Tokyo Inklings

Two Tokyoites’ insider views on the Japanese fountain pen world!

Investigative Journaling

CY and Jacob discuss fountain pen marketing, the Q1 earnings of Pilot and Sailor, and share their first impressions of the Sailor Tuzu.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

05-19
59:58

Mean Girls Energy

CY and Jacob discuss Sailor's new Tuzu pen, Korean stationery, glass pen snobbery, recent and upcoming events, and Mitsubishi Pencil's trademark headaches in early postwar Japan.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

04-28
01:10:10

They're All Snobs

CY and Jacob, joined by returning guests Khuê and Alesa, discuss spring pen fairs, stationery M&A news, earthquakes, and a new steel nib. This episode was recorded on March 3rd.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

03-17
01:14:16

Get Off My Lawn

CY, Jacob, along with returning guests Khuê and Alesa, reflect on the past year and make some predictions for 2024. Note: This episode was recorded early on January 1st, hours before the earthquake. All of us are OK, and we will talk about it in the next episode.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

01-03
01:22:52

Not My Podcast

CY, Jacob, and returning guests Khuê and Alesa talk about recent acquisitions, pen shows, Sailor saturation, and mystery vac fillers.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

09-18
01:05:09

Less Savage Than Bungujoshi

CY, Jacob, and returning guests Khuê and Alesa talk about last month's pen shows, Pro Gear saturation, and distilled water.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

04-14
01:00:08

Across the North Pole

CY and Jacob talk about large and small Sailor nibs, long flights, retractable fountain pens, clicky keyboards, vermilion urushi, and owls.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

03-05
59:23

Polypolypoly

CY and Jacob talk about turned acrylics, faceted barrels, price increases, counterfeit pens, and middle names.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

01-29
57:14

A++ !

CY, Jacob, and returning guests Alesa and Khuê look back at 2022 and try to make a few predictions for 2023.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

01-02
01:15:41

Feels Good To Be a Noob!

CY and Jacob discuss stationery gifts, Pilot's elusive annual Capless LE, filling systems, clicky knocks, and vintage camera lenses.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

12-27
01:09:31

Champagne Pink Portable Printer

CY and Jacob discuss Maruzen's 2023 spring event lineup, Pilot's new 30th-anniversary Custom 74, flea markets, kimono fabric, and sticker printers.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

12-04
01:03:49

Drunk Nagahara Fixed My Nib

Jacob, CY, and guests April from Penguins Creative and Alesa recap TIPS 2022 and discuss planners, new pen releases, engraved gold nibs, and shrinking profit margins.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

11-13
01:13:11

Late From the Tokyo International Pen Show 2022

Jacob and CY come together to give you the live update from the Tokyo International Pen Show! Wait... but it's almost two weeks late?! You can blame CY for that. He failed to upload the audio on time, but better late than never?   Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

11-08
47:46

Wet and Creamy

CY, Jacob, and returning guests Alesa and Khuê discuss nib grind names, paper testing, shady business practices, Montblanc's Naruto pen, price increases, and TIPS expectations.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

10-16
01:16:03

(Cosmo Air) Light at the end of the tunnel

CY and Jacob talk about bankruptcies, biomass, nib-shaped factory buildings, and new releases from Sailor, PenBBS, and Majohn.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

10-02
59:45

Are They Padawan If They Are Sith?

CY and Jacob talk about Shishikura pens, Toyooka trays, Hobonichi paper testing results, nib padawans, and anime inks.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

09-18
01:06:10

Sweet Pink Purple Whatever

CY and Jacob talk about Bungujoshi's annual ink show in Tokyo, paper theories, new pen releases, lemons, factory calligraphy nibs, and the business of nib grinding.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

09-04
01:21:03

Counterfeit Urushi

CY and Jacob talk about CY's pen adventures in the US, pocket pens, Sailor's new dip pen, upcoming retail events in Tokyo, maki-e stickers, and Japan's commercial transactions law.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

08-21
01:12:31

Eyjafjallajökull

CY and Jacob talk about differences between pen shows in US and Japan, Shishikura and Wagner pen news, how Sanzen intentionally tweaked Tomoegawa's paper formula, Icelandic volcanoes, and more.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

08-07
01:16:30

10 Things Scalpers Don’t Want You to Know

CY, Jacob, and guest Alesa talk about Itoya’s ink show, prison-made glass pens, unpopular opinions, and how to buy pens from Japan.   Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).

07-24
01:06:00

Recommend Channels