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Kotodama Letters

Letters from Japan · Coming soon

A letter from Japan.
A mystery
meant for you.

A monthly mystery told through physical letters, intricate paper talismans, and secrets revealed by light. Follow Ren beyond the boundary of the everyday.

The first mysterySound on. Step closer.
Paper. Shadow. Scent.Beyond the boundary
The closed wooden gates of the Hidden Shrine, lit by the last light of autumn.

The first mystery

The Broken
Boundary

Under a blood-red moon, an ancient seal was torn apart. The shrine gates have closed, and the threads that bind the world are beginning to unravel.

Ren has sent a letter across the sea. Hidden within it is a way to open the gate—if you can uncover it before the last autumn moon sets.

An original mystery inspired by Japanese folklore.

Inside the envelope

Inside the envelope

A mystery you can hold.

Paper. Shadow. Scent. Every piece draws you further into the story.

An illustrated first glimpse of Ren’s envelope and paper objects on a candlelit wooden table.

A letter from Ren

An unfolding story, sent through the post. Read closely. A small detail may be the clue you need.

An intricate black paper talisman held against warm lantern light, revealing its delicate cutwork and shadows.

A paper talisman

Intricate black paper art, made to be explored in light and shadow.

The front of the scented paper guide, with autumn leaves and cloud patterns.The reverse of the same thin paper guide, with a printed measuring scale.
Front Reverse

A scented paper guide

An autumn-patterned paper strip with a measuring scale on its reverse—part keepsake, part clue.

Each dispatch also includes authentic shrine talisman seals, a tracing overlay guide, and an archival keepsake card—infused with the fragrance of natural Japanese Hinoki cypress.

A first glimpse of the debut edition. Final contents will be confirmed before launch.

Ren in black and antique-gold robes, holding bells in his right hand beneath a red shrine gate. His fox mask conceals his face.

Your guide between worlds

Meet Ren.

A messenger between the human world and the unseen. His face remains hidden. His request has reached you.

He wears a fox mask and never shows his face. But an ancient vow whispers: when the tenth boundary opens beneath the autumn moon, the mask shall finally be removed.

“Traveler across the sea,
heed my call.”— Ren

A few things to know

Before the first
letter arrives

What is Kotodama Letters?

A planned monthly subscription of physical letters and paper objects, inviting you into an original mystery inspired by Japanese folklore.

What am I signing up for today?

Launch news and occasional emails from Kotodama Letters. This is a free mailing list. You are not placing an order or starting a paid subscription.

When will it launch, and where will it ship?

The launch date, pricing, and available shipping destinations will be announced before subscriptions open.

Can I leave the mailing list?

Yes. You can unsubscribe using the link in any marketing email.

Kotodama Letters · Coming soon

The next chapter
could begin with you.

Join the mailing list for news of the first letter.

Join the secret waitlist for priority access to our exclusive First 10 Beta Explorer spots before public launch.

Ren’s message

Read the transcript

Traveler across the sea, heed my call. My name is Ren, caretaker of the Hidden Shrine.

Last night, the sacred seal was torn apart by an unknown shadow. Our grand shrine doors have slammed shut, trapping the autumn deities in darkness.

I have sent you our ancient knot talisman. Find the coordinates, uncover the secret word, and reopen the Divine Gate before it is too late.

Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy — Kotodama Letters

Last updated: 4 October 2026

Kotodama Letters is run by Shu Works (Hidehiko Mizuno), a small business in Japan ("we", "our", "us"). This policy explains what personal information we collect when you visit our website, join our waitlist or subscribe, and how we use and protect it.

1. Information we collect
- Waitlist and emails: your email address and your email preferences.
- Orders: your name, mailing address, billing address, email address, and phone number if you provide it at checkout.
- Notes you send us: for example, a change of address or a request to leave out the scent.
- Payments: payments are handled by Shopify Payments or PayPal. We never see or store your full card details.
- Browsing data: when you use our site, Shopify collects standard device information (such as IP address, browser type and the pages you visit) through cookies, so the store works and we can understand how it is used.

2. How we use your information
- To prepare, address and mail your monthly letter.
- To manage your subscription, take payments and send order and mailing emails.
- To send our newsletter and launch news, if you have agreed to receive them.
- To answer your questions and look into letters that haven't arrived.
- To prevent fraud and keep our store secure.

Your mailing address is used only to address your envelopes. If we ever ask a partner to help with making or packing letters, we will not give them your name or address.

3. Who we share it with
We do not sell or rent your personal information. We share it only with services we need to run Kotodama Letters:
- Shopify (our online store, Shopify Subscriptions for billing, and Shopify Email for our newsletter)
- Shopify Payments and PayPal (payments)
- Japan Post (your letter carries your name and address so it can be delivered)
- YouTube (some of our pages show embedded videos, and YouTube may set its own cookies when you play them)
- Authorities, only when the law requires it

4. Where your information is processed
We are based in Japan, and your information is handled in Japan and in the countries where our service providers, such as Shopify, operate. We protect it as described in this policy wherever it is processed.

5. Security and how long we keep it
We use the security provided by Shopify, including encrypted connections, and we limit who can see your information. We keep your information while you are a subscriber and afterwards only as long as needed for the purposes above or to meet legal and tax record-keeping requirements.

6. Your choices and rights
Wherever you live, you can ask us to:
- give you a copy of the personal information we hold about you,
- correct information that is wrong or out of date,
- delete your information, except what the law requires us to keep.
You can unsubscribe from our emails at any time with the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of each email. To make a request, email us and we will reply within 30 days. Depending on where you live (for example the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada or a US state), you may also have further rights under local privacy laws, including the right to complain to your local data protection authority.

7. Children
Our store is for a general audience and is not directed at children under 13 (under 16 in the UK). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

8. Changes
We may update this policy. The date at the top shows the latest version.

9. Contact
Shu Works (Kotodama Letters)
Email: letters@shu-works.art
Our full business details are in our Legal Notice and Contact Information.