That fountain pen project I mentioned here before—based on a Depeche Mode album—unfortunately got shelved.

如龍得水 — “like a dragon finding water.” It’s an idiom meaning to find the right place and conditions, and then thrive—rising to your full potential.

如龍得水 — “like a dragon finding water.” It’s an idiom meaning to find the right place and conditions, and then thrive—rising to your full potential.

A piece of calligraphy by my mentor, the calligrapher Sato Heisen: “変則通”—a phrase from the I Ching (易経). Loosely translated, it conveys this truth: when a situation has reached a complete dead end, changing course can actually open a new path forward.

These are not official LAMY products—they’re my personal pens—but I decorated them with maki-e insect motifs. I’m really happy with how they turned out, and I love them. #matsuzawa #makie #LAMY

I listened to a talk by a Japanese kintsugi artist based in Toronto, and it was incredibly insightful. What feels “natural” to us in Japan doesn’t always translate abroad—so we need to explain the cultural context carefully. The same goes for kintsugi😊

The exhibition catalogue and postcards from the long-awaited “Samurai” show finally arrived. They have a different kind of charm compared to Japanese museum catalogues, and the accordion-fold postcard set is really fun. As a Kuniyoshi fan, I couldn’t be happier.

These are not official LAMY products—they’re my personal pens—but I decorated them with maki-e insect motifs. I’m really happy with how they turned out, and I love them. #matsuzawa #makie #LAMY

A customer in Hong Kong has been using this “Wanko Kyodai” bowl—an Iwate Prefecture mascot design we made 10 years ago. We re-lacquered and restored it, and it’s come back to life beautifully. It looks right at home with Hong Kong’s night skyline😊

A gift that truly lasts: we recreated a grandchild’s drawing of their grandparents on the surface of a bowl, faithfully rendered using traditional urushi-e techniques. They loved it. It’s the kind of piece that becomes a lifelong memory—and because it’s used every day, the attachment only grows😀

I roasted urushi seeds and made urushi tea. The roasting aroma is amazing😍—sweet and totally unlike coffee. I think I’m the only one making this in Japan, so it’s still under the radar. Of course, it’s caffeine-free—and I’ve also seen reports suggesting it may help lower blood pressure.

Kinkei fountain pen

A gift that truly lasts: we recreated a grandchild’s drawing of their grandparents on the surface of a bowl, faithfully rendered using traditional urushi-e techniques. They loved it. It’s the kind of piece that becomes a lifelong memory—and because it’s used every day, the attachment only grows😀

Kintsugi repair on a chipped Brooks Brothers commemorative mug.

The traffic light’s iced over—I can’t tell what color it is.

Japan’s Ginkakuji Temple to Increase Admission Fees for 1st Time in 32 Years from April japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/features/tra...

Kinkei fountain pen

The “Samurai” exhibition has just opened at the British Museum! They must have a lot of urushi-lacquered pieces on display, too. www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/...

The “Samurai” exhibition has just opened at the British Museum! They must have a lot of urushi-lacquered pieces on display, too. www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/...

Events that introduce Japanese culture are genuinely meaningful, and I’m grateful for them. That said, this particular event has drawn some criticism on X, because what’s being presented isn’t traditional kintsugi—it’s a “kintsugi-style” repair using epoxy. www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/i...

【本日より販売予約開始！】 大船渡山林復興支援アクセサリーawaseの新作が登場しました。 リング💍と新シリーズshizukuが加わり充実したラインナップに。 碧い氷のようなクールさが好評です！ こちらも宜しくお願い致します🙇‍♂️ #awase #北日本水産 #大船渡市山林火災 #羽生結弦 #newsevery japanjoboji.thebase.in

A year has passed since that post, and she has become one of the most recognized urushi artists in Japan. Her urushi-lacquered snowboard made a huge impact.

They’re the people we listen to every day—we don’t know their faces or even their names, and yet their voices are the ones we know best. @TheDonnaBurke

【Pre-orders open today!】 New pieces have arrived for awase, our accessory line supporting the recovery of the Ōfunato forest fire. We’ve added rings and a brand-new series, shizuku, making the lineup even more complete. #awase #OfunatoForestFire #YuzuruHanyu japanjoboji.thebase.in

【本日より販売予約開始！】 大船渡山林復興支援アクセサリーawaseの新作が登場しました。 リング💍と新シリーズshizukuが加わり充実したラインナップに。 碧い氷のようなクールさが好評です！ こちらも宜しくお願い致します🙇‍♂️ #awase #北日本水産 #大船渡市山林火災 #羽生結弦 #newsevery japanjoboji.thebase.in

【Pre-orders open today!】 New pieces have arrived for awase, our accessory line supporting the recovery of the Ōfunato forest fire. We’ve added rings and a brand-new series, shizuku, making the lineup even more complete. #awase #OfunatoForestFire #YuzuruHanyu japanjoboji.thebase.in

I’m currently removing urushi berries from their bunches—work that’s right at the root of urushi craftsmanship. But this time, I’m doing something different: I’ll extract the seeds, roast them, and turn them into “urushi tea sweets”😊

Senke Jusshoku: The Ten Craft Families of Tea Ceremony | NHK WORLD-JAPAN Shows www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/... Nakamura Sōtetsu, an urushi artisan for tea utensils, is one of the Senke Jisshoku. The family has carried on this craft for over 400 years.

A fountain pen inspired by Japanese plum trees. It may look like sumi ink painting, but the effect is also achieved through traditional urushi artistry. #fountainpen #matsuzawa

Shohei Ohtani Requested a Fountain Pen as a Gift from Sho Nakata—What’s His Taste in Pens? (Japanese) www.nikkansports.com/entertainmen...

Caran d’Ache’s annual Zodiac fountain pen series with an urushi finish has come to an end. It’s especially disappointing for us, because the urushi used for that model was refined by our company. #fountainpen #matsuzawa

A fountain pen inspired by Japanese plum trees. It may look like sumi ink painting, but the effect is also achieved through traditional urushi artistry. #fountainpen #matsuzawa

Raden fountain pen (Pelikan Souverän® M800) #fountainpen #matsuzawa

Caran d’Ache’s annual Zodiac fountain pen series with an urushi finish has come to an end. It’s especially disappointing for us, because the urushi used for that model was refined by our company. #fountainpen #matsuzawa

Foreign Workers in Japan Hit Record 2.57 Million. japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/news-service...

Today Platinum Pen announced the “#3776 Century Ver. 2.0 Demonstrator”—and I want it! It’s limited to 2,000 pieces worldwide… but there’s no way I can afford it with my allowance😅 www.platinum-pen.co.jp/en/news/deta...

Today Platinum Pen announced the “#3776 Century Ver. 2.0 Demonstrator”—and I want it! It’s limited to 2,000 pieces worldwide… but there’s no way I can afford it with my allowance😅 www.platinum-pen.co.jp/en/news/deta...

It took 4 months to complete the export procedures for cashew to a customer in Atlanta. A year ago, it didn’t take nearly this long—it would arrive in about 2 weeks. The customs clearance fees and shipping costs were also about 10 times higher than before. All of this is because of that president😞

Maki-e fountain pen #goldfish #matsuzawa

Maki-e fountain pen #goldfish #matsuzawa

I like it! I could see it for daily-use. The cap's a bit finicky, & I don't grip that close to the nib, so the grip feels short. Still, I like the finish, the feel, and it writes great for taking notes while working. I'll use this alongside my Pilot Capless for everyday stuff & see how it goes!

Taking a minimalist aluminum fountain pen from MUJI, our studio has meticulously adorned it with Art Nouveau motifs using traditional Japanese urushi techniques. #matsuzawa #fountainpen

Tame-nuri fountain pen #fountainpen #matsuzawa

At a client’s request, we finished a Montblanc Meisterstück 149 in midori tame-nuri. Since the underlying material is translucent, the result has a unique sense of depth with a gentle see-through glow. #matsuzawa #fountainpen

Taking a minimalist aluminum fountain pen from MUJI, our studio has meticulously adorned it with Art Nouveau motifs using traditional Japanese urushi techniques. #matsuzawa #fountainpen

Maki-e fountain pens

Maki-e fountain pen

Further Heavy Snow Expected for Sea of Japan Side on Sunday, Some Regions May Be Hit by Up to 70 Centimeters japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/gene...

At a client’s request, we finished a Montblanc Meisterstück 149 in midori tame-nuri. Since the underlying material is translucent, the result has a unique sense of depth with a gentle see-through glow. #matsuzawa #fountainpen

Lately I’ve been noticing thick icicles hanging from roofs all over the neighborhood. People say that’s a sign the insulation isn’t doing its job. Funny thing is, we don’t get icicles at our place. Not because our insulation is great—because it’s freezing inside.