Nawate Koh Haku-chirashi nuri fountain pen * Sailor

 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.