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Inside Hakase Pen Shop

Samovar

By Samovar
in Japan - Asia

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Samovar Vintage

Samovar

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I woke up Saturday in Kurashiki, Japan, in a house about 500 m from the Inland Sea. While my wife was busy making breakfast, my mother-in-law asked me if I was interested in buying some pears in the prefecture of Tottori which is on the Sea of Japan. Tottori is on the opposite side of the island of Japan, but it's Sunday, the weather is great and I have never been there.

 

My fountain pen brain after a couple sip of coffee got activated and I remembered that the famous Hakase pen maker was located right next to Tottori station. The whole family knew about the shop because it was featured on a morning show. I asked in my best Japanese if they would mind going there and my father-in-law said it would be a pleasure.

 

I got a map I had printed just in case, the location was dialled in and off we go on a 180 km ride to Hakase pen shop. We did stop on the way to buy some very expensive pears which are now in season in the area. A single pear was 8$ but I have never tasted anything like this before!

 

We easily found the shop which is right in front of the station on a commercial street. We parked on the next block and with trepidation we all made our way to the shop.

 

post-2477-049902700 1284367429.jpg

 

My wife is accustom to my pen craze and came with me twice to see the Sailor Pen doctor. It's something very hard to explain, but the way we got welcomed into the shop greatly touched her. My wife family is very traditional and formal in the way they talk and act in general. I had told her that I was just looking, but when the owner and president of Hakase pen asked what he could do for us, she told him that I was there to order a pen.

 

We sat down a desk and I was presented with a form to fill in. I used my Parker 21 and wrote down my info. While I was doing that, Yamamoto San looked at the way I was writing.

 

After that I was presented with four trays of pens. I already knew that I wanted an ebonite black and red pen. He showed me all the models and I decided on one of the bigger model.

 

post-2477-042173800 1284367474.jpg

post-2477-066991800 1284367689.jpg

 

He asked me if I was interested in a nib size similar to the one I was using at the time and my faith was seal. I would get a custom made Hakase fountain pen in about 18 months.

 

His grandfather was working in the back of the shop. He is 70 and will only be working for the next 3 years so my pen will actually made by Ryo Yamamoto himself, the young owner of Hakase.

 

post-2477-037821500 1284367609.jpg

 

post-2477-087408300 1284367632.jpg

 

post-2477-061895700 1284367659.jpg

 

The whole experience was great. We were offered coffee and they refunded our parking ticket. Now I just need to wait 18 long months.

 

I also bought a bottle of Hakase real sepia ink and so far I really like it. It's expensive, but the color is really unique.

 

Tottori is a really nice place and I hope to go back one day to get another bottle of ink or even another pen. The ebony model was simply out of this world. The buffalo horn and turtle model is also really nice.

 

Japan is a place where patience is often rewarded. We ended up driving over 500 km so we would have a very late lunch at a soba shop in the next prefecture. 500 km; pear, pen and noodles!

Edited by Samovar

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Soot Vintage

Soot

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Wow, what a great way to spend a day! A day with the family, some fruit, soba, and a Hakase experience! Lucky you~

 

Thanks for sharing. :happyberet:

"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." -- A. Einstein

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Lorna Reed Collectors Item

Lorna Reed

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Brilliant. I'm sure you will never forget such a wonderful day out with your family. T :thumbup: hank you for sharing it with us.

Whatever is true,whatever is noble,whatever is right,whatever is pure,whatever is lovely,whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

Philippians 4.8

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D Armstrong Extremely Rare

D Armstrong

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Outstanding!

 

Do you have any more photos of the work area? Tools? I'm curious about the lathe being used by Mr. Yamamoto. It seems that the rope in the middle is the drive--it's not treadle driven, is it? And talk about huge chucks!

 

The Japanese are generally far superior when it comes to craftsmanship, and any chance to see shops and tools is an education.

David Armstrong

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Chris Chalmers Antique

Chris Chalmers

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Congratulations on a perfect day.........spent in a perfect way..........with perfect people - your family and the Hakase family of pens and makers!! :cloud9: Now you must wait for the 18 months, but they will fly by as you use that bottle of ink - you could measure your time by it!

Each day is the start of the rest of your life!

Make it count!!!

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Samovar Vintage

Samovar

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Thanks!

The work area is pretty small.

 

You can watch him work here

 

 

The old man was really busy and concentrated. I lack knowledge in lathes, but from what I can understand, he uses foot pedals to activate the lathe back and forth to do some of the work. I was ready to spend all day watching him work, but the whole family was getting hungry. Mr Yamamoto was on autopilot, but I really want to go back and I might try to go when he is working on my pen. It's a solid 3h drive from my house, but I will see if I can make this happen.

 

The tools are all very traditional, most of the stuff can be bought in most decent knife shops.

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dannyboy Vintage

dannyboy

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Thank you for this wonderful story with great photos of one of your most memorable experiences! I hope you'll show us your pen on FPN when it arrives. Congratulations!

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hari317 Museum Piece

hari317

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Thank you for this wonderful report! I have heard a lot from a friend about how he loves his Hakase pens, nice to see their facilities and your personal experience.

 

Regards,

Hari

In case you wish to write to me, pls use ONLY email by clicking here. I do not check PMs. Thank you.

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Sunburst Rare

Sunburst

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Looks like you had a great day. :thumbup:

Tottori pear is very juicy.

I've visited Tottori Pref. quite a few times since one of our company's subsidiary

is located in Tottori but never knew about "Hakase Pen Shop".

I'll be in Tottori in a month or so and I'll make sure to visit "Hakase".

 

Btw- Tottori is also very famous for their crab and I believe the season had opened just last week. Did you get to try?

Edited by Sunburst
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Samovar Vintage

Samovar

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I am sure you will enjoy your visit to Hakase. They sell all the other Japanese FP by the way. Grab a bottle of Sepia ink, you won't regret it!

We didn't have time to eat crab this time.

 

I ate Tottori crab last year when we spent a weekend at Misasa onsen. We had a full crab kaiseiki dinner at the Misasakan ryokan and it was so good!

My linkhttp://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/tottori/misasa.html

Famous Misasakan hotel

 

 

The Misasa valley is very beautiful and the onsen have natural radioactive water! The whole area is called the Valley of Love.

Have fun in Tottori!

 

Looks like you had a great day. :thumbup:

Tottori pear is very juicy.

I've visited Tottori Pref. quite a few times since one of our company's subsidiary

is located in Tottori but never knew about "Hakase Pen Shop".

I'll be in Tottori in a month or so and I'll make sure to visit "Hakase".

 

Btw- Tottori is also very famous for their crab and I beleive the season had opened just last week. Did you get to try?

Visit my food blog

Foodie Topography

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Sunburst Rare

Sunburst

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I am sure you will enjoy your visit to Hakase. They sell all the other Japanese FP by the way. Grab a bottle of Sepia ink, you won't regret it!

We didn't have time to eat crab this time.

 

I ate Tottori crab last year when we spent a weekend at Misasa onsen. We had a full crab kaiseiki dinner at the Misasakan ryokan and it was so good!

My linkhttp://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/tottori/misasa.html

Famous Misasakan hotel

 

 

The Misasa valley is very beautiful and the onsen have natural radioactive water! The whole area is called the Valley of Love.

Have fun in Tottori!

 

Looks like you had a great day. :thumbup:

Tottori pear is very juicy.

I've visited Tottori Pref. quite a few times since one of our company's subsidiary

is located in Tottori but never knew about "Hakase Pen Shop".

I'll be in Tottori in a month or so and I'll make sure to visit "Hakase".

 

Btw- Tottori is also very famous for their crab and I believe the season had opened just last week. Did you get to try?

 

Onsen, Ryokan and Kaiseki is the way to go. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

I'm planning to visit "Mizuki Museum" in Sakai as well.

Edited by Sunburst
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FrankB Donor Pen

FrankB

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Thanks for sharing. I cannot tell you how envious I am! I lust after a Hakasa, and I would love to see the shop.

 

But, ... 8-bucks for a pear?! :blink: :o

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Samovar Vintage

Samovar

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8 bucks is cheap!

 

Some of the really good melons are over 100$ The same pear in the city would be at least 15$.

Farms in Japan are quite small and the farmer takes insane care of their fruits.

I still am in shock when I see fruits at this price, but the taste was matching the price.

 

Thanks for sharing. I cannot tell you how envious I am! I lust after a Hakasa, and I would love to see the shop.

 

But, ... 8-bucks for a pear?! :blink: :o

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Miranda Extremely Rare

Miranda

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Thank you for sharing this. Now where is the picture of the pear?

Seriously, I always feel some inner warmth when seeing such artisans at work.

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