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Another Trip In Japan... Field Report


katanankes

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Tomorrow I will be flying out of Japan, back to normal routine. It has been an intense week between Tokyo, Kobe and Tottori... mostly focused on fountain pens. This is my second trip to Japan, the first time, many years ago, I was not interested in fountain pens so my experience with shops in Tokyo and other cities was a first. I immensely love Japan, its people and culture. I started to feel more relaxed and a sense of serenity the moment I stepped out of the plane.

 

Also on a personal note, I have been living a in place with virtually no pen shops for four years now and I have bought most my pens on line, so visiting brick and mortar stores was very refreshing. I had a number of misconceptions about nibs and specific models that I could eventually dispel after trying the actual thing.

 

The report of a trip in Japan has become quite a topos on this forum and I enjoyed all reports that I read. The main reason for adding this is that it is very recent and someone planning a trip in the next weeks or months might find useful information.

 

Tokyo

On my arrival I had a few hours before I could check in so I embarked on a first expedition, mostly on foot. Actually, in less than 4 hours you can catch most of the pen shops located in Ginza and Nihombashi. I stayed close to Tokyo Station (north gate) and so it was naturally to begin with Maruzen Oazo. Maruzen of course is the historic bookshop chain and the Oazo branch is located in a brand new complex called Oazo connected to the metro. There is a floor half dedicated to stationery (and with a coffee shop). In the stationery area there is a very well assorted fountain pen corner with all the major brands represented: the Japanese, but also Parker, Delta, Caran D'Ache, Montblanc... the full monty. I can confirm that staff is very friendly and they let you try all the pens you like (well, I did not ask for maki-e Namiki emperor, but they did let me dip and try pens in the 1000usd range). Special find: they have most of Sailor specialty nibs on stock. I was looking for Nakayas and I was disappointed by the small assortment (mostly dodecapod and piccolo). This pattern repeated in other stores where Nakaya were supposed to be found (Itoya and Mitsukoshi Nihombashi). Looks like the stock of Nakaya in Tokyo was already looted, or maybe they do not keep many 'long" on stock. I also guess that the dodecapod model is not very popular since I saw so many available....

 

From Maruzen Oazo you can continue to Mitsukoshi Nihombashi (a department store) that has a great pen corner on one of the upper floors. Some Nakayas available, and then all the usual suspects. Not much inks available, but they still sell the commemorative Mitsukoshi 101 limited edition red ink. You can get there on foot or by taxi (it will cost you just the minimum fare, 720 yen or so, taking the metro would probably take more time and more walking). Good thing: here you can get tax refund if you are a tourist (not in Maruzen).

 

Then Maruzen Nihombashi and Takashimaya are both at a short walking distance on the same main avenue that will continue in Ginza. Maruzen Nihombashi pen boutique is located in the basement and it is quite extensive. However, I have the impression that they were out of stock of many items, for sure they were left only with a couple of Nakayas. Among other things, the store is carrying the new line of Sailor Storia inks. Too bad, as expected, they already sold out the Pilot 845 midori (green) limited edition issued back in March. I also mention Takashimaya because I am in awe at seeing that every serious department store has a large pen corner with multiple brands on display (not just Montblanc). And all of these corners are usually quite bust with clients trying pens, inks and buying staff. This speaks high volume of the relationship between Japanese people and writing (and makes me like Japan even more).

 

Walking down the avenue, on the same side of Maruzen, I encountered a stationery shop called Mori-Ichi. Unfortunately it now only carries Pilot pens (the full range of customs 742-3 is available).

 

Further down, on the other side of the street, you can visit Pilot Pen Station, Pilot corporate museum and coffee shop (the coffee shop is packed at lunch time). Here's a review. The museum is packed with actual pens and shows the evolution of the various models. Videos and paraphernalia also depicts the process behind the fabrication of everyday writing instruments. A very pleasant place to visit!

 

Further down, but on a parallel avenue, I finally reached Itoya, The pens are in annex one block down the main building (I understand their final location is under renovation). Wow, 2 floors packed of marvelous Japanese and world's pens. The second floor is for maki-e and limited editions. Again, very courteous staff making efforts to understand my English. I saw that on the second floor they also make repairs. Here I was finally able to score a Nakaya long, in purple color. Very reasonable pricing, considered that they offer tax refund (the process is very simple. you pay full price including tax that if I am not mistaken is 8% and due to go to 10% in October, so it is not small change; then you are dispatched on the 5th floor of the main building where the usual friendly and helpful staff will help you with some paperwork and give the money paid in taxes back on the spot... no airport queues, I love this country). Not sure whether anyone is interested, they are still carrying some green urushi vanishing points made for their store a few years back in a very limited run (50k yen).

 

Not far away there is of course also Eurobox, well known for second hand pens, but I did not have time to visit it. Still, I missed other hot spots like Kingdom Note (closed when I arrived) and Pen Boutique Shosaikan. Also Algester listed many more addresses in this thread.

 

In a separate trip requiring metro and a local train (45 minutes total) I also went to a suburb of Tokyo to visit the Tokyo Pen Shop Quill. It is run by a lovely couple and I purchased one of their special red urushi Pilot 845. They only carry Pilot pens and a few selected paper items. The gentleman running the shop seems well versed into nib tuning and he adjusted the ink flow to my specifications. This is one of those relaxed shops where you can seat down and try all the nibs you like. I was particularly impressed by the WA Pilot nib.

 

Tottori

The highlight of my trip was the visit to Tottori and the Hakase shop. There I was met by the pen master in person, Ryo Yamamoto. Ryo is my age and a very friendly individual. I was actually surprised that he personally answered my emails and he was really available to have a conversation (quite the opposite of the austere artisan that I was picturing in my head). He observed my weird writing and an Hakase pen is awaiting for me in... March 2016. I tried some of his pens and I must say that a couple of them were probably the smoothest writers I ever experienced. I loo forward to seeing the final product.

Going to Tottori is an experience in itself. The city has a number of attractions, namely the sand dunes, and the seafood is excellent. Using trains it takes 5 hours from Tokyo (bullet train, Nozomi, to Himeji and then Super Hakuto local express train from Himeji to Tottori, this last taking 1.5 hours). I took the train because the slight time advantage of the plane is in my personal opinion counterbalanced by the harassment of going through the usual airport checks. By the way, Himeji is home of one of the most spectacular castles in Japan, so if you have never been it can be a nice stop over.

 

Kobe

On the way back to Tokyo I visited Kobe, a city well worth a stop. While in Kobe I visited the Nagasawa Pen Den in Sannomya Center Street (a big mall outside the metro stop with the same name). What a surprise! The shop, part of a larger bookshop, was very well stocked and even displayed some vintage and second hand pieces. They have the largest Nakaya selction seen in a store (I bought a second one). And of course they have their special line of inks and some store pens based on Sailor models. The gentleman that assisted me had no problem in changing the nib of the pen I purchased and he even gave me a discount equal the sale tax (not a real tax refund, but the math does not change). I understand Nagasawa is kind of an institution for stationery in Kobe and they also have other locations. The Pen Den seems to be their flagship pen boutique.

 

I hope next year to be back to Japan again, maybe in March at the time of the cherry blossoming. It is a marvelous country full of beauty and of reasons for travel. I hope that these notes can be useful for other pen enthusiasts planning a trip in Tokyo and other Japanese cities.

 

 

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Thank you for your detailed write-up! Really enjoyed reading it, and will be looking forward to visiting the pen stores outside of Tokyo next time I'm visiting. Which pen(s) did you end up acquiring?

Inquisitive Quill on Instagram and YouTube 

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Apart from the Hakase that is only an order at the moment I ended up with

1) Nakaya Long Writer in purple

2) Nakaya Long Cigar in orange (I need to find a desk stand now...)

3) A vanishing point copper limited edition 2014

4) Pilot 845 red urushi from Quill pen shop

 

I also acquired some inks, but just a few because I am travelling with no checked baggage and I have heard that at Narita they can be quite inquisitive about ink bottles. So I limited my liability to three bottles.

 

My next shopping will be in 2016!

Edited by katanankes
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Thanks for the mini virtual trip to Japan.

Breathe. Take one step at a time. Don't sweat the small stuff. You're not getting older, you are only moving through time. Be calm and positive.

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Just wait until you discover a few of the lesser known pen stores in out of the way places like Kanazawa Okayama, Takamatsu and elsewhere..

stan

Formerly Ryojusen Pens
The oldest and largest buyer and seller of vintage Japanese pens in America.


Member: Pen Collectors of America & Fuente, THE Japanese Pen Collectors Club

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An excellent report Katanankes, thank you for writing it up, I enjoyed reading it. The report evoked memories of my own trip to Japan and gave me a hankering to return :)

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Thank you for this excellent report ! It will be very helpful when I plan my trip to Japan.

Catherine Van Hove

www.sakurafountainpengallery.com

 

Koning Albertstraat 72b - 3290 DIest - Belgium

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Thank you for this trip report. I visited only a pe shop in Osaka, a couple of weeks ago. There were few Nayaka pens there, but a large offer of Sailor and Pilot, including some nice maki-e and urushi FP's

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Thank you for this post.

 

I'm going to be in Japan in June, and this will be helpful for planning my shopping excursions!

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gosh, if only i could do the same trip. i'm fueled with envy. someday i would follow your trip route as part of my itinerary, though i don't speak japanese. someday :(

-rudy-

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Thanks for this post i will be going to Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo in July and I will be hitting as many pen shops as possible in 8 days trust me.

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Do remember the 100ml USA flight limitation for liquids. So, you can put ink bottles into your one allowed zip-lock bag if <= 100ml. AND, the box can be unfolded and placed anywhere else to make more room.

--

Glenn (love those pen posses)

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What a great article! I'm not only astonished that you treated yourself to a pen excursion in Japan (you must be from the West Coast...) but that fountain pen culture is alive and well in Japan. With only one serious pen store in NYC and an understocked, overpriced pen counter at Kinokuniya here, I sometimes feel like the last person on the planet who writes with fountain pens. Not so!

I used to hit pen stores in Italy, but after I watched some of them go out of business I decided that it's a dying passion. So glad to hear of signs of a revival!! Also, that brick and mortar stores are able to compete with online merchants (especially with fountain pens, it makes more sense to pay a bit more and be able to try the pen out)! Thanks!

"If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live."

– Lin Yu-T'ang

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What a great article! I'm not only astonished that you treated yourself to a pen excursion in Japan (you must be from the West Coast...) but that fountain pen culture is alive and well in Japan. With only one serious pen store in NYC and an understocked, overpriced pen counter at Kinokuniya here, I sometimes feel like the last person on the planet who writes with fountain pens. Not so!

I used to hit pen stores in Italy, but after I watched some of them go out of business I decided that it's a dying passion. So glad to hear of signs of a revival!! Also, that brick and mortar stores are able to compete with online merchants (especially with fountain pens, it makes more sense to pay a bit more and be able to try the pen out)! Thanks!

Japan is still the heaven for stationary lovers ironically bookstores instead is a dying industry in Japan with e-books being more popular or the majorly preferred choice... not unless the other more deviant books were talking about, but most self published works are still physical but there are shops there catering to selling them Edited by Algester
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What a great article! I'm not only astonished that you treated yourself to a pen excursion in Japan (you must be from the West Coast...) but that fountain pen culture is alive and well in Japan. With only one serious pen store in NYC and an understocked, overpriced pen counter at Kinokuniya here, I sometimes feel like the last person on the planet who writes with fountain pens. Not so!

I used to hit pen stores in Italy, but after I watched some of them go out of business I decided that it's a dying passion. So glad to hear of signs of a revival!! Also, that brick and mortar stores are able to compete with online merchants (especially with fountain pens, it makes more sense to pay a bit more and be able to try the pen out)! Thanks!

 

I am now living and working in South East Asia, so Japan is only 5-6 hour away. But originally from Italy where I used to visit pen stores regularly, there were at least 4 in my town... down to 3 just before I left. And now probably 2. One big difference between stores in Italy and Japan is that in Japan you do not get any discount from regular published prices. However the yen is so depreciated that it did not hurt. By the way, Japan is an amazing country worth visiting for a number of reasons of course!

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What a great, detailed report! Thanks for providing such good information, and I'm happy for you that you enjoyed such enviable pen shop experiences.

Edited by ethernautrix

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etherX in To Miasto

Fleekair <--French accent.

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