Sailor Kobe Ink Story (Monogatari)

[coldwater19]

Going off of the other recent Kobe thread, I will be taking a trip to Kobe/Kyoto/Osaka for the first week of June. I've been poking around the Nagasawa Pen Den blog as well as some FPN archives, and found that Sailor has a 14 special edition ink series just for Kobe called the Kobe Ink Story (Monogatari in Japanese), in addition to a fountain pen.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/img1e858f93zik5zj.jpg

 

So I put together a list of the colors, taken from the Nagasawa website. My Japanese is very limited, so the names might not be completely correct. They're not the best pictures, either, but you can get an idea of the color:

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/nagasawa/original-fp1/

 

Kitano Ijinkan Red

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/ijinkanred.jpg

 

Okamoto Pink

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/okamotopink.jpg

 

Ikuta Orange

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/ikutaorange.jpg

 

Arima Amber

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/arimaamber.jpg

 

Kobe Bordeaux

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/kobebordeaux.jpg

 

Kyoryuchi Sepia

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/kyoryuchisepia.jpg

 

Mikage Gray

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/mikagegray.jpg

 

Toa Black

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/toablack.jpg

 

Suma Purple

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/sumapurple.jpg

 

Kaikyou Blue

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/kaikyoublue.jpg

 

Hatoba Blue

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/hatobablue.jpg

 

Maya Lapis

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/mayalapis.jpg

 

Nunobiki Emerald

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/nunobikiemerald.jpg

 

Roko Green

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/norikoukai/rokogreen.jpg

 

 

I can't believe there are so many colors. Fortunately, I am not interested in getting all 14, but I could see myself getting 2 or 3, once I see them in person. Adding the Pilot Iroshizuku line (from which I want at least two colors), plus a Decimo, I'm in serious trouble.

 

I haven't travelled internationally in a while and am fuzzy on the liquid restrictions; I'm not checking any baggage, so how many bottles can I put in my carry-on? Also, are there any other fountain pens brands and models endemic to Japan you would recommend for me to take a look at? Since I'm already there I really just want things that would be cost-prohibitive to acquire from the US.

 

Thanks for any advice you can give me!

Edited April 19, 2009 by coldwater19

[chibimie]

Very nice inks (and good photos of them)!

 

I don't think you can carry ANY in your carry-on luggage. There are still restrictions on bringing liquids in cabin, aren't there? So, why not just get a small bag to check in, and fill it with ink bottles? I brought four bottles of Iroshizuku last month--in checked luggage--with no problems. Weight should be the only concern.

 

Chibimie

Edited April 18, 2009 by chibimie

[Skyppere]

I don't suppose these are available via mail order? I tried jetpens.com without success. where else might I look?

skyppere

[lovelytofu358]

>I will be taking a trip to Kobe/Kyoto/Osaka for the first week of June

 

I don't know you can make it but Sailor will be holding a pen clinic on 29/5 and 30/5 at Nagasawa Pen Den. Mr Nagahara will be there.

[AltecGreen]

I don't suppose these are available via mail order? I tried jetpens.com without success. where else might I look?

skyppere

 

 

I suspect that these, much like the Iroshizuku Tokyo Limited Edition, is only available in one city, in this case Kobe.

 

To mail order, you'll probably have to find a store in Kobe that will sell to the U.S. and then place an order through that store.

 

If these are limited editions, then it would be best to hurry.

 

 

Another option is to contact Sailor's US distributor to see if they can bring some over.

Edited April 23, 2009 by AltecGreen

[jlepens]

>I will be taking a trip to Kobe/Kyoto/Osaka for the first week of June

 

I don't know you can make it but Sailor will be holding a pen clinic on 29/5 and 30/5 at Nagasawa Pen Den. Mr Nagahara will be there.

 

 

Are you planning on looking at these inks?

[lovelytofu358]

>I will be taking a trip to Kobe/Kyoto/Osaka for the first week of June

 

I don't know you can make it but Sailor will be holding a pen clinic on 29/5 and 30/5 at Nagasawa Pen Den. Mr Nagahara will be there.

 

 

Are you planning on looking at these inks?

 

I bought some of these inks last time I went back to Japan, so I'm not going there for inks this time.

 

But rumor says that Sailor limited editions(briar &ebonite one and another in dark gray profit with a special nib) produced for Nagasawa Pen Den will be released at the end of May.

 

If those limited editions look good, I would consider going back to Japan at the end of May and visit Nagasawa and other pen shops.

[coldwater19]

>I will be taking a trip to Kobe/Kyoto/Osaka for the first week of June

 

I don't know you can make it but Sailor will be holding a pen clinic on 29/5 and 30/5 at Nagasawa Pen Den. Mr Nagahara will be there.

 

 

Are you planning on looking at these inks?

 

I bought some of these inks last time I went back to Japan, so I'm not going there for inks this time.

 

But rumor says that Sailor limited editions(briar &ebonite one and another in dark gray profit with a special nib) produced for Nagasawa Pen Den will be released at the end of May.

 

If those limited editions look good, I would consider going back to Japan at the end of May and visit Nagasawa and other pen shops.

 

I can't buy all 14 inks, but am interested in the blues/purples/reds. I am planning to post these up in Inky Thoughts and get opinions on which colors are already very similar to lines from Diamine and the like.

 

LovelyTofu, are there any pictures of these new limited edition pens available online, or info on pricing?

[Margana]

Hmmm. I like the amber, the bordeaux, and the purple. Sailor inks have been consistently good for me so I'd be interested in them if they turned up here. For now I'm content with the photos. Thanks for posting them.

[jpr]

Is there a way to buy these outside of Kobe?

[inktree]

I really love the last one, Roko Green. If anyone figures out a way to get them in the US, let me know.

[lovelytofu358]

 

LovelyTofu, are there any pictures of these new limited edition pens available online, or info on pricing?

 

I haven't seen any pictures of them yet. I heard that the profit model will be in dark gray like "Mikage Gray" ink.(100 pieces available,price around 14000(my guess))

 

That's all I know so far.

 

 

 

[Neill78]

Is there a way to buy these outside of Kobe?

 

The link is to Rakuten, probably Japan's biggest online retailer (the equivalent of Amazon.com in the USA), and they list the prices and domestic shipping on that site, so I don't think you have to be in Kobe to buy them. They may only available in Kobe if you were to actually go to the store. But I really doubt they will make them exclusively available only in Kobe for very long after this special introduction.

 

Neill

[jpr]

The link is to Rakuten, probably Japan's biggest online retailer (the equivalent of Amazon.com in the USA), and they list the prices and domestic shipping on that site, so I don't think you have to be in Kobe to buy them. They may only available in Kobe if you were to actually go to the store. But I really doubt they will make them exclusively available only in Kobe for very long after this special introduction.

 

Neill

 

Thanks. Yes I clicked the link but my Japanese is non-existent. Does the site have an option for english and international sales?

[Neill78]

I haven't travelled internationally in a while and am fuzzy on the liquid restrictions; I'm not checking any baggage, so how many bottles can I put in my carry-on?

 

Unless things have changed in the past 2 months, you can have liquids/gels under 50mL each in your carry-on, up to 1L (or whatever fits into the 1L baggy they give you.

 

One or two might be OK, but if you had 3 or more bottles of ink in your carry on I think you'd just be asking for trouble with security. No reason not to check it.. the bottles are sealed and are very rugged.

 

Neill

[Neill78]

Thanks. Yes I clicked the link but my Japanese is non-existent. Does the site have an option for english and international sales?

 

Actually the order form does allow for foreign addresses, so maybe it's possible to order direct! But no English...

 

Neill

[AsiaPen]

Hearing that there might be international postage I had a crack at registering an ID on Rakuten but it wants katakana for my name and being of irish blood I will have trouble with not only this registration but what are likely to be further requirements for credit information to further link to this name in katakana.

 

...bugga, I thought I was finding it all a bit easy too

 

Also I was unable to look at the postage because it first requires the abovementioned Rakuten ID.

 

I am dollar-friendly ($$$) with some sellers in Japan and will see if I can find a good-heart.

[lovelytofu358]

Hearing that there might be international postage I had a crack at registering an ID on Rakuten but it wants katakana for my name and being of irish blood I will have trouble with not only this registration but what are likely to be further requirements for credit information to further link to this name in katakana.

 

...bugga, I thought I was finding it all a bit easy too

 

Also I was unable to look at the postage because it first requires the abovementioned Rakuten ID.

 

I am dollar-friendly ($$$) with some sellers in Japan and will see if I can find a good-heart.

 

 

They says Membership registration is not required to shop at Rakuten.

 

Tthere is an English page explaining how to shop ,though it may be daunting to read them through.

 

http://event.rakuten.co.jp/borderless/info.../shoppingsteps/

 

shipping rates are shown here in English, you can roughly estimate from there.

 

http://event.rakuten.co.jp/borderless/infoservice/en/

 

 

[AsiaPen]

...All 358 Tofu's are lovely

 

I will let you know how I go, am keen on Roko Green / Kitano Ijinkan Red / Ikuta Orange / Mikage Gray / Kyoryuchi Sepia.

I know there are similarities to other inks but I am a huge fan of Sailor inks and when I empty a bottle, am often tempted to lick the bottom of the jar to get that last bit. :embarrassed_smile:

[lovelytofu358]

...All 358 Tofu's are lovely

 

I will let you know how I go, am keen on Roko Green / Kitano Ijinkan Red / Ikuta Orange / Mikage Gray / Kyoryuchi Sepia.

I know there are similarities to other inks but I am a huge fan of Sailor inks and when I empty a bottle, am often tempted to lick the bottom of the jar to get that last bit. :embarrassed_smile:

 

If you still have some difficulties for ordering at Rakuten, do let me know. Maybe I can help.