Written by: Jin Fujisaki / Published: 2026-02-23
When you're studying with a thick textbook, or cooking while following a recipe book, you've surely had the experience of holding the pages down with one hand or using a heavy smartphone or coffee mug as a paperweight to keep the book from snapping shut. Pinching the pages with an ordinary binder clip is one option, but the grip is often too strong and leaves marks on the pages — and worst of all, the text near the center (the gutter) gets hidden and becomes unreadable. Every method had its trade-offs.
To this eternal everyday challenge of "keeping a book open," Sunstar Stationery's answer was, of all things, the Japanese kanji radical called the "ukanmuri" (the roof-shaped radical, ⼧). The product is named, quite literally, the "Ukanmuri Clip." At first glance, its distinctive shape may make you wonder, "Why is the middle missing?" — but the moment you actually set it on a book, anyone is bound to be moved by just how brilliantly logical the structure is.
| Perfect Holding Power. The Secret Is "Avoiding the Spine"
image Desaki
The greatest invention behind this clip is that, thanks to its ukanmuri shape, it can clip onto a book "while completely avoiding the central part (the spine)." Because no part of the clip interferes with the center of the book, there's zero risk of crushing or damaging the spine — even with a thick dictionary or textbook.
And the two clip sections that branch off to the left and right of the ukanmuri pinpoint and powerfully hold both edges of the open pages. It may look light and delicate, but the spring force is surprisingly firm — it keeps even a stiff, brand-new book pressed flat and open on your desk. Just having both hands completely free makes the efficiency of your studying or work skyrocket as if by magic.
| The Kindness of "Transparent Material" That Doesn't Hide the Text
image Sunstar Stationery
When clipping a book, "whether the text gets hidden" is an extremely important point, and the Ukanmuri Clip leaves nothing to be desired here either. First, because the central part of the book is left wide open, the text near the gutter (the binding) can be read comfortably to the very end without any interference from the clip.
Furthermore, the clip is made of beautifully transparent, high-clarity polycarbonate (with the exception of some opaque color variants). If you choose a clear Ukanmuri Clip, even the text and diagrams on the upper portion of the page — directly underneath the clip itself — remain visible right through it. There is no other product that has so thoroughly calculated the user's line of sight for the single purpose of "simply keeping a book open."
| From Studying to Cooking to Practicing Instruments: An Incredibly Wide Range of Uses
image Komamono Honpo
This clip's stage isn't limited to the student's desk. Bring it into the kitchen and you can keep a thick recipe book open while focusing on cooking with both hands. Place it on a piano or guitar music stand, and it reliably prevents the tragedy of the score flipping on its own mid-performance.
It also delivers tremendous power in every "opening a book" scene of daily life — whether you're spreading out your planner to jot down your schedule, or displaying a favorite art book to admire. When not in use, simply clipping it onto the rim of a pen holder lets its mysterious ukanmuri silhouette charm the room like a little piece of interior decor.
| Summary: The Ultimate "Hands-Free" Experience for 660 Yen
image Shimojima Online Shop
The price is 660 yen, tax included. With a rich lineup of trendy muted tones and clear colors bearing beautiful names like "Water Clear" and "Silent White," more and more fans are buying multiples to switch between depending on the mood.
The "Sunstar Stationery Ukanmuri Clip" is a masterpiece that fits into our lives so perfectly that, once you use it, you'll wonder, "Why didn't this shape exist until now?" Put an end to the wasted time spent wrestling with books, and be sure to keep one of these little magical items on your desk to set your hands free.
