Introduction

Raden (mother of pearl) is the traditional craft commonly used in lacquerware, woodwork, by inlaying iridescent and delicate mother of pearl.

The application of Raden on a fountain pen is known to be challenging especially since the surface of fountain pens is like a barrel, rather than round instead of flat - making it more skill intensive to yield such breathtakingly beautiful results.

Despite the natural complexity of the Raden, renowned artisan Nagaya Momoko decided to introduce her own unique style when crafting this limited edition pen.

Crafting Process

To begin the crafting process, the back side of Raden or Mother-of-Pearl was coated with pink and blue Urushi to create a reflection of the shade when light shines through. The next step is carefully cutting the delicate Raden into a small round shape, then affixing it to the pen's surface which is coated with black Urushi that is still wet to act as an adhesive.

Another crucial part is the finishing step, topping the whole surface with three to five layers of translucent Urushi to ensure no uneven textures remain in the final product before polishing it gradually to produce a soft luster.

Serial Number

Every pen for this limited edition will have a serial number on the cap.

Designs

蒼鱗 / Sourin (Blue Scale)

Sourin, which loosely translates to Blue Scale, is inspired by the legendary Water Dragons (蛟 / Mizuchi) of Japanese mythology, which depicted them as unstoppable forces of nature found in rivers, lakes, and seas.

The individual shells of Raden encompassing the pen were delicately shaped and applied onto the pen to express the limitless beauty that can be achieved with mother-of-pearl, as well as the scales of these mythical dragons. Just like how each Sourin Fountain Pen will be different from another, the Water Dragons of these stories were as varied in their behavior, their abilities, and of course, their appearances.

Thus, we were inspired to call these pens "Blue Scale" because of how entracing it can be to watch the light's reflection over the Raden shells around the pen, reminding us of ancient poems of how people were speechless upon seeing the majestic form of a Japanese Water Dragon.

The Pre-order for Shuryu starts from February 13th 5 PM (JST), the shipment will start from early June 2026.

朱龍 / Shuryu (Vermillion Dragon)

For thousands of years, the immortal, serpentine image of a Dragon has been a powerful figure in Asian mythology. From archaeological digs in India, China, and Japan, ancient cultures have centered entire belief systems around the Dragon. One of the most pervasive ideas has been the Dragon Kings of the Five Regions.

The four cardinal directions (North, West, South, and East) are said to be ruled by a different dragon with the Vermillion Dragon (Shuryu) ruling over the south and representing the summer seasons. Each individual shell is a radiant vermillion that shines under the light as you hold this artwork in your art, much like the scales of the Dragon King of the South. Japan, in particular, has held this powerful symbol in high regard, and it is why the temples and the spiritual gates (The Torii) are painted with the same shade of vermillion.

Even as the millenia passes, the symbolism of the Vermillion Dragon continues to empower people from all around the world. Let your Raden - Shuryu be your source of power and inspiration as you spend a lifetime writing.