I've only just now stumbled onto Japanese FP companies and I need some advice. I am interested in reading what you have to say about what is the one Japanese pen a person should own. I realize the difficulty of my request but I'm a novice and I am quite fascinated by all pens so I think I need to develop some sort of strategy/focus to my collection and maybe this will help. I tend to think vintage but if in your opinion a current model is "it" let me know - and why... Thanks.

Yup BIG question...

I'm very pleased with the Vanishing Point by Pilot. But depending on your budget that may change the field a bit. I'm also a FP newbee and I couldn't ask for a better "First Pen" than my VP.

I second the vote for the Vanishing Point. This was my first Japanese pen. Since then I have acquired 2 Sailors as well as another VP. I use these more than any other pen now.

"The" Japanese pen. Wow. That's like trying to pick "The" ice cream flavor.

What do you like? Fine points, broad points? The Japanese fountain pen experience has many sides, and you may want to stick to one of them.

From the big 3 - Pilot, Platinum, and Sailor...I'd have to say Sailor is "The" pen, and if you want it Japanese, you're going to want it in a fine point (so you can write your kanji really small!), and to further specify this, I'd pick the 1911 or Professional Gear. I'd also buy it off the marketplace, and save some money, so I could turn around and buy a ribbed Platinum, and then a VP, probably a decimo.

If your tastes run broad, a music nib or Zoom nib should be your choice.

If your budget is low, you can start with a Prera or Knight from Pilot.

- George

I would second (or third) the suggestion for a VP. They are unique in the pen world and a design that has been successful for 40 years. But then I'm biased - I have 16 of them.

You can also get one from the 70s which is just as functional as today's model (some would say more so) satisfying your desire for a vintage pen.

If you were to obtain only one Japanese pen, I suggest you get a maki-e pen. Maki-e is a very Japanese artform, that has extisted for a very long time. Sailor offers maki-e designs on their 1911 series, and also Platinum and Pilot offer more or less affordable entry-level maki-e pens. Ruud

What interests a person in a pen is, by nature, a very personal thing. It depends on the budget, the nib choices, nib characterstics, design, and aesthetics. However, there are some pens that a majority of people seem to appreciate. The Pilot Vanishing Point (Capless) is one of them. Pilot also made a series of pocket-style pens (long cap, short body) that are predominantly Japanese market (not found from other brands outside Japan). There's also the sleek MYU series. And of course, the Maki-e pens are quite diverse (just take a look at Danitrio and Nakaya).

For your first pen I'd say that a Vanishing Point pen would be a great choice. But as Gepzo mentioned, it's a good idea to settle on the type of pen characteristics you're looking for, most notably the nib. And your budget. Although Pilot does not make available a wide choice of nibs in the VP (F, M, B ), you can buy custom ground VP nibs on RichardsPens.com.

I have a VP as well. It took me a while to get used to the feel of the clip; but now it is my everyday pen.

Japanese fountain pens are a particularly diverse bunch, with lots of interesting aspects to them. The Japanese take the basic idea of a fountain pen and develop it in many ways that you don't see in Western pens. The Vanishing Point is one extreme of this (a retractable fountain pen, yet!)

There are the specialist nibs such as the Nagahara nibs made by Sailor, or the Falcon nib for the Namiki Custom 742. The Namiki Falcon is a different pen with another interesting nib.

Then, if the technology isn't your thing, there's a wide range of Urushi and Maki-e pens from the likes of Nakaya, Namiki and Danitrio.

A bit too flash? Designer elegance is available with the Tombow Zoom101. Still too flash? Muji's aluminium barrel fountain pen is another alternative.

There's undoubtedly a wide range of "Hello Kitty" pens, but I haven't looked into those...

You are asking the impossible with your original posting: there's so much to love in Japanese pens. My current favourite is a Sailor Professional Gear with a saibi togi nib, but I can see the attraction of so many others...

"The" Japanese pen is the Sailor King of Pen.

Other classics are the Sailor 1911, the Sailor Professional Gear, the Pilot Custom 845, the Pilot Custom 823, the Pilot Custom 743, and the Platinum Very Presidential.