My Trip To Tokyo

[Maurizio]

Had a blast with me son. This was my first visit to Japan; I know lots of members here are quite familiar with Japan so I hope they will indulge me.

 

He got us a hotel in the Akihabara district a couple of blocks away from the center of all the anime stores. I really liked the location because we were on a side street that was dynamic and full of real ordinary Tokyo dwellers going about their life - commuters coming and going, restaurant workers, small shop owners, delivery men, and so got a small sample of genuine life in Tokyo. Our hotel didn’t offer a breakfast, which is fairly standard for American hotels, so I got my morning coffee and my morning bakery nosh from a nearby 7/11, rubbing shoulders with Tokyo salarymen and women. I inferred that breakfast is not a big item in Japan, as it frequently is in the USA. There was a public park, Sakura Park, down the street and a nursery school across from the park; I enjoyed watching the kids play in the park one morning while having my coffee al fresco, thinking about the universality of human life despite cultural differences.

 

There were several bars and restaurants right on our block or a 5-minute or less walk from our hotel. There was a nice sushi place at which we ate twice. Having commuted into Manhattan for work for some 25 years, I was still impressed by the size of the commuter crowds; just larger and more extensive than what I ever experienced in Manhattan and of course the population numbers for the Tokyo metro area demonstrate why. I was also impressed with the cleanliness of the Tokyo subways and the streets of the vast metropolis. Japanese people must be disgusted when they visit NYC with all its dirt and debris, and experience the frequently dirty NYC subways, even at the time before the chaos created by the pandemic. The Tokyo subways run consistently and on time, unlike in Manhattan. The Japanese know how to run a large metro area and the US would improve its quality of urban life if we could take some lessons from the Japanese.

 

We went to the Moriichi Fountain Pen store, founded 1872. It was on a list of Tokyo stores to visit posted here by A Smug Dill. It also appeared in searches I made of best stationary type stores in Tokyo, cementing my desire to go there. This was a great store. In size it reminded me of the long defunct Art Brown Store in Manhattan. On the weekday afternoon when we arrived, it was staffed by 2 people. They have a wide selection of pens from the big 3 Japanese brands, along with a scattering of European such as Lamy, but certainly not a comprehensive selection of European brands. For me a non-issue. Why go to Tokyo to buy a Pelikan or an  Aurora? I believe they had every pen in production offered by Pilot, including an ample selection of Namiki’s.

 

They had the a Pilot Custom 845 in both black and red. This is a pen I have wanted to acquire for many years, made from an ebonite body, coated with urushi lacquer, and with a beautiful #20 ( I think) nib. They had it for sale for a price about $150.00 less than I’ve ever seen it listed elsewhere (of course all prices were in yen; I had a currency conversion app on my phone). I was happy and excited and had to get it. I choose the black one with a medium nib.

 

My son, with his still fledgling Japanese skills, helped a lot because he was able  to communicate effectively in the sense of asking for specific pens, nib sizes, body colors, and for types and colors of ink, and I think the store staff appreciated that we were doing our best with rudimentary language skills to communicate with them in Japanese. We were in the store for about 45 minutes and while we were there one other Japanese customer came in for something. The staff, one man and one woman, with the woman the person in charge, were nothing but nice and friendly and helpful.

 

I also bought my sister a Pilot Elite for a Christmas present. This was $20. less expensive than its current Amazon Japan price of about $75.00. I also bought a Pilot Prera for a work friend who likes fountain pens but has never tried any Japanese pens, along with Iroshizuku cartridges because I knew she didn’t want to mess with bottled ink.

 

My son bought some Pilot mechanical pencils, including one of the nice wooden Legno ones, for himself, and a high-end Pilot ballpoint for a cousin starting college next year.

 

The woman boss/supervisor herself nicely wrapped my present pens for me (in my photo the Prera is unwrapped because in my excitement I forgot to note which package was for my sister and which for my friend).

 

This visit to the Moriichi store was just a great bit of fun. On the way walking to Moriichi we had also passed a Maruzen store, but after my purchases at Moriichi and the great prices I paid, I didn’t feel any need to go there.

 

In speaking with my son who told the woman I was crazy about fountain pens - he told me he used the Japanese word “otaku” (not sure of spelling) -  she helpfully mentioned that there was a Pilot museum nearby. It was a bit late in the day so we didn’t go, though we should have. That will be on my itinerary for my next visit to Tokyo someday.

 

We also ate ramen at  a restaurant at the amazing mall located underneath the central Tokyo subway station which we had to use to get to the Moriichi store.

 

We next visited Itoya a day or so later. Their selection was good, but nothing, to my mind,  stupendous. It was no better or more impressive than the (defunct) Art Brown shop in Manhattan in its heyday, or the (sadly and recently defunct) Fountain Pen Hospital in Manhattan. Itoya didn’t feel warm and inviting with those personal touches which make an independent store unique (as it was with Moriichi); it felt efficient in the sense that pens were displayed for sale but impersonal in that the pen cases performed their function of display without sufficient “dressing” to make them especially  inviting. The store was also very crowded and the crowding prevented me from being able to look at all the pens on display in any sort of pleasurable or leisurely fashion.

 

I did buy 2 Sailor Kobe inks, and a Nakaya cloth pen wrap for my Pilot Custom 845 from the Moriichi store. There was also a nib meister working up front near the counter. We asked permission which he gave to take his photo.

 

Regarding Japanese paper, there were several shops I had wanted to visit but didn’t get a chance to including Ozu Washi, in business for hundreds of years, Haibara, a shop in business for 200 years, and Gekkoso Stationary in Ginza, founded 1917. These will be on my itinerary for my next visit to Tokyo.

 

Photos are attached. I am no photographer so forgive me for the pedestrian quality of the photos. I was so excited about my new 845, I forgot to take any photo of the exterior of the store, so I’ve copied one from Moriichi’s website. I did remember to take some photos of the interior of the store. I have  also attached photos of Itoya.

[Misfit]

Thank you for the write up. Very interesting and informative. But, that bit of news I didn’t know about Fountain Pen Hospital. Wow. I didn’t shop online with them often, probably three times. It’s sad to lose a B&M store.  

[amk]

Don't apologize for your photos. They do a great job of accompanying your writeup and really give a great impression of what it was like to be there. Moriichi sounds really delightful - so does your nrighbourhood around the hotel.

[RedPie]

Thank you for all the great information and your photos. Looks like FP heaven right there. Wonderful!

[XYZZY]

Thank you for the fabulous writeup Maurizio!  Japan is such a wonderful country, I've only been once, but will certainly go back one day.  Your pictures are great. 

 

Did you have the nib-meister adjust any pens?

 

And add me to the list of people who came to the Japan subforum to learn about the demise of FPH.  So sad.

[gone]

Excellent documentary of what sounds and looks like a fun trip. I have been lucky enough to visit Tokyo many times and have always enjoyed it. 

[Maurizio]

11 hours ago, Misfit said:

Thank you for the write up. Very interesting and informative. But, that bit of news I didn’t know about Fountain Pen Hospital. Wow. I didn’t shop online with them often, probably three times. It’s sad to lose a B&M store.  

 

3 hours ago, XYZZY said:

Thank you for the fabulous writeup Maurizio!  Japan is such a wonderful country, I've only been once, but will certainly go back one day.  Your pictures are great. 

 

Did you have the nib-meister adjust any pens?

 

And add me to the list of people who came to the Japan subforum to learn about the demise of FPH.  So sad.

 

 

Yes really sad for the whole fp community that FPH closed the retail store. It was one of a kind. My understanding is that the adult children of the 2 brother owners didn’t want to continue the business; and, that the name and online business has been sold to another operator. 

 

No, I didn’t ask the nibmeister to adjust any pens. If I had known that was possible, I would have brought one; but, I have a feeling he may only have been available to adjust pens previously bought from Itoya. 

 

[Maurizio]

11 hours ago, amk said:

Don't apologize for your photos. They do a great job of accompanying your writeup and really give a great impression of what it was like to be there. Moriichi sounds really delightful - so does your nrighbourhood around the hotel.

 

9 hours ago, RedPie said:

Thank you for all the great information and your photos. Looks like FP heaven right there. Wonderful!

 

3 hours ago, Prawnheed said:

Excellent documentary of what sounds and looks like a fun trip. I have been lucky enough to visit Tokyo many times and have always enjoyed it. 

 

Thanks for reading and your kind comments. 

 

M

[peroride]

Thank you, feels like you took us there.

 

Great pics, especially with the treasures and that black 845 centerpiece!

[KingsCountyWriter]

Thanks for the wonderful writeup of a great stationery trip!

[cll]

Nice write up and beautiful photos

 

[amberleadavis]

Thank you for the write-up and wonderful photos.  I would have left broke and not been able to eat for the rest of my stay.  Congratulations on acquiring a grail pen.

[dms525]

Thanks for your report and the photos! 

 

BTW, the Custom 845 has a #15 nib. I am loving my vermillion one.

 

David

[Maurizio]

Thank you all for reading & for your kind words. 
 

Thank you dms525 for straitening me out about the nib. 
 

M

[A Smug Dill]

23 hours ago, amberleadavis said:

I would have left broke and not been able to eat for the rest of my stay.

 

It's so (relatively) cheap to get a good feed in Tokyo, though.

 

Nevertheless, on our last day in Japan on our recent trip, my wife and I made some unexpected purchases of pens and paraphernalia, which had me rejigging what we could do and must do with our remaining cash in yen. We left the country with literally just a 10 yen coin, as far as Japanese currency goes, in my pocket; and we didn't spend a single dollar in cash in any other currency the entire time.

[XYZZY]

Re the nib: it's a size 15 and interchangeable with the nibs on the Custom 743 and Custom 823.  However the 845's nib is a two color and made of 18k, whereas the others are 14k and just single color.  So yours is a much prettier nib, available only with that model, but you have options to swap it amongst a couple other models.

[dms525]

51 minutes ago, XYZZY said:

Re the nib: it's a size 15 and interchangeable with the nibs on the Custom 743 and Custom 823.  However the 845's nib is a two color and made of 18k, whereas the others are 14k and just single color.  So yours is a much prettier nib, available only with that model, but you have options to swap it amongst a couple other models.

 

I tried a Custom 743/823 nib swap. The nibs are the same size, but the ends of the feed are different enough that they cannot be swapped. I haven't actually tried writing with nib from a Custom 743 fitted onto a feed from a Custom 823. Have you?

 

David

[XYZZY]

2 hours ago, dms525 said:

 

I tried a Custom 743/823 nib swap. The nibs are the same size, but the ends of the feed are different enough that they cannot be swapped. I haven't actually tried writing with nib from a Custom 743 fitted onto a feed from a Custom 823. Have you?

 

David

Yes, but just the commonly known FA nib from a 743 into an 823.  The FA is certainly shaped differently from the others. I haven't tried any others, and in fact decided to keep the 743 as I prefer a converter filling system.  But I'm under the impression that any of the many 743 nibs will work.

[Maurizio]

6 hours ago, XYZZY said:

Re the nib: it's a size 15 and interchangeable with the nibs on the Custom 743 and Custom 823.  However the 845's nib is a two color and made of 18k, whereas the others are 14k and just single color.  So yours is a much prettier nib, available only with that model, but you have options to swap it amongst a couple other models.

 

Thanks XYZZY. 

 

[inkstainedruth]

On 12/14/2023 at 5:06 AM, Misfit said:

Thank you for the write up. Very interesting and informative. But, that bit of news I didn’t know about Fountain Pen Hospital. Wow. I didn’t shop online with them often, probably three times. It’s sad to lose a B&M store.  

Yeah, I didn't know about FPH either.  That may explain why when I looked at their website last night I couldn't find hours.  What a bummer -- I'm going to miss my somewhat annual winter pilgrimages there.  I never bought much (mostly inks, but did buy a copy of "Da Book" and a copy of the Parker Vacumatic book there) but the people who worked there were always really nice, and I liked looking at the swab books.  Oh and I bought one of my small Pelikan pen stands there one time.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: @Maurizio  Thanks for posting the photos.  That sounds like a fabulous trip.  A friend of mine went to Tokyo a few years ago to be on some TV show (!) as "some crazy American who does traditional Japanese arts and crafts" but I didn't hear about his trip until after he got back -- and he said the hotel he was in was in a neighborhood that had a lot of cookware stores....