Here's a quick little story. Thanks to everyone, the PUKUBOOK SUCCULENTS shop—our succulent online store that's really kicked off this fall—has received lots of orders! We've shipped out plenty of Yu-Pack packages and Yonsyu-bin boxes (with the funds you all entrusted to us, this winter lots of gorgeous succulents will arrive at PUKUBOOK and we'll be able to introduce them to you. Look forward to it!).

Sometimes, we get great messages from people who received our "Yonsyu-bin" boxes. "What’s with this box?!" "I’m surprised!" "It’s floating!" and so on. "Floating," really? (LOL)

Today, I want to tell the story of this mysterious, one-of-a-kind Yonsyu-bin box.

The Yonsyu-bin Box Where Only the Contents Are Visible

I wrote a previous column as a kind of manual, "How to Ship with Yonsyu-bin," but the main rule for Yonsyu-bin is 'the contents must be visible.' There's a discount when shipping plants, but only if a postal worker can clearly check inside to make sure it's really plants.

So, when people send Yonsyu-bin, they come up with all sorts of ways to follow this rule. I've seen boxes with holes, boxes left unsealed with clear film stretched over the top, tissue boxes being repurposed, transparent food containers, and even plastic bottles cut in half and taped back together.

I had to do my own brainstorming, too. Especially for PUKUBOOK SUCCULENTS, I need to process a fair amount of boxes. Even just making holes is a hassle (not to mention, you have to make sure the plant is actually visible wherever you cut).

Couldn’t it be faster? Quicker?
Isn’t there a way to make a Yonsyu-bin box you can just wrap and pack to finish, without any fuss?

This is what I came up with.

Box → transparent
Cushioning material → transparent
Seal → transparent

Right. It's not a "box where you can see the contents," but a box where you can only see the contents (LOL).

Of course, it's not just about being see-through—the materials are highly functional. Especially the clear cellophane sheet, which is sturdy and works perfectly as cushioning. When you wrap succulents in this sheet and pack them in the box, they’re firmly held in place and won’t shift in transit. It’s much like the packing paper Amazon uses. You don’t need any extra materials, which makes packing a lot quicker! And the clear seal sticks perfectly with just one piece, keeps things neat, and looks much better than plain tape, plus it’s even faster.

The only catch is the clear box isn’t made for shipping, so it could get crushed if, say, it ends up under a lot of postcards (since it’s treated as standard mail, it can happen). I haven’t heard of any boxes being crushed yet, but it's always a bit nerve-wracking.

Cost, packing speed, and looks—if you know a Yonsyu-bin box that beats this one, I’d love to hear about it! I seriously believe this is the "ultimate box I invented myself."

The Origin of "My Ultimate Invention"

This phrase, "my ultimate invention," actually comes from the catchphrases you see next to kids’ drawings, where they completely ignore the rules and just imagine their dream, ultimate creations. It might not follow the world’s rules and could even seem broken, but it’s the ultimate form born from chasing after your own dreams and ideals! There's a bit of that spirit in here, too (LOL).

Making It a Reality Wasn't So Easy

So, about this "ultimate box." It’s actually not so easy to put together, especially cost-wise as I mentioned earlier.

Clear Box

Clear boxes are sold as gift packaging. For example, Store Express offers a 7.5cm cube set: 10 for 1,188 yen (apiece: 118 yen). Monotarou has 9.5cm cubes, 20 for 3,690 yen (apiece: 184 yen). Whaaat… Over 100 yen just for the box?!

Even Amazon lists a 9cm cube, 30 for 1,749 yen (58.3 yen each). That's more reasonable, but still, that’s just the box, so it adds up. The size I use most is 10cm, and sometimes I need 12cm, so these options are a bit small.

Cellophane Sheets

Where do you even buy cellophane sheets? After some searching, I found Askul: 30 for 1,320 yen (44 yen each). Ugh... For something that’s basically used like "trash," that’s a painful price (sweat).

But Shimojima, a packaging supply shop, sells a pack of 500 for 2,640 yen (5.3 yen each). That’s much more reasonable. But do you really need 500?! (LOL)

Clear Seals

Clear seals are easy to find. Amazon has 500 for 1,516 yen (3 yen each).

So, if you add it all up, each box costs about 66 yen. Hmm. At Seria (a 100-yen store), you can get two cardboard gift boxes for 110 yen, or smaller but even more stylish clear-cover boxes for 110 yen each (though they're not completely see-through). The cost really makes you think, doesn't it?

When in Trouble, Go Factory Direct

When I’m in a pinch, I go for "factory direct." And in this case, of course, not a Japanese factory—the world’s factory, China! I already source some items for the PUKUBOOK COLLECTION from China, so I can use that route for packing supplies as well.

I browsed all sorts of Chinese factory catalog sites, not really knowing the language or the exact quality, and through lots of trial and error—ordering, testing, tweaking—this "ultimate Yonsyu-bin box" was finally completed. The rough cost: about 40 yen per box. That’s why I said the "cost is ultimate," too.

I Put Together an "Ultimate Yonsyu-bin Box Set" for Trial

This "ultimate box" isn’t so easy to imitate, as you can see above. Personally, I love when people try things I think are cool!! and share them here in columns for that reason. But making this box yourself is daunting—gathering the materials is difficult and costly. So, as a test, I made a "copycat set you can use as-is".

Sorry—not only does the set require assembly costs, shipping to the Yamato warehouse, and handling fees for fulfillment, but I can’t offer the 40-yen-per-box raw cost. Still, it's more affordable and easier than sourcing it all on your own. If you're interested, go ahead and give it a try!

In Conclusion

Maybe I shouldn't say this, but "PUKUBOOK SUCCULENTS" is really a shop that’s run as a hobby. Sometimes I even call it "playing shop." But that doesn’t mean I lack professionalism, or that I’m just winging it and cutting corners. Nor am I undercutting the market by keeping prices unfairly low just because I’m not aiming for profit (I do run it to cover the operating costs, and do make enough to pay helpers and myself a reasonable wage. I take the business seriously. It’s just that with limited hours and a small scale, it only brings in "hobby-level" income.).

What I really mean by "my shop is a hobby" is that all the know-how and experience I gain are shared openly in columns like this. My focus isn’t as much on making money as it is on sharing stories. I don’t want to keep them to myself—nor do I need to!

So for the sake of future column ideas, I plan to keep having fun "playing shop" and sharing what I learn!