Konnichi wa

[Inky Poops]

I'm an Englishman living in Tokyo, which is as near as dammit to winning the lottery as far as pen acquisition goes. I've just recently got back into the fountain pen habit after many years away. Clearing up my desk over the New Year holiday was the spur. I found about a couple of dozen assorted gel pens and multi ball pens, none of which seemed to work, and in a rare moment of clear thinking I decided to bin them all and try a fountain pen again. I bought a cheap Muji fountain pen, fell in love all over again with the feel of a nib and so here I am. I'm looking forward to gaining from the wisdom and insights of others here as I go along.

[jar]

Welcome home. Pull up a stump and set a spell.

[RuiFromUK]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Have fun.

In the land of Sencha and Matcha! I need to pay you a visit one day.

[DaveBj]

Hagimete, yoroshiku onegai itashimasu!

[Chrissy]

Welcome to FPN :welcome:

I wish I could pay a visit to Kobe, as that's where the Pen & Message stationery shop is. :)

[Inky Poops]

Welcome to FPN :welcome:

I wish I could pay a visit to Kobe, as that's where the Pen & Message stationery shop is. :)

Thanks, Chrissy. Kobe is a great city. I stayed there for 3 days last October. I didn't know about Pen & Message so I'll put that on my list for another trip.

[ChristyOTwisty]

Ohayou. Are Japan's cities pretty wonderful for pens and stationery? I ask as I have a sister in Osaka through which I wouldn't mind ordering some. Kobe I visited in 2014 but mostly remember the wanna-be French-style patisseries and chocolate shops.

[Wahl]

:welcome:

[Anne]

Hello and Welcome Back to Fountain Pens:)

[Chrissy]

Welcome to FPN :welcome:

I wish I could pay a visit to Kobe, as that's where the Pen & Message stationery shop is. :)

Thanks, Chrissy. Kobe is a great city. I stayed there for 3 days last October. I didn't know about Pen & Message so I'll put that on my list for another trip.

Pen & Message is the seller of the ink I have now renamed 'Unobtainium' because as soon as it comes in stock, all of it apparently goes to China.

[Inky Poops]

Ohayou. Are Japan's cities pretty wonderful for pens and stationery? I ask as I have a sister in Osaka through which I wouldn't mind ordering some. Kobe I visited in 2014 but mostly remember the wanna-be French-style patisseries and chocolate shops.

Ohayou!
In a word, YES! You can find the main players in the pen world at any self-respecting department store. By that I mean the big 3 Japanese brands- Pilot, Sailor and Platinum. Usually Mont Blanc, Waterman, Pelikan, Parker and Cross are well represented in the bigger stores. If you have a sister in Osaka then she'll have little difficulty getting hold of just about anything you can think of. Pens, paper, planners/notepads and ink. I don't know Osaka very well and have never visited a pen/ stationary shop there, but Tokyu Hands and Maruzen would have a pretty good selection of stuff.

[Hawk]

Welcome.

[Inky Poops]

My pens so far:

Pilot Cocoon/Metropolitan 2015 Limited Edition Red F nib
Pilot Cocoon/Metropolitan 2015 Limited Edition Green F nib (these are Japan only versions with ¥500 donated by Pilot to help with the earthquake relief efforts for Tohoku)
Lamy Safari (charcoal grey, black nib) F nib
Pilot Kakuno F nib
Platinum Century #3776 Chartres Blue 14k F nib
Pelikan M400 black F nib. A birthday treat to myself last month.
Monte Verde Artista Crystal (green) F nib
Platignum Studio (red) M nib
Muji aluminium M nib. The clip broke off recently and I found it too narrow for my tastes so it's not in regular use.

I also have a Pilot/Namiki Emperor 'jumbo 50' black urushi. I didn't buy it. Seven years ago I was working for a company who were moving offices and throwing out a lot of junk. One of the staff members asked if there was anything from the stationery cupboard that I could use. I didn't see anything interesting except a couple of boxes that opened up to reveal a wooden box inside tied with purple cord and stamped with a hanko. I looked inside to see a huge black pen with a gold clip. I thought it quite funny to see a pen that big. It looked highly impractical and no-one else was remotely interested so I said I'd take it. No problem. I took it home but never found a use for it, stored it on a shelf and left it there in it's box gathering dust. With my new-found interest in pens I took it down, looked it over in more detail and started wondering if it was an 'urushi' pen. I did some googling and sure enough... I put some Maruzen Athena blue/black in it last week and gave it a try. What a pen like that was doing in a stationery cupboard in the first place I'll never know...one of my best 'only in Japan' experiences.
I think I'll be hanging on to it..:)

[bluesea]

Ohayou.

Yes, you *are* fortunate. I spent about 7 weeks there in '04, my only regret being not hooking up with some Fugu. Really miss the birds of prey, rocky sea shore, crows, and cicada.

[Inky Poops]

Ohayou.

Yes, you *are* fortunate. I spent about 7 weeks there in '04, my only regret being not hooking up with some Fugu. Really miss the birds of prey, rocky sea shore, crows, and cicada.

Spend a summer in Tokyo and you may have second thoughts about cicada. Sounds like you were up north somewhere. There is some spectacular landscape all pver Japan once you escape the concrete.

[Anne]

Ohayou.

Yes, you *are* fortunate. I spent about 7 weeks there in '04, my only regret being not hooking up with some Fugu. Really miss the birds of prey, rocky sea shore, crows, and cicada.

Spend a summer in Tokyo and you may have second thoughts about cicada. Sounds like you were up north somewhere. There is some spectacular landscape all pver Japan once you escape the concrete.

Do you live or work near any Persimmon trees or orchards?

[Inky Poops]

Ohayou.

Yes, you *are* fortunate. I spent about 7 weeks there in '04, my only regret being not hooking up with some Fugu. Really miss the birds of prey, rocky sea shore, crows, and cicada.

Spend a summer in Tokyo and you may have second thoughts about cicada. Sounds like you were up north somewhere. There is some spectacular landscape all pver Japan once you escape the concrete.

Do you live or work near any Persimmon trees or orchards?

I pass several trees on way to the station. Never eaten them though.

[Morgaine]

Hello and welcome from Wales.

[Inky Poops]

Hello and welcome from Wales.

Hello, I was born across the River Severn in Gloucestershire. I have fond memories of my holidays on the Gower Peninsula and the odd trip to Aberysthwyth. Beautiful place. Where in Wales are you?

[Frank]

:welcome:

[DaveBj]

Hello and welcome from Wales.

Hello, I was born across the River Severn in Gloucestershire. I have fond memories of my holidays on the Gower Peninsula and the odd trip to Aberysthwyth. Beautiful place. Where in Wales are you?

We lived in Cheltenham for four years, and I did a lot of bicycling in Gloucestershire.

[Bisquitlips]

Welcome!

Heartfelt WELCOME!

We love photos and knowledge and as you are from the UK where many grail pens originate, I envy you!

Richard

[ChristyOTwisty]

my only regret being not hooking up with some Fugu.

I have eaten fugu. It was very casual, my sister and I dining in our ryokan room in Kinosaki, the staff person knowing no English other than 'thank you' spoke to my sister who said to me: 'Do you know about fugu?' 'Yes.' She pointed to a small piece of fish on a plate. 'That's fugu.' 'Oh, OK.' The next day we're taking the train back and I tell her: 'my hands and feet are tingling.' 'Oh that is just from your flu.' She had no idea that a wee bit of toxin is left as a kind of 'buzz' for the fugu consumer. My extremities tingled for close to two weeks.

[Jeph]

:welcome:

[Marsilius]

Welcome!

[Waltman]

Hi Inky Poops,

Welcome, lots of nice and knowledgeable people here, enjoy.

I was the same way. I was heavily into fountain pens (my first was a Cross) and, now, oh my!! I have a number of Pilots, Platinums, and Sailors. I love Japanese fountain pens, as I tend to favor an extra fine writing line.

Kind regards,
Walt