japanese pens from … japan!

Posted on November 19, 2008 by mariko

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My brother got back from Japan a couple weeks ago, and he brought me a bunch of pens! Now, I did send him off with a rather detailed list of pens, but I supplied him with the list because I thought it would make things easier for him. It didn’t, but that’s another story.
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Ahh, the mechanical pencil. Not only is the Uni Kuru Toga a lovely and stylish pencil, but it is also rather high tech in its functionality. You know how the tip of a pencil gets worn down to a slant as you write? Well, the Kuru Toga spins the lead around so you always have a sharp point! No slants here! I got the .3mm (gotta love the super fine point) and the .5mm.
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Here we have the Preppy Sign Pen and some fabric markers that came with a very snazzy template. The Pretty Sign Pen is pretty awesome. It comes with an ink cartridge like you’d find in a fountain pen. It is super smooth, and I find myself using it more frequently than a Sharpie.
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And here we have some normal-colored pens. Now, I am generally VERY fond of Uni products, but I have to say these Power Tank ballpoint pens are not my favorites. I feel like my hand really has to work to get a nice line. It’s not like the super smooth Uni Jetstream Sport (swoon), which basically just writes on its own. That’s how smooth it is! I know the Uni-ball Signo 207 is popular with a lot of folks, but I think I got a bum unit, because this one has big ink boogers on the tip.
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Here’s another ballpoint pen, the Zebra nuSpiral. I had to try this one because it’s just so cool looking. I was hesitant because it sports the gel grip, which usually freaks me out. I don’t know what it is about the gel grip, but it’s just weird, not quite squishy yet not quite hard. It feels odd against my fingers, and if I think about it too much I get kind of shaky and a bit nauseous, so let’s move on. The pen is actually quite nice. The ink flows smoothly, but I would prefer a darker ink. That’s the really great thing about the Uni Jetstream Sport–the ink is dark, and you’d swear it was a gel ink pen.
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One of the pens I asked for was an Itoya, which apparently is not readily available. My brother managed to find this Itoya ballpoint pen, which is quite cool. It’s a nice weight, too, and mini sized when folded up. Just pull it open, and voila, a full-size pen!
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And finally, the pen my brother refers to as the “clown” pen. Isn’t it gorgeous? It is a multi-pen that has two ballpoint colors (black and red) plus a mechanical pencil! It’s part of the Uni Jetstream series (it’s the Uni Jetstream F*series). The main issue I have with this pen is that the barrel is a tad on the large side to accommodate the pencil and the two pen colors, and it feels too big for my hand. I can’t get a really comfortable grip on it. But, it is really cute and otherwise practical (3 in 1!), so I will of course use it.
Thanks to my lunatic brother for all these awesome pens! And lest you feel left out, just remember that you can find most of these writing implements at the one-and-only JetPens.

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18 Responses to japanese pens from … japan!

  1. gaile says:
    November 19, 2008 at 19:43

    wow, awesome score of pens! I love the popup one that get’s bigger – super handy!

  2. kat says:
    November 19, 2008 at 23:19

    Um that is quite a collection. You have one very kind brother!! I’m glad to see I’m not the only one with a penchant for Japanese pens…although you may be a ‘little’ more obsessed than me…

  3. stef says:
    November 19, 2008 at 23:42

    Wow you make me want to go out and check some of these pens myself – all the talk about smooth writing is getting to me! Ironically I don’t think I can find them unless I hop on the train to a bigger station than where we live…

  4. megan says:
    November 20, 2008 at 00:17

    i’m buying you a straight jacket, pronto!

  5. dowdyism says:
    November 20, 2008 at 01:24

    So awesome – thanks for sharing these Mariko!

  6. Lydia says:
    November 20, 2008 at 04:50

    Wow…that’s a lot of pens there. You could probably open-up your very own pen store now.

  7. Seanna Lea says:
    November 20, 2008 at 08:35

    Yeah pens! I love the idea of the Kurotoga (I hate having to sharpen my pencils), and the Preppy Sign looks gorgeous.

  8. JustaRabbit says:
    November 20, 2008 at 09:39

    I’m currently in love with my uni-ball Vision elite .8 in “blue black”. I heart blue black ink, I wish we had more of it. Maybe they could do black brown as well, that would also look nice.

  9. Alma says:
    November 20, 2008 at 15:17

    That is some collection.
    I also write, and usually do the first draft by hand and like most writers are quite picky about the pen I use. The wrong pen and you won’t feel like writing, or the sentences will come out rushed and your hand gets tired.
    These all look like dandy pens.

  10. splatgirl says:
    November 20, 2008 at 19:05

    Ok, so that zebra one? Totally looks like a sex toy. I wonder if that was on purpose.

  11. Tesia says:
    November 21, 2008 at 06:25

    Think the names probably confused him all the more (They’re perpectually alike)
    He was kind to buy all those back for you though.

  13. Cruz says:
    November 22, 2008 at 01:48

    Just sent in my first order fro Jet Pens since I am not lucky enough to have a Japan visiting relative!

  14. Speedmaster says:
    November 22, 2008 at 06:36

    Some very cool choices! 😉

  15. ai says:
    November 23, 2008 at 19:57

    mariko, these are great pens. i could just imagine how hard your brother looked for these for you! the japanese stationery culture…you are in a very dangerous territory, man, as you can go really really deep with this stuff. and the funny thing is that i use a german one. shame, innit?

  16. Claire says:
    November 29, 2008 at 13:08

    Do you know that you are torturing me with all this pen business? And here I am stuck with a Papermate……. It’s time to buy office supplies!

  17. Claire says:
    November 29, 2008 at 13:08

    Do you know that you are torturing me with all this pen business? And here I am stuck with a Papermate……. It’s time to buy office supplies!

  18. jan in nagasaki says:
    November 29, 2008 at 19:47

    thank you splatgirl… for speaking out… I held my tongue… I didn’t want to perv up a perfectly nice post about pens….

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