Yakumo-nuri Ryumon - Amaterasu

Notice: Each Urushi fountain pen is handcrafted with no two pieces exactly alike, which is a valuable characteristic of hand-crafted art. Therefore, the pen that you received might be slightly different from the prototype pictures, yet, at the same time, it will be a unique artwork of your own.

The Origin of Yakumo-nuri

Yakumo-nuri is a legendary Urushi (Japanese lacquer) technique that originated in Matsue City of Shimane Prefecture. Despite its reputation for beauty, it is a relatively young art style, having been invented by Matsue lacquer artist Heiichi Sakata in the early Meiji period. The name ‘Yakumo’ was invented by Heiichi Sakata, who was reportedly inspired by the oldest Japanese poem - Yakumo Tatsu. 

The Design

Ryumon-nuri (Flowing Pattern Urushi)

Through a process known as ‘marbling’, the artisan pours Urushi into a container with water before transferring this mixture directly onto the surface area of an item, such as a fountain pen.

The pattern varies depending on the amount of Urushi used and the area upon which it is added, which is why each design that utilizes Ryumon-nuri will result in a completely unique pen. :

The Artisan: Nagaya Momoko

Born in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, Nagaya Momoko graduated from the illustrious Kanagawa College of Art before opening her own studio in the city of Izumo. 

With the aim of preserving and developing the local traditional craft of Yakumo-nuri, she works on creating artworks that masterfully meld modern innovations with traditional Yakumo-nuri.

When we learned of Nagaya Momoko’s personal philosophy, it was clear that it aligned with our own commitment to preserving traditional arts, which is why we hope our collaboration will be the beginning of more artworks that can raise awareness of these underrated techniques. 

Specifications

Base material: Ebonite

Art: Ryumon-nuri 

Filling mechanism: Converter or Cartridge (European International Standard)

Nib: #6 Jowo stainless steel, Keiryu - Kodachi, Shogun 18K 

Feed: Plastic, ebonite black, ebonite red

Compact air-tight cap: Preven dried-out ink problem

Packaging

Traditional Japanese Wooden Box + Pen Kimono + Instructional Materials + Converter + Cartridge