach for a paper notebook instead of a digital device the next time you want to write something down, these five designs are deeply cute and quirky.

That there is the Campus Nikukyu Soft Ring Notebook series, the latest offering from Japanese stationery maker Kokuyo’s Campus brand. While they all sport the brand’s iconic typeface on their front covers, the more eye-catching elements are, obviously, that they look like dogs and cats!

Two of the designs are for dog lovers, with one notebook modeled after the Japanese Internet’s favorite breed: the Shiba Inu, and the other the Toy Poodle. Feline fans, meanwhile, are presented with notebooks taking cues from the calico, brown tabby, and Ragdoll.

Each Nikukyu Soft Ring Notebook comes bundled with sticky notes in the shape of the corresponding dog or cat’s ears.

▼ The notebooks can also be used without affixing the ears, but it’s hard to imagine why you’d ever do such a thing.

As for why they’re called the Nikukyu Soft Ring Notebook, nikukyu is the Japanese word for “paw pads.” Since the sensation of bumping against a hard metallic or plastic ring when writing to the edge of a notebook can be unpleasant and spoil the creative vibe, these notebooks’ rings are made of an invitingly soft material, replicating a paw pad, and the notebooks’ ring colors even match the paw pad color of their featured breed.

Other cool ideas include paw prints to break up the day/month/year date, some illustrated animal companions on the back cover…

…and even an AR function that runs through your phone’s camera and makes even more pooches and kitties to ooh and aah over.

The Campus Nikukyu Soft Ring Notebooks are priced at 935 yen (US$6.25) and can be purchased through the Kokuyo online shop here.

Source, images: PR Times
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