Japan 2024: Part 6, Fountain Pen Inks in Fuji, Shizuoka, Sendai and Hakodate

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  • Опубліковано 17 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 114

  • @thewetpen
    @thewetpen  Місяць тому +15

    Hey Everyone! Thanks for following along with this series... this is the last Japan video for this year 🙂 Hopefully I'll be able to make more in the future.
    Here's a question for you: If I do *INKVENT* this year, should I do the Diamine or the Colorverse? I'm leaning towards Colorverse, but the Diamine feels a little more traditional to me.

    • @Rielcool
      @Rielcool Місяць тому +5

      I'd like to see the Colorverse for a change!

    • @danielarnis
      @danielarnis Місяць тому +3

      Colorverse would be great. I am not very familiar with them other than their crazy sheens and glitters. The usability and maintenance info would be helpful. I have been leery of inks with lots of pigment or additives because of this.

    • @Bifonacci
      @Bifonacci Місяць тому +4

      I'd love another Diamine series - Your videos have become part of my Christmas tradition. Having said that, I'm sure I'd also enjoy seeing the Colorverse series.

    • @brownphoto
      @brownphoto Місяць тому +2

      colorverse please

    • @jartecus
      @jartecus Місяць тому +2

      Do colorverse please! I’d love to get a peek at what’s in there before I decide to purchase.

  • @iampizza749
    @iampizza749 Місяць тому +8

    i had a bad day today but seeing your video made my day better. continue like this!

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      Sorry to hear about the bad day, but glad that the video helped a bit 🙂

    • @iampizza749
      @iampizza749 26 днів тому

      @@thewetpen thank you!

  • @hex32webdesign
    @hex32webdesign Місяць тому

    Hey Matthew, I loved your trip.
    What made it so special was your narration, the mix of stills and your b-roll video really give me a sense of what it would be like to visit Japan.
    Thanks for taking the time to produce such high quality videos.
    I know that I'll rewatch these videos again.

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      @hex32webdesign Thank you! I'm very happy to hear that you enjoyed it :-) I've been a photographer for a long time, but these videos have been a great opportunity for me to start learning how to shoot video. I'm making progress, though it's not always obvious:-)

  • @julia-here
    @julia-here Місяць тому +6

    I wasn't expecting a part 6 so I was very excited to see this pop up! Beautiful inks and wow, Fuji is beautiful. (love the inks you chose as well!)

  • @ErinDeCoste
    @ErinDeCoste Місяць тому

    So grateful to have gotten to ‘journey’ with you in this series to Japan and experience all the wonderful inks and sites! Thank you for sharing and looking forward to your next big adventure!

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      Glad you could join me! I'm thinking about Taiwan this winter. The plan had been to go this month, but it's looking like that's not going to happen.

    • @ErinDeCoste
      @ErinDeCoste Місяць тому

      @@thewetpenI’ve been working on my flexibility.. pretty sure I can squeeze into a checked bag *laughs hysterically*

  • @PenLobster
    @PenLobster Місяць тому +1

    Another utterly beautiful video - every shot a work of art. And I loved all of those inks - especially the Fuji Twilight and the Streetlights at Night one. Thank you for making these videos.

  • @TaskmasterWilco-X
    @TaskmasterWilco-X Місяць тому +2

    Wow, some unexpected, amazing colors of inks! Those color-changers are so stunning I was gasping aloud. Greys and browns and subdued colors are not usually my go-tos, but I’d use any of these in a heartbeat. Excellent choices.
    This last video is just beautiful (well, all of them are, lol) and the presence of Mt. Fuji in almost every shot is magical. Thanks for taking us along with you on your trips!

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      Thanks :-) Glad you enjoyed the video... even though I have my own Mt Fuji here (Mt. Rainier), the real Mt Fuji is breathtaking.

  • @mariainesperez6869
    @mariainesperez6869 Місяць тому

    Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful video!!!
    Love Japan, love pens and inks, soooo…
    😊

  • @edwardrutledge2765
    @edwardrutledge2765 Місяць тому

    Sailor Lights in the District is very intriguing. All were interesting…another fascinating ink travelogue.

  • @roxiesossa3210
    @roxiesossa3210 Місяць тому

    Amazing series Matthew! Similar to what others have stated, the quality & detail of your videos is just outstanding! Thanks for taking us along for the ride.

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      Thanks again Roxie :-) Always a pleasure to have you along for the ride!

  • @robertcalkjr.8325
    @robertcalkjr.8325 Місяць тому +1

    Very nice series, thanks!

  • @NwinDii
    @NwinDii Місяць тому

    I'm such a fan of pilot and sailor inks. Sailor has so many gorgeous shading inks~

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      Yes, Sailor really is the king of inks... they have so many, and they're almost universally very good.

  • @AudTalksPens
    @AudTalksPens Місяць тому

    So many wonderful sights, experiences and inks :) My favourites are the Twilight and Mitsube. I look forward to seeing more travel videos.

  • @nibbedinthebud
    @nibbedinthebud Місяць тому +1

    Whoa, this one's a chonker! Thanks again for all your hard work to produce these

  • @sunnycharacter
    @sunnycharacter Місяць тому +2

    That Mt. Fuji Twilight is my favorite of that line.

  • @richardharker2775
    @richardharker2775 Місяць тому

    I love watching these videos of your Japanese journeys adventuring through the stationary stores.
    It never ceases to amaze me how the same ink can appear different using papers from other manufacturers. It must also be difficult for the ink makers to get an accurate colour for a wide paper usage.
    It also crossed my mind if you ever have any issues with customs. I hope not.
    Very nice choice of music and lovely narrative.
    Thank you for sharing.

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      No issues with customs, yet :-) All of the ink goes in my checked luggage, and they pretty much don't care what you put in there, as long as it's not explosive. People who bring home a bottle of sake from the duty free shop will generally have more liquid than I do, so it's really nothing to worry about.

  • @sheilamillar8071
    @sheilamillar8071 Місяць тому +1

    Love your unique presentations! Thank you. 😊

  • @theda1786
    @theda1786 Місяць тому

    Wow! What a goldmine video. Very interesting as always!

  • @davidbyers7246
    @davidbyers7246 Місяць тому

    It makes my day when I see you have uploaded a new video! Fantastic range of inks. Also, I really believe vase bottles should be way more common for fountain pen inks, helps one get that last bit of ink into a pen.

  • @Keanuplz
    @Keanuplz Місяць тому +2

    I found you recently! I watched just about everything you made great stuff! Can’t wait for more!

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      Thanks! Glad you're enjoying the videos... welcome to my channel 🙂

  • @DDawg1144
    @DDawg1144 Місяць тому

    Bravo! A masterpiece of a series!

  • @Veronica-og8qi
    @Veronica-og8qi 25 днів тому

    Hello from Japan! I'm delighted you
    have so much passion for Japanese ink and papers. I'll recommend your channel to my fellow ink lover who happens to be studying English right now.
    I love your videos, keep up the great work❤

  • @brownphoto
    @brownphoto Місяць тому +2

    I was sent a bottle of gagome last year in a mystery box, and it id very unique color,I think I''ll use it more often.

  • @janiekcarney5482
    @janiekcarney5482 Місяць тому +1

    I didn’t realize how extreme the paper can make. So without testing it like you have, you don’t know what you have.

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      Yep! That is exactly why it's so important to swatch the inks on the paper that you use for writing... the paper can make a huge difference in the color and also the other properties, sometimes... sheen, shading, bleeding, etc.

  • @Howaayman
    @Howaayman Місяць тому

    Fascinating series of videos. The effort, research and quality is very professional and I love the aesthetic. Thank you so much for sharing. I’m visiting Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima and will definitely try to visit places you went to. 😊

  • @witchyvicar
    @witchyvicar Місяць тому +1

    WoW! That "shopping district" ink was super interesting! (Now I want some! lolz)

  • @danielarnis
    @danielarnis Місяць тому

    I have loved this series very much. Thanks for taking the time to put these together. I think we could all watch as much of this as you care to prepare.
    P.S. I would love to see you do a review style video of the Yu-Sari paper and notebooks. I recently discovered them and enjoy the balance of ink enhancing properties without being overly long in drying. I am a leftie so this is a critical feature in my paper choice.

    • @danielarnis
      @danielarnis Місяць тому

      AND. My Waterman Expert (L’Essence du Bleu) is perpetually inked up with Wet Pen Rainier Blue. The combo makes me happy every time I use it.

  • @derosa1989
    @derosa1989 Місяць тому +1

    Thanks so much for posting the final video. I've become so much more educated on all the regions of Japan through all your stops and maps! The number of potential places to visit seems infinite, every place you choose there would be so many more that there isn't time to see it all. When on the island of Hokkaido, i was hoping for a stop in Sapporo, but alas it wasn't to be. Like limited room in the luggage, it's so hard to have to pass on some things, it can't be everything!

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      Yes, Sapporo is actually fairly difficult to reach by train, it seems... a lot of Hokkaido is less accessible by public transport than the rest of Japan. In the case of Sapporo, it would have meant spending another day or two up north instead of just making a day-trip of it, and I didn't have enough time before flying home. Next time... 🙂

    • @derosa1989
      @derosa1989 Місяць тому +1

      @@thewetpen Yeah, it looks to be over 1,100km back to Tokyo, much further than i would have guessed. Pretty much need to fly from Sappro, stretching the limits of the train even for Japan.

  • @AndrewWertheimer
    @AndrewWertheimer Місяць тому

    The trip is pau. Your dedication to the mission is amazing. Never been to Shizuoka or Fuji-San. Lovely ink takehomes. Lots of new inks and names to me.
    By the way I brought some of your inks to our Pelikan Hub, and imagine you may get more orders. Many folks also love your videos. Have a great weekend and thanks again

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      Thanks Andrew! I wasn't a huge fan of Shizuoka as a city, but there were some excellent ink options, and Fuji was beautiful. Thanks a ton for sharing my ink with people! 🙂 I think that there were 3 Pelikan Hubs in the area here this year, and I missed them. Maybe I'll be able to plan ahead enough next year...

    • @AndrewWertheimer
      @AndrewWertheimer Місяць тому +1

      @@thewetpen this was my first time as a registered attendee and I ended up as the hub master. It’s good to have the community if you want it. I understand also about Shizuoka. I imagine it’s like any tourist city Hokkaido does seem special and I hope to go someday. Reminds me of my hometown of Minneapolis for some reason. Enjoy the weekend and I will enjoy seeing where you go next.

  • @tbayless8324
    @tbayless8324 Місяць тому

    Always a pleasure, Matthew. Thank You!

  • @TumescentPuma
    @TumescentPuma Місяць тому +1

    Thank you for this series. When was your trip?

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      It was 3 weeks long in Feb. and March of this year.

    • @TumescentPuma
      @TumescentPuma Місяць тому

      @@thewetpen thank you. I would love to go around April/May for the cherry blossoms.

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      @@TumescentPuma Yes... the only problem with that is that everybody else else does, too :-) If you don't mind the crowds, that's no problem. But it's also worth keeping in mind that Japan also has large groves of "winter blooming cherries" that don't draw the crowds but provide a similar experience.

  • @paulmchugh1430
    @paulmchugh1430 Місяць тому

    What a great journey you had. It is hard to believe that it has been 33 years since I have been there, but many of the scenes are very reminiscent to what I remember.
    The inks are incredible in all your episodes. Some I would buy in a heartbeat, others not so much. I still am looking for that case bottle. Hopefully soon.

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      Such an interesting thing about Japan is that, even though I always think of it as a very modern or even futuristic country, much of the progress around the country seems to have stopped in the 1990s. It's really funny to see Japanese walking around with old flip phones and using computers in their stores and offices that look like they date back to my high-school days. I guess that's what happens when the economic bubble bursts. Not universal, of course... still lots of new stuff around, and the old stuff is still mostly in ship shape.

    • @paulmchugh1430
      @paulmchugh1430 Місяць тому

      @@thewetpen taking care of what exists is a hallmark for Japan. There will always be new but keeping something older in excellent condition is a wonderful thing.
      You wouldn't happen to have any vase bottles you are willing to part with?

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      ​@@paulmchugh1430 Not at the moment, but I'll let you know if I think of one that I could let go.

  • @karenholden4740
    @karenholden4740 Місяць тому

    Love this video thank you.

  • @sunnycharacter
    @sunnycharacter Місяць тому

    Oh my, that image of Mt. Fuji is stunning!

  • @ThePaulfranklee
    @ThePaulfranklee Місяць тому

    Awesome video!
    Too many Sailor base bottles to collect! Have added all these to my must go for the next trip.
    Really wished you got those bechori inks to swatch on your paper rings. They seem interesting from his live feed. He does a live feed quite often to show case stuff.

  • @philnaunton7181
    @philnaunton7181 Місяць тому

    Thank you for the six part journey. Amazing!

  • @wind-flower
    @wind-flower Місяць тому

    The "Lights in the Shopping District" ink reminds me of Sailor's Sukigokoro. It has a similar range of colors between different paper types

  • @idpasty
    @idpasty Місяць тому

    Thank you for bringing us along to this enviable journey through Japan. Japan is the one country that I’ve always wanted to go to and through your series of videos, I feel like I know Japan a bit better. You’ve also made it much more meaningful by exploring Japan by way of its many stationery shops. As a fellow fountain pen and ink aficionado, I’ve found myself swatching along with you in these videos, I try my best to find dupes of the inks you buy in my modest collection, and I found great satisfaction in doing that.
    I hope I can retrace your steps across Japan and visit all these lovely shops soon. I promise, I’ll purchase many, many bottles of inks when the time comes. Until then, I’ll live vicariously through your beautiful videos.
    PS. Thank you for the time and passion you poured into these videos. I know I’ve said this before in a comment, but I have found so much joy in the content you make.

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      I really enjoy making videos like this, as long as I've got some good footage to work with... that makes it easy. I really hope that you take the opportunity to visit Japan soon... it's so inexpensive right now, it's really more affordable than traveling in the USA, for me. Good luck!

  • @putteringpenman
    @putteringpenman Місяць тому +1

    Another great video! I love hearing about your travels, watching the swabs dry, and hearing your thoughts.
    I would love to hear your thoughts about normal inks like Platinum Carbon Black or Diamine Oxblood. I think a video or two about commercially available inks would help me understand these exclusive inks by comparison.
    Just a suggestion! I'm sure these videos take a lot of time to make. Great work!

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      Thanks! I find it very difficult to get people to watch videos about standard inks... but I'll keep it in mind. Maybe I can come up with something.

  • @ratgerms138
    @ratgerms138 Місяць тому

    That night light ink was fancy .

  • @pauldavidartistclub6723
    @pauldavidartistclub6723 Місяць тому

    What a wonderful travelogue video…thank you! Shame that the inks I already looked up are nearly impossible to locate for casual purchase! But thanks for the video

  • @ilikepens
    @ilikepens Місяць тому

    Such a fun trip. Thanks for taking us all along!

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      Hey Dustin! Thanks for taking the time out to watch them. These videos are fun to make, but I'm looking forward to getting back to some pen and ink videos that I've been putting off until the end of this series.

  • @assistinsleep7424
    @assistinsleep7424 Місяць тому

    I see a TWP video, I click it.
    I'll watch it again with my son tonight. We can't wait for the Christmas Inkvent Calendar!

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      Thanks! Hope you enjoyed it 🙂

  • @hiltonprice2625
    @hiltonprice2625 Місяць тому

    Thanks!

  • @alexkala
    @alexkala 22 дні тому

    Thank you for the lovely combination of ink and Japanese sightseeing! May I suggest next to a trip to India? Fascinating culture .. with some inks albeit not the same as Japan no doubt.

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  22 дні тому

      Going back to India is certainly high on my list. I've spent about a month there in the past and I love it. Lots of interesting cultures all around the country, some great food, and very friendly people.

  • @StationeryDumpling
    @StationeryDumpling Місяць тому

    Very nice video. What is your swatching tool?

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      Thanks :-) It's a foam cleaning swab... they're sold in big packages on Amazon in several sizes, and they're reusable, which is nice.

    • @StationeryDumpling
      @StationeryDumpling Місяць тому

      @@thewetpen awesome, thank you!

  • @blktauna
    @blktauna Місяць тому

    DHK/FedEX/etc has this thing where it delivers to your house.... I'd never leave those inks behind ...

  • @janiekcarney5482
    @janiekcarney5482 Місяць тому

    Thank you for sharing. I’ve collected inks also but I can’t use it all for the rest of my life. Therefore it’s nice to enjoy your inks. How many do you have?

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      I stopped counting a couple of years ago when I reached 400 bottles. I'd guess I'm somewhere around 600, now, not including the ones that I make myself 🙂

  • @storge306
    @storge306 Місяць тому

    Your self-control in sticking with your rules is impressive.
    Thank you for hanging out with us and bringing us along with you. We appreciate you very much indeed 🤩

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      I did pretty well this time 🙂 Limited luggage space helps a LOT.

  • @samzooom
    @samzooom 23 дні тому

    Hi there, love your videos, I was wondering which paper are you using currently as your go to, and do they have that paper in a A5 notebook?

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  23 дні тому

      Thanks! I don't exactly have one go-to paper, unfortunately... the closest thing to that is probably Yu-Sari paper, which is available in loose sheets and A5 and B5 notebooks. I also really like things about Cosmo Air Snow (not available in A5 notebooks) and Endless Regalia (when it's good it's very good... but there have been some bad batches), which is not available loose. Iroful is pretty good, but cream colored instead of white, and Midori is excellent, but also not white... and I tend to go with white when I can.

  • @ArjanD78
    @ArjanD78 Місяць тому

    I really enjoyed this video. Very relaxing and informative.
    How did you find/select these stationary stores? I wouldn't know where to go if I would visit Japan.

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      For a long time, between trips, I looked through magazines and reddit posts and forums, etc, picking up clues about where I could find exclusive inks. I kept the details on my map, and just explored the ones that I was near, wherever I went in Japan. If you missed my map from the first episode of this series, it's here: www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1ZzIXCrNTQ1QWo2PVVgfTQ3GbP_hjhfU&ll=35.6419364005856%2C139.93624856619806&z=10

  • @DaedalusGage
    @DaedalusGage Місяць тому

    Hey, wait! I don't think I realized that you'd started gravitating away from Tomoe River paper! What do you find yourself using the most now, if not TR? (Also, superb video as always! Really appreciate the content and effort you put into it!)

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      Thanks :-) Actually, I've never really been a fan of TR... especially 52gsm. It's great for a lot of things, there's no doubt about that... and a new package of it has a very nice fragrance. But I don't like the feel or sound of it, or how much ghosting there is, and I don't always like how it changes the color of my inks from what I intend them to be to something randomly different. Of the commonly available papers, I much prefer Yu Sari (for white papers) and Midori (for ivory). I also really like Cosmo Air Snow and Cosmo Air Light / Iroful. I don't mind the soft surface of Cosmo, but the way that it picks up hand oils is a significant issue.

  • @thestationeryjunkie
    @thestationeryjunkie Місяць тому

    Hi Matthew. I'm curious how you packed your ink bottles on your flight. I'm worried about transporting bottles via airplane. I've seen some with caps getting broken due to the pressure.

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      These Sailor bottles are really very sturdy, which helps. I have a hard shell suitcase for my checked luggage, and I brought along some large, heavy-duty ziplock bags and a bit of bubble wrap. The inks were all in boxes, and I wrapped sets of those in bubble wrap and then put them in ziplock bags, and packed all of those into one half of my suitcase, with my dirty laundry packed around them for extra padding. Never had any trouble... no significant leaks, no broken bottles, etc.

    • @thestationeryjunkie
      @thestationeryjunkie Місяць тому +1

      @@thewetpen Thank you! I enjoyed watching this series. Thanks for sharing!

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      @@thestationeryjunkie My pleasure... thanks for watching them 🙂

  • @atomiclead8647
    @atomiclead8647 Місяць тому

    Can anyone find a link for the Mitsuba green ink at 10:17? My Google skills are failing me…

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому +1

      I probably didn't make it clear in this video, but on this trip, I was looking for inks that are not only exclusive to the Japanese market, but to particular stores... so the inks that I find in these videos can only be found at the stores shown in the video. Sometimes they're also available online, if you're willing to pay shipping from Japan, but usually they're only available in store... and that's the case with the Yotsuba inks. The site is here: www.yotsuba-bungu.jp/?mode=srh but they only list a few of their Tono and Lims inks for sale online, as far as I can tell.

    • @atomiclead8647
      @atomiclead8647 Місяць тому

      @@thewetpen That answers that! Thank you!

  • @philnaunton7181
    @philnaunton7181 Місяць тому

    Seahorse scented ink??

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      Indeed.

    • @thewetpen
      @thewetpen  Місяць тому

      I actually only know that it was a scented ink with a seahorse on the front. Maybe the scent was something unrelated.