The Sankakusen grind: Characters of the brush in fountain pen writing.
Whether you are using it for everyday writing or calligraphy, the Sankakusen is designed to create expressive strokes for East Asian characters, or adding a calligraphic flair to Western lettering, making it a versatile nib grind for many writers.
Visit our Library of Knowledge to read the full article (link in bio).
The limits of self-learning a traditional craft.
Full episode on YouTube and other major podcast platforms dropping on Friday, 8th of May.
Welcome to Heritage Meets Modernity, where we explore the intersections between art, literature, culture, and contemporary life.
In our debut episode, Sophia shares her journey from a decade in science to building a career in art, and the realities of commission work as an independent artist.
Background Music:
"Dawn" by Sappheiros
Free download: breakingcopyright.com/song/sappheiros-dawn
Art forces you to look inward.
(Full episode dropping soon on YouTube and major podcast platforms.)
Welcome to Heritage Meets Modernity, where we explore the intersections between history, art, literature, culture, and contemporary life.
In our debut episode, Sophia shares her journey from a decade in science to building a career in art, and the realities of commission work as an independent artist.
Background Music:
"Dawn" by Sappheiros
Free download: breakingcopyright.com/song/sappheiros-dawn
We are excited to announce the next maki-e workshops and urushi seminars scheduled for this summer. Swipe through the carousel for dates/times of each event.
Tickets for the @dcpenshow seminar and workshop are now available on our website (or links in bio) Seats are limited, so please book quickly to secure your spot!
(For the Kyuseido events held at the @dutchpenshow and @stationery.fest , check out their respective websites for tickets.)
More information about the maki-e workshop and seminar can be found on the "Events" page on our website.
About the Workshop:
The workshop will introduce you to maki-e, a form of urushi craft that combines natural urushi lacquer with metal powder to create a design. In the end, you will take your maki-e creation home together with a curated kit of tools and materials for your own future projects.
About the Seminar:
In this seminar, you will learn more about the history and techniques of urushi craftsmanship and what it means to work with this lacquer in current times.
Thank you everyone who joined our very first Maki-e workshop at the 2026 Manila Pen Show!
As a continuation of our “Art of Urushi” Seminar last year, we were excited to launch our hands-on workshops for people to experience. We hope it gave participants a greater understanding of the artistry behind Maki-e.
We also wish to thank the amazing workshop team (Lorraine, Ronin, and Dana) who helped with organising the workshop logistics, and the volunteers who worked tirelessly to help out during both days of the pen show. The workshops would not have gone so smoothly without your assistance during the entire process. Also many thanks to @sushi.plans for taking such great care of us during the show!
We are also excited to bring both this workshop and the seminar to Europe at the @dutchpenshow in June. See you all there!
We’re excited to introduce a unique and exclusive workshop: Painting with Powder, a beginner-friendly Japanese Maki-e experience led by Sophia Ma @urushi.notes .
Sponsored by @kyuseido
Have you ever wondered what is the magic behind creating a Maki-e fountain pen? Then this beginner friendly workshop is the perfect chance to learn more about the origins of the art of Urushi and Maki-e! In this workshop, we will introduce you to Maki-e, a form of Urushi craft that involves the combination of natural Urushi and metal powder to create your own work of art.
In this 3 hour workshop you will learn about the core concepts of Maki-e and will experience applying a simple design on a plate with urushi using a fine brush. You will get to choose from an assortment of coloured powder to customise your design and, by the end of the workshop, will take your maki-e creations home together with a curated Maki-e kit to continue future projects of your own!
About the Instructor:
Sophia (@urushi.notes ) is a urushi and maki-e artist based in Hong Kong. She began to practice the art of urushi in 2022 on a self guided basis before taking formal maki-e lessons at Maki-e School Ginza under Matsuda Shokan in Tokyo in 2024.
Disclaimer:
We will use genuine urushi lacquer. While safe when cured, uncured urushi may cause skin allergies. Gloves are provided, and risk is low with proper handling. By joining, you acknowledge this risk. Please be cautious if you have severe reactions to urushiol, poison ivy, or poison oak.
You will take home a complete Maki-e kit including:
* 1 Tube of Maki-e Urushi
* Two Maki-e brushes
* Maki-e metal powders
* Maki-e urushi plate
* Display stand
The event will be held in English on Saturday June 6, at 14:30h – 17:30h. The cost for this activity is €350 (incl. vat).
🎫Tickets are available now!
Are you planning to sign up for this workshop?👇
Hydrangeas have been represented in Japanese art as far back as the Nara period where it was referenced in the Man'yōshū, which is the oldest Japanese collection of waka poetry. Over time, hydrangeas have come to represent sincerity, heartfelt emotions, gratitude, and apology. While this genus of flowers are native across Asia and the Americas, it is believed that Japan was one of the first nations to cultivate this plant, with now 70-80 variants that are grown in the country.
This is a limited edition of only 9 pens made in collaboration with @urushi.notes Do not miss out on seeing this in person from the 20th-22nd February at the 2026 California Pen Show! @capenshow
Hydrangeas are known for their colour variations from their deep blues to vibrant pinks, which results from the acidic or alkaline conditions of the soil they grow in. Taking inspiration from this, we decided to use the natural iridescent properties of the abalone shell used for raden inlay to reflect the myriad colours that shift depending on the angle of light.
The Kyuseido Kakari Natsu-Ajisai Summer Hydrangea series is a limited edition of only 9 pens. This is the second release of our four seasons collaboration with @urushi.notes which will be first available at the 2026 @capenshow before it is released online through our website after the pen show.
The Kyuseido Kakari Natsu-Ajisai Summer Hydrangea is the second in our series of four limited edition collections inspired by the four seasons. This series was made in collaboration with Sophia from @urushi.notes to create this limited edition of 9 pens that will make its debut at the @capenshow in February 2026.
Starting in June, the transition of Spring to Summer in Japan is marked by the arrival of the rainy season also known as Tsuyu (梅雨). During this time, the country is marked with vibrant blooms of blue, purple, and pink hydrangeas which transform the neighbourhoods into picturesque scenes. It has become the symbolic flower of this change in season, signalling the arrival of the warmer months.
We welcome you to stop by our table at the upcoming California Pen Show to see this collection in person! This series will be made available online after the pen show.
Thank you to @yoseka.stationery for hosting us last weekend. It was a great event to meet all of our supporters and we are incredibly grateful to share this experience with everybody.
Yoseka Stationery is a particularly special place to us. While we followed the growth of Yoseka from prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we first physically came to Yoseka Stationery even before the birth of Kyuseido as a brand in 2022. Neil, Daisy, and the entire team welcomed us with open arms into their special home. In time, Yoseka started to feel like a home for us too.
The staff and the customers here at Yoseka all come together to make this little corner of New York City into more than just a stationery store. It is our stationery dreams made manifest, filled to the brim with all the things that we love.
Thank you, Yoseka Stationery, for making our dreams a reality in New York. We hope to be back soon!
CY @kyuseido from Japan is at Yoseka the next 3 days grinding nibs! Tomorrow, he will be teaching a sold out seminar on Urushi which I’m very excited about. Stop by to say hi and learn about Kyuseido fountain pens!
Can’t believe it’s been 3 years since this photo was taken!
We are happy to announce that CY, founder of @kyuseido and co-host of @tokyoinklings podcast, will be visiting Yoseka and taking nib grinding appointments from August 8-10 (Friday to Sunday) in our new event space.
On Saturday, August 9, CY will also be holding a free seminar on the artform of Urushi from 10-12pm. Attendance for the seminar will be capped at 20.
Nibwork slots: /events/yoseka-stationery-nib2025
Seminar Signup: /shop-all/p/yoseka-stationery-urushi-seminar
