Hello,

Last year I was in Japan and I fell in love with a Pen Magazine (among other things...). No clue what the name is, but here's a cover I found on the net:


(sorry, it's small!)


Clearly I was not able to read a single line, but inside I found all what I want in a pen magazine:

• beautiful full page pics
• full coverage of the market (not just focused in high end frenzy LE things, like Penna or PenWorld), with a complete list and pics of the new pens of the covered period
• focus on brand for historical/vintage model, with beautiful comparative pics and schemas and "sections" of mechanics
• focus on inks with independent tests

So, even with the language problems, I'd like to have more issues...


Now, I have a couple of question for our fellow Japanese members.

• Do you know this magazine?
• Is it possible to have an oversea subscription? (I live in Italy) I'm not able to read it nor to find and english website about it...
• Would you help me in this endeavour if a subscription is possible?

You will make me happy!

Thank in advance for your help!

Regards,

Andrea

The magazine is called "Shumi no Bungubako." It's not exactly a magazine, but called a kind of publication called "mooks" in Japan. The particular one comes out biannually, and I'm not sure how to subscribe to it (dates of the publication sometimes changes). However, you can probably get new ones and also most of back issues from Amazon.co.jp and some other online stores. We(PftLotRS mods) have info here. In Amazon Japan site you can see some pages inside the magazine. Amazon's shipping is very quick, but might cost more than others.

EDIT: The most current issue is Vol. 10. They are planning to publish the next one at the end of July, but that could delay

Yay Taki - I was waiting for your words of wisdom.

Excellent Taki, thank you very much! That is precisely what I was looking for. Now I have to tweak a little the google translation of amazon.co.jp, but I hope I will get them finally. So far I have Vol. 4,5,6 & 7. I remember I get them in large newstands or libraries in Tokio.
However I would disagree with your statement that SnB has

Focus is on modern pens of the world with strong emphasis on Japanese pens

In my Vols there are huge articles on vintage Pelikans and Montblanc...
Btw what Shumi no Bungubako does it means exactly?



Phtalo! when I searched for answers to my question I reckon I posted this in the wrong forum... It was supposed to be posted in P&P Paraphernalia! Sorry for that... I am planning to post a long review of the Pen Magazines of the world that I know, and this and my mental confusion led to misplacing it... Feel free to move it!

Thanks again,

Andrea

Well I can't come up with clever translation of the title right now, but "shumi" means hobby, "bungu" is stationery (not only papers but including writing instrument), and "bako/hako" means box.

As for the contents, it varies issue by issue. I think you are right about there are a lot of articles about foreign pens (especially European), as it seems in vogue in Japan right now. But I think majority of people are more interested in modern pens, compared to other countries. Pelikan and Montblanc are a little different, as they seem VERY popular, vintage and modern.

Yep! I placed my order. I have now the Volumes 8, 9 & 10 on the way. Seems like the one at the end of July will be the number 11... I tried to catch the first Vol. too but it cost me like the other three and it was used... next time.

Tomorrow it will be shipped. Strangely I had to configure a new user because my amazon.com account wouldn't work.

Overall it was easy! Thank you again Taki for your help!

Cheers,

Andrea

You are welcome Yep, I have to create a separate account from my A U.S. Amazon acct.

Amazing.

The package is already here. 4 days from Japan to Italy. Wow!

I'm so happy next week I have the week off and I will spend it by the sea with my family.
Then Shumi no Bungubako will be a perfect beach umbrella reading!! (well, reading, let's say looking...)

Ciao,

Andrea

Hello Andrea, I hope you don't mind answering two questions about these books. First, does one of them have the pictures of these gorgeous Sailor maki-e pens that Stan posted some time ago? Second, how much was the total you paid (four books plus shipping to Italy)? Thanks, Ruud

The pictures I posted were from Volume 9.

cheers.

Ruud,
it's a pleasure.

As Stan said, the Sailor maki-e FP is covered in 6 pages in the Vol. 9, and one of them is on the cover too...

Each volume costed 1.500 Yen. The shipment was 4.600 Yen. Bear in mind that the whole thing was really quick. I don't remember if there was some less costly option with slower ship time, but possibly such an option exists. Additionally, in Japan prices do not include VAT, as I understood. I had to paid it here directly to the FedEx guy.

Anyway, I suggest you to go with it! It's a tremendous magazine and the pics are just gorgeous. If you like FP, Japan lifestile and Japanese FP (included maki-e), you should at least try!!

Regards,

Andrea