Tokyo Inklings

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Subscribe to the podcast here:

88: Hold My Beer

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob kick off the year with an episode covering erasable ink, rice fermentation, influencer marketing, and how the AI data center boom is making your fountain pens more expensive.

87: Double Down

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob discuss the comeback of a legendary nib, Sailor’s strategy, big updates in the paper world, and the challenges of maintaining consistency across batches and seasons.

86: The Phantom Menace Podcast

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob discuss tariffs, affordable stacked nibs, and oolong tea cans from a galaxy far far away.

85: New Year, New Phase of the Hobby

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 22:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and returning guest Khuê reminisce about the past year and make some predictions for 2025.

84: Live from TIPS 2024

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and special guest Drew Brown report live from the 2024 Tokyo International Pen Show.

83: Silence Is A Container

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob delve into Hobonichi’s paper troubles, analyze eye-opening fountain pen sales figures from Nikkei, and discuss how to address rumors.

82: A Concerning Lack of Sparkles

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob discuss Pilot’s latest product announcements, Sailor’s ongoing financial woes, upcoming stationery events in Tokyo, and recent US pen shows.

81: Investigative Journaling

Sun, 19 May 2024 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob discuss fountain pen marketing, the Q1 earnings of Pilot and Sailor, and share their first impressions of the Sailor Tuzu.

80: Mean Girls Energy

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 21:00:00 +0900

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.

79: They're All Snobs

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob, joined by returning guests Khuê and Alesa, discuss spring pen fairs, stationery M&A news, earthquakes, and a new steel nib.

78: Get Off My Lawn

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 22:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, along with returning guests Khuê and Alesa, reflect on the past year and make some predictions for 2024.

77: Not My Podcast

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 23:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and returning guests Khuê and Alesa talk about recent acquisitions, pen shows, Sailor saturation, and mystery vac fillers.

76: Less Savage Than Bungujoshi

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 20:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and returning guests Khuê and Alesa talk about last month’s pen shows, Pro Gear saturation, and distilled water.

75: Across the North Pole

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 18:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about large and small Sailor nibs, long flights, retractable fountain pens, clicky keyboards, vermilion urushi, and owls.

74: Polypolypoly

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 20:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about turned acrylics, price increases, faceted barrels, counterfeit pens, and middle names.

73: A++

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and returning guests Alesa and Khuê look back at 2022 and try to make a few predictions for 2023.

72: Feels Good To Be a Noob!

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 22:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob discuss last-minute stationery gift ideas, Pilot’s elusive annual Capless LE, filling systems, clicky knocks, and vintage camera lenses.

71: Champagne Pink Portable Printer

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 20:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob discuss Maruzen’s 2023 spring event lineup, Pilot’s new 30th-anniversary Custom 74, flea markets, kimono fabric, and sticker printers.

70: Drunk Nagahara Fixed My Nib

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0900

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.

69: Live from TIPS 2022

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 17:00:00 +0900

Jacob and CY record live from Tokyo International Pen Show 2022.

68: Wet and Creamy

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 21:00:00 +0900

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.

67: (Cosmo Air) Light at the end of the tunnel

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about paper conglomerates, bankruptcies, nib-shaped factory buildings, and new releases from Sailor, PenBBS, and Majohn.

66: Are They Padawan If They Are Sith?

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 08:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about Shishikura pens, Toyooka trays, Hobonichi paper testing results, nib padawans, and anime inks.

65: Sweet Pink Purple Whatever

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 21:00:00 +0900

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.

64: Counterfeit Urushi

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 21:00:00 +0900

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.

63: Eyjafjallajökull

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 11:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about differences between pen shows in US and Japan, Shishikura and Wagner pen news, why Sanzen tweaked Tomoegawa’s paper formula, Icelandic volcanoes, and more.

62: 10 Things Scalpers Don’t Want You to Know

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 18:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and guest Alesa talk about Itoya’s ink show, prison-made glass pens, unpopular opinions, and how to buy pens from Japan.

61: Unlimited Limited Editions

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about glass pens made in prison, ink trends, Hachimonjiya’s sparkly new Pro Gear, and Platinum’s surprisingly popular new pen.

60: The Spiciest Episode Yet

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 19:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and guests Khuê and Alesa discuss TWSBI’s and Narwhal’s joint statement, Plus’s acquisition of Sailor, upcoming events, dip pens, and CY’s spicy article about Wancher.

59: Do It For The Bagels

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about Platinum’s all-new nib, Sailor’s upcoming price increases, a new store-exclusive Capless, Naniwa pen show, dip pens, and more.

58: You Don’t Do This To Your Neighbour

Sun, 29 May 2022 21:00:00 +0900

Frank from Narwhal Pens joins Jacob and CY to talk about in-house nibs, piston designs, upcoming products, and much more.

57: Lacking Context

Sun, 15 May 2022 20:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about stationery store visits during Golden Week, Pilot and Sailor news, and the latest drama.

56: CY Hates Sanzen Tomoe River

Sun, 01 May 2022 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about Sanzen Tomoe River, Tono & Lims’s spring event, Kurashiki, financial statements, new products from Pilot, and Tohma pens.

55: Adult Supervision Is Back

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 21:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and Khuê talk about exciting paper news, the return of Kamihaku, a popular Traveler’s notebook release, and elusive Sailor inks from Tochigi.

54: MT Everywhere

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 17:00:00 +0900

Khuê, Alesa, and CY get together to talk about Mythical Emperors, Kurashiki, and give their best entry, mid range, and high end pen suggestions.

53: Another Day, Another Drama

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about TWSBI’s outburst, new Sailor and Pilot releases, earthquakes, and shipping difficulties.

52: Laughed Out Of All The Stores

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 21:00:00 +0900

Jacob and CY talk about expected and unexpected pen fairs, a new ink trend, nibs with pacifiers, and a new retailer-exclusive Decimo.

51: Swatching Inks in the Trenches

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 09:00:00 +0900

Jacob contacted Kaweco, CY went to Nagasaki, and Shishikura ran out of chunky glitter.

50: Cat and Tea Loving Pen

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 21:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and guests Alesa and Khuê talk about Pilot’s new pastel-colored pens, Bungubox’s latest releases, glass pens, inks for pen and paper testing, and answer a few listener questions.

49: Confetti Finials

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 15:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about investigative journalism, PenBBS’s carved nibs, Kakimori’s announcement, and the latest releases by Platinum and Sailor.

48: Our Predictions, Wildly Off

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 22:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, Khuê, and Alesa look back at 2021 and try to make a few predictions for 2022.

47: You Can (Not) Buy One of These

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about Tono & Lims’s chaotic winter event, highly coveted glass pens, Wagner’s past Sailor LEs, extra-stiff Pilot nibs, Japan’s largest stationery show, and how Nagahara explained the King Cobra.

46: Hilariously Huge Pens

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about Maruzen’s 2022 pen fair lineup, Sailor’s Pro Gear configurator, Kakimori’s metal dip nibs, and CY’s visit to Tohma.

45: The CEO’s Granddaughter Drew the Design

Sun, 28 Nov 2021 21:00:00 +0900

Jacob and CY talk about Kubo’s monster nibs, Ohashido’s unusual deal with Sailor, Mori’s Wagner pen plans, Tohma, Capless news, and a bunch of new releases from Sailor.

44: Live from TIPS 2021

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob report live from the 2021 Tokyo International Pen Show.

Emergency 3: New New Tomoe River

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 19:20:06 +0900

In this third emergency episode, Jacob and CY talk about a major announcement regarding Tomoe River.

43: The First Time in History

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 21:00:00 +0900

Jacob, CY, and guests Alesa and Khuê talk about Pilot’s unexpected Iroshizuku announcement, 2022 planner choices, the big pen show next month, Ancora’s Sailor event, and Shosaikan’s new pen.

42: Mushroom Sailors

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 16:00:00 +0900

Jacob and CY talk about custom acrylics, CY’s trip to HK, vintage celluloid Montblanc pens, Itoya’s system techo event, and Sailor’s latest urushi pens.

41: Don't Give Up On Tomoe River

Sat, 25 Sep 2021 19:21:23 +0900

CY and Jacob discuss exciting paper news from Sakae TP, the annual Inku-numa show, Maruzen’s autumn event, Moonman’s revenge pen, and new product announcements from Sailor.

40: Speculative Pro Gear Bubble

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 06:05:37 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about Plotter and other system techo planners, Maruzen’s upcoming events and pens, calligraphy nibs, Wagner news, and the history of Nakaya.

39: Inappropriate Nib Engraving

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about melon soda, Sailor’s flooded factory, a colorful new Platinum pen, and Jacob’s descent into the glass pen swamp.

38: The Lamborghini of Fountain Pens

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about new acquisitions, discuss pros and cons of glass pens vs Drillog, more Chinese calligraphy nibs, paper and ink news, and also drool over the Lamborghini of fountain pens.

37: They Overstepped Their Boundaries

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 05:21:00 +0900

CY and Jacob dissect a statement from Kaweco, and also talk about Sailor’s latest earnings, nib stacking, EDC, current fountain pen trends, and what sets Pilot apart from other pen makers.

36: This is a Jacob Pen

Sun, 18 Jul 2021 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about affordable naginata grinds, Pikachu-themed boardroom pens, rebottled Sailor inks, Kickstarter funding goals, red polar bears, and creepy sushi mascots.

35: Rube Goldberg Filling System

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 19:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob try out a trendy new paper and discuss Drillog, the annual Pen Trading in Tokyo, and their thoughts on Platinum’s Kinshu and Sailor’s 110th-anniversary pen after trying both at Maruzen this week.

34: Broadway Cats

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 07:11:21 +0900

CY, Jacob, and guests Akane, Alesa, and Khuê talk about glass pens, paper testing, tax-deductible dip pens, and cat influencers.

33: I Need an Airy Goat

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob debunk the latest Tomoe River rumors and talk about paper options, chubby pens, the latest Sailor products, and gray importers.

32: Tomoe River is the New Toilet Paper

Sun, 23 May 2021 16:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob sort out what’s going on with Tomoe River, discuss double standards in the pen community, and talk about the latest new product announcements.

31: Greige is a Popular Women’s Hair Colour

Sun, 09 May 2021 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about telescopic piston fillers, tax deductible pens, two new Platinum releases, and why they’re passionate about fountain pens.

30: Nagahara Doesn't Write

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 17:32:45 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about how not to ink up a vintage pen, about Japan’s third state of emergency and what it means for stationery stores and events, and about Nagahara’s views on stacked nibs, overseas pen makers, and more.

29: Hokkaido Iridium

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 17:29:38 +0900

CY, Jacob, and Pilot collector extraordinaire Leo Fok geek out about Pilot’s history and many models, nibs, filling systems, and shareholder gifts.

28: Build-A-Gear

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about Plus and Sailor’s all-new sub-brand, product launches, and Apple-esque retail store in Tokyo’s posh Ginza shopping district.

27: The Mad Lads Did It!

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 21:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, Khue, and Alesa get together after the Maruzen World Pen Fair to discuss the event, Pilot’s latest exciting releases, and Sailor’s never ending LEs as well as a surprise release from Kokuyo.

26: Shockingly Shiny

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 22:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and special guest Alesa argue about a new, colorful Pilot pen, and talk about stacked nibs, composite materials, and robotics news.

25: Don’t go running in the dark

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 20:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about broken arms, cracked caps, bankruptcies, news, and quintessentially Japanese pens.

24: CY Reacts to Things

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 20:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about welded nib experiments, Nagahara’s opinions on zoom nibs, and the latest batch of Sailor releases.

23: It’s a Cat Show

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 18:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about Onoto and Maruzen, junk bin finds, cat shows, wooden pens, and about pen events during Tokyo’s second state of emergency.

22: Review; Preview

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 17:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, Khuê, and Alesa look back at the major events in 2020 and also try to make a few predictions.

21: A shiny croissant

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 22:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob discuss an unusual auction find, CY’s latest haul, Maruzen’s pen fair lineup, a bunch of new Sailor releases (again), and a new Pilot LE from Fukushima.

20: Platinum and the Four Butts

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 20:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about acquisitions, a plethora of Sailor releases, and Platinum’s odd, semi-official online store.

19: Not enough glitter

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 21:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, Khuê, and Alesa talk about TIPS, glass pen drama, new Sailor releases, Mercari finds, and disappointing eyedroppers.

18: Tokyo International Pen Show: Now in Color

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 20:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob report live from the 2020 Tokyo International Pen Show.

17: Run of the mill Japanese?

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 20:23:50 +0900

CY and special guest Akane talk about growing up with stationery in Japan, differences across borders, and what it’s like to be a stationery fan as a run of the mill Japanese (?).

16: The Sailor’s New Clothes

Sun, 11 Oct 2020 20:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about whimsical roll stoppers, fat Japanese nibs, disclosure reports, non-angular typography, the future of stationery events in Japan, and a sparkly Kyoto Opal pen.

15: Streets for Men

Sun, 27 Sep 2020 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about Bokumondoh beauties, notebooks, chubby vintage pens, and pen and ink news.

14: I Toos am Ink Numa

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 08:06:34 +0900

CY, Jacob, Khuê, and Alesa talk about observations and haul from Japan’s biggest ink show.

13: We bought all the Moonmen

Sun, 30 Aug 2020 21:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and Khuê talk about paper, planners, nib engraving, Chinese pens, and metal powder.

Emergency 2: Sailor Minus

Sat, 22 Aug 2020 16:00:00 +0900

In this second ’emergency’ episode, CY and Jacob talk about new announcements from Sailor.

12: Annual Nib Check-up

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 22:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and Khuê talk about new LE Sailors, Nakaya, glass nibs, a big ink show, and answer listener questions.

11: The Hashtag Ruined It

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 11:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about a golden Bokumondoh pen, ink mixing, nib plating, Nagahara nib grinds, a creepy mermaid (again), and some ink news.

10: Harajuku Horoyoi

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about a Sailor pen with healing vibrations, ink blending with Sailor’s Ishimaru, exciting Bungubox news, Tomoe River, and answer listener questions.

9: Ink Show Wagner

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 21:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and guests Khuê and Alesa talk about Wagner’s pen trading event, Nagahara news, Plus follow-ups, new releases, and answer listener questions.

Emergency 1: Sailor Plus

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 21:03:54 +0900

In this first ’emergency’ episode, CY and Jacob talk about a major business news story involving Sailor.

8: Pilot Has Won Me Over

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 21:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about new acquisitions, a mystery pen maker from South Korea, new ink releases, flanges, and another ink book.

7: Shopping Doesn’t End

Sun, 07 Jun 2020 16:35:29 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about Klingon swords, Sailor nibs, Bokumondoh, safety pens, Kakimori, and more.

6: Sailor is on Top

Sat, 23 May 2020 12:00:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and returning guest Khue talk creepy mermaids, Platinum drama, interesting vintage finds, and Sailors. Lots and lots of Sailors.

5: In Japan, ink swamps you

Sat, 09 May 2020 11:13:00 +0900

CY, Jacob, and guest Khue talk new acquisitions, recent online events, the vast ink swamp, and answer listener questions.

4: Stationery is Everywhere

Sun, 26 Apr 2020 16:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk new pen and ink releases, convenience store stationery, navigating ink events, and Japanese influencers.

3: A NAGging Interest

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 12:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk Chinese inks, swabbing, naginata nibs, Asian calligraphy, pen collecting in Japan, and little-known brands.

2: Maruzen of Emergency

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 12:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob talk about Maruzen, sparkly Sailor pens, stationery hunting during State of Emergency, paper, and pen doctors.

1: The Holy Land

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 12:00:00 +0900

CY and Jacob gather to discuss the lay of the land and the general Japanese fountain pen scene, pen shows, and more!