Whether you’re a fountain pen newbie or an expert, you probably have a Japanese fountain pen in your collection.
Maybe you’ve wondered, “What is it about pens from Japan that make them so special?”
In this video, we’ll answer your question by focusing on three major factors that put Japanese fountain pens on top.
We’ll also recommend some of our favorite fountain pens at three price points,
from budget-friendly options to luxurious picks!
Japanese Fountain Pen Characteristics
Quality Control
First off, the big three Japanese fountain pen manufacturers—Pilot, Platinum, and Sailor—
craft their nibs in-house.
Whether you get a budget pen like the Platinum Preppy or a work of art like the Pilot Maki-e,
you know that the nib received plenty of attention before it reached your hands.
Most Western brands outsource their nib production to dedicated manufacturers.
Many companies—including some Japanese companies, like Eboya or Onishi Seisakusho—
entrust the performance of their pens to these manufacturers and get excellent results,
so don’t let a Bock or JOWO nib on a Japanese fountain pen throw you off.
It’s true that having a hand in nib production means that companies have more control over the quality,
consistency, and appearance of their nibs.
This is also why there’s so much variance in Japanese fountain pen nibs.
Pilot, Platinum, and Sailor all have differently shaped nibs,
which means they’re almost never interchangeable.
Nib Sizes
Western fountain pens usually stop at extra fine,
but Japanese fountain pens come in super fine nib sizes that you can’t find elsewhere.
Platinum’s Ultra Extra Fine nib creates lines as thin as a 0.38 mm gel pen!
Additionally, Japanese fountain pen nibs run finer in general.
For example, a Japanese medium generally creates thinner lines than a Western medium.
So why do Japanese fountain pens come in such tiny nib sizes?
It all comes down to how Japanese characters are written.
Unlike the Western alphabet, Japanese kanji are made up of intricate characters.
To make sure writing is legible, Japanese fountain pens need to be precise.
Even if your everyday writing doesn’t involve mountains of kanji, you can still benefit from Japanese nibs.
If your handwriting is naturally small, a Japanese nib will help keep your letters looking neat.
Japanese nibs aren’t limited to the finer side, though: broad and double broad nibs are also available.
Some brands like Sailor even have a specialty nib called a music nib,
which creates wide downstrokes and finer horizontal strokes.
Soft nibs like those on Pilot Elabo fountain pens create gentle line variation
to mimic the look of brush calligraphy.
Material
While Japanese fountain pens are offered in typical materials like resin and brass,
many brands go beyond these to create pens that look like works of art.
Onishi Seisakusho turns every pen by hand from cellulose acetate,
the same material that gives tortoiseshell sunglasses their iconic look.
Eboya Houju Fountain Pens are made from beautifully striated ebonite,
a classic fountain pen material that was used before plastics became widely available.
These luxurious Platinum 3776 Century pens
are decorated using a traditional technique called maki-e.
Powdered metallic pigments are applied to a lacquered pen in a process that can take weeks or even months.
And finally, some pens like the Pilot Vanishing Point are inlaid with colorful pieces of abalone shell
for a beautiful, shimmering effect.
Now that you know why Japanese fountain pens are such prized writing instruments,
let’s get into our recommendations!
Budget Japanese Fountain Pen
Don’t let the Platinum Preppy’s price tag fool you:
this fountain pen is a great starter pen, but even experts will appreciate its excellent performance.
Its smooth, steel nib comes in three nib sizes: extra fine, fine, and medium.
The Preppy has Platinum’s “Slip and Seal” cap design that keeps the pen from drying out for at least a year!
A unique alternative is the compact Meister by Point Slim Liner Fountain Pen.
Though it has a sleek profile, this fountain pen can accommodate a full-size converter
and holds plenty of ink.
Mid-Range Japanese Fountain Pen
The compact Pilot Prera is an everyday carry delight.
It’s comfortable to hold when unposted, but those with larger hands can post the cap
on the back of the pen.
The Prera comes in twelve colors with fine or medium nibs,
and seven colors with a fun medium italic nib that adds a little flair to your writing.
Some Preras also come with a converter installed, so you can start using them with bottled ink right away.
The Platinum Procyon is another excellent option.
It has an innovative feed mechanism that lets you fill the pen when only part of the nib is submerged in ink.
Luxury Japanese Fountain Pen
The Sailor Pro Gear Slim is a stylish, pocket-friendly pen that comes in a variety of classy and unique colors,
some of which are limited edition.
At this price point, you’re also upgrading to a nib that’s actually made from gold.
Gold nibs aren’t necessarily better than steel nibs,
but they’re more resistant to corrosion and can have a softer feel.
The Pilot Custom 74 is another gold-nibbed pen with a high-capacity converter.
It holds twice as much ink as a typical converter,
so note-takers and journalers won’t run out of ink at an inopportune moment.
Do you have a Japanese fountain pen?
Let us know which one has made it into your collection in the comments below!
You can shop all of these products and more at JetPens.com, the home for stationery lovers.
Thanks for watching!