Koh Nawate Haku-chirashi nuri fountain pen * Sailor

Description:

Lacquer artist Toru Yoshida is the third generation and head of 'Shikko Yoshida', an urushi lacquer atelier in the Aizu Wakamatsu region. He does not limit himself to the aizu-nuri lacquering technique, but fuses various forms and techniques that best suit each lacquerware he crafts. His ingenuity has given birth to Sailor’s Nawate fountain pens in Haku-chirashi nuri, a Traditional Japanese lacquer Art.

Each Sailor Nawate fountain pen has an ebonite wooden body, covered with urushi and decorated in Haku-chirashi nuri. The uneven matt color texture of the smoked foil in the base gives the design a modern touch, and metal foil flecks are coated on the surface with Japanese lacquer. Each pen has a unique pattern with either silver, gold, or copper foil.

The striationthat flows vertically through the wooden cap gives it the visual effect of being elegantly long and provides a stable grip for capping and uncapping. At the same time it provides a kind of stopper to prevent the pen from rolling over. It is a masterpiece of beautility.

The renowned Aizu-nuri technique of Urushi Lacquer Art was born in the Aizu region of the western part of Fukushima Prefecture and has been popular since the Edo Period (1603-1898). The humid local climate, typical of basin-shaped valleys, is ideal for handling urushi. Everything from growing Japanese Lacquer trees for urushi sap, to decorating lacquerware to the finish all within the Aizu region, created a holistic industry that continually pursued technological innovation.

The Aizu Nuri industry dates back to the 1573-1592 (Tensho period), encouraged by Ujisato Gamo, the feudal lord of Aizu. Being close to Edo, Aizu-nuri lacquerware began to be exported overseas towards the end of the Edo period.