Confessions of a Spanish Pen Addict. I.

Last September I started a collaboration with the magazine Shumi-no Bungubako (趣味の文具箱) under the generic title “Confessions of a Spanish Pen Addict”. My first text was this piece “East Meets West” on some old topic included on these Crónicas Estilográficas you are now reading.

Repetitive as this text might be, it can also work as a contrast to the new ways seen in Istanbul that I described on my previous text.


East Meets West

My relationship with fountain pens started in high school in Spain. My first workhorse was a plasticky Waterman Jif —an excellent, even if simple, scholar fountain pen.

Waterman Jif.

The hobby came after years of using fountain pens of all kinds —good and bad, smooth and scratchy. Already living in Japan I needed a new tool to write with. I made an Internet search for information about pens in Tokyo and it gave me my first insight on Japanese fountain pens by the hand of the Pilot Myu 701. This beautiful pen triggered my interest for pens in general. Then I digged deeper. That was about twenty years ago. And four years later, I started my blog “Crónicas Estilográficas” where I mostly write about Japanese fountain pens.

Pilot Myu 701.

I attended my first pen show in 2009. It was the sixth edition of the Madrid Pen Show, the pen show of my hometown. It was a wonderful experience: an endless collection of pens and a generous community of enthusiasts willing to share their knowledge. The event gathered about 50 dealers and about 1000 visitors during three days in november.

Since then, I have visited many more pen shows, and I have gained some experience in navigating them, as they are always overwhelming: so many pens and so many dealers, but also so little money.

Madrid Pen Show in 2024.

But I live in Japan, and the scenario here is very different. At that time, 2010-15, there were frequent pen meetings in the Tokyo area –and in Japan in general. They were common, but also small: about a couple of dozen participants at most, and not that many pens for sale.

It was only in 2018 that Tokyo witnessed something resembling a true pen show: the Tokyo International Pen Show, better known as TIPS. Since that year, TIPS has been held every autumn and has grown steadily in reputation and attendance. But is it truly comparable to the grand pen shows of Madrid, London, or Utrecht, to name just a few?

European pen shows are, at their core, about fountain pens. Of course, there are always some dealers offering paper, ink, and other accessories, but these are secondary. The fountain pen is the king. And perhaps because of that focus, attendees are mostly middle-aged or older, and predominantly male.

By contrast, TIPS and other events of the type in Japan are broader in scope —they celebrate stationery culture in general. At these events, fountain pens, mostly new, are only a very small portion of what is on display. The majority of tables feature almost anything but pens: notebooks, fancy paper, stickers, ink stamps, masking tapes, and, above all, new inks. The visitors are also very different: younger, often in their twenties and thirties, and with a strong presence of women.

Tokyo International Pen Show, TIPS, in 2019.

As interesting as these events are, they might not be the primary destination for fountain pen lovers in search of unique pens in Japan. Instead, such collectors could do much better by looking to the smaller groups of aficionados whose regular gatherings, though modest in scale, are specifically dedicated to fountain pens.

Reagardless of its commercial focus, the example of TIPS poses an important question: how sustainable is the European model for pen shows? Their audience may be loyal and relatively wealthy, but they are also aging, and there is hardly a new generation of pen lovers ready to take over. Pen show organizers in Europe may then need to look at events like TIPS for inspiration, especially when it comes to attracting younger customers.

On the other hand, the TIPS model is not without problems. Its very broad scope, particularly in a country so rich in stationery goods as Japan, makes it easy to replicate. In fact, in recent years we have seen a proliferation of similar stationery markets and fairs. At times, it has seemed as though there was one such event almost every month. Is there room for so many? To stand out, organizers might want to study the European model, where specialization and focus provide a clear identity.

Ultimately, my only wish is to keep attending these gatherings, both in Europe and in Japan, for many years to come. Pen shows —whether in Madrid, Hamburg or Tokyo— are enjoyable events where a personal passion becomes communal. But for this to happen, the shows themselves must adapt, evolve, and survive.

Pilot Elabo – Pilot Black

Bruno Taut
August 25th and December 31st, 2025
etiquetas: evento, mercado, Madrid, Tokyo, publicaciones

Crossroads

I can count up to eight pen shows (but what is a pen show, anyway?) held this past November—Tokyo, Istanbul, Madrid, Budapest, Paris, Melbourne, Singapore, and Bologna. But for the sake of this text, I will focus my attention on just three of them: the Tokyo International Pen Show (Nov 1–3), Pen Fest Istanbul (Nov 8–9), and the Madrid Pen Show (Nov 14–16).

I will begin by stating that I attended only two of them—Tokyo and Madrid. As I have often said on these pages and even in the printed publication Shumi-no Bungubako (趣味の文具箱), they are two primary examples of the basic models of pen shows—the Western and the East Asian. And they went as expected: plenty of stationery in Tokyo and a strong presence of vintage pens in Madrid. Both were successful events.

In Tokyo, about 150 dealers attracted over 3,000 visitors in three days (entry fees ranged from JPY 1,000—about EUR 6—to JPY 3,000 per day, or JPY 5,000 for a three-day pass; table fee: JPY 40,000, or EUR 225). Everything looked business as usual. The formula is well established, and it works. Limited as it is in the vintage and used pen area, TIPS has the merit of attracting small companies to display their goods to a mildly international audience. The only drawback might be the relatively small number of visitors compared to the large number of dealers, as well as the proliferation of similar events in Tokyo. The good part? The exhibition area is never crowded.

TIPS 2025.

In Madrid, over 1,500 visitors attended an event with around 60 dealers (free entry; EUR 360 per table). However, attendance figures in Madrid must be taken with a pinch of salt, as a free-access event makes accurate counting more difficult.

Still, the Madrid Pen Show showed some signs of exhaustion, as if that model had already reached its full potential and could only decline from here. The reasons are both circumstantial and structural.

Madrid has become a very expensive city, and for the first time in years the organisers are reporting some losses. The cost of the city also deterred many regulars from attending the event—accommodation, some said, was prohibitively expensive. But the main problem is the age of the regular attendee. We are old, and there is hardly a younger generation of aficionados ready to take over and generate the necessary demand.

Madrid Pen Show 2025.

Madrid, I believe, is at a crossroads—the formula that has worked for 21 editions may no longer be the right one in 2025. And the way out of this situation might be found in Istanbul.

Pen Fest Istanbul, now in its fourth edition, showed some remarkable numbers: 63 dealers and about 8,000 visitors in just two days (entry fee: TRY 500—EUR 10; table fee: TRY 40,000—EUR 800).

But what is more interesting from the outside is the combination of the two basic pen show models in a single event. As we can see in Miroslav Tichsler’s video, Istanbul offered new and old pens, stationery, pen fixers, and nib tuners—an exciting mix indeed.

Penkala´s video of the 2025 Pen Fest Istanbul.

Istanbul, at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, might very well represent the future of pen shows: the sweet spot between the declining Western tradition and the rising force of the Eastern aficionado.

Hongdian N6 Long Knife– Platinum Black

Bruno Taut
December 3rd, 2025
etiquetas: evento, mercado, Madrid, Tokyo, Istanbul

TIPS et al.

To anyone who has read my texts on the Tokyo International Pen Show (TIPS) over the years, it will come as no surprise that I am not particularly fond of the format. My main complaint —allow me to reiterate— is that, despite its name, TIPS is not truly a pen show, but rather a stationery salon where companies —makers, retailers, artisans— gather to showcase their products. Occasionally, you may come across some used pens, but they are far from being the main attraction of the event.

However, the show works—and it works very well—with thousands of visitors attending each edition. So, all is well, and the concept, for the most part, is unlikely to change. The problem, though, is that its formula is simple—and easy to replicate. And that is exactly what’s happening.

TIPS 2024.

TIPS is built on the idea of attracting all kinds of businesses related to stationery. You then gather them in one room and hope people will come. And they do!

In a country like Japan, with its rich stationery culture, this model is easy to reproduce. Bungu Market, Shumi-no Bungu Matsuri, and Bungu Joshi are just some of the stationery events held in Tokyo throughout the year—sometimes even multiple times a year!

Bungu Market in Ota ward in Tokyo. January 2025. This event is celebrated 4 times per year, and there are other Bungu Market events in other locations—Osaka, Fukuoka, Kyoto... .

Bungu Joshi in June 2025 (https://youtu.be/pApUJqImr1c?si=-HXWmzS4Ed22tp_z). Twice a year event.

Shumi-no Bungu Matsuri. Organized by the magazine Shumi-no Bungubako. July 2025. Photo courtesy of Inktraveler.

TIPS may have been the early bird that caught the worm, but it is no longer unique. Both visitors and locals now have the option to choose which event to attend, and they are no longer bound to being in Tokyo in November to see the latest in stationery. Time will tell whether the market is large enough to sustain so many shows.

Jinhao 82 ― Private Reserve Dakota Red

Bruno Taut
July 25th, 2025
etiquetas: Tokyo, evento, mercado

Timber! Timber! TIPS 2023

The 2023 Tokyo International Pen Show (TIPS) took place during the first weekend of November 3rd to 5th, and it´s time to reflect on it and on the new trends in the market. Needless to say, what I might write is just my perception and I am sure I am missing many other movements.

First, the pen show in itself. 3 days, 180 tables, five shifts to attend it, most of them sold out. The figures clearly speak of a big success. It might not be what you expect from a pen show, but this East Asian style pen show does work, and, best of all, attracts younger generations of stationery aficionados.

And that because, as I have repeatedly said, TIPS is not a pen show but a stationery fair where many vendors simply display their latest products. More on this later.

The shift system –you pay to enter the show during a limited period of just four hours, morning or afternoon- is one of the unfortunate aftereffects of the pandemic years. What initially was a good idea to limit the number of people at the lounge at once and thus limiting the risk of infection is now an excuse to increase the total number of visitors and the revenue associated to selling tickets. The downside of it is easy to understand—this fair is not a meeting point for aficionados but just a market place where you better rush to see it all and to execute your purchases.

On this occasion, 2023, the large number of vendors –180- pushed the organizers to use two lounges on two different floors in the building. Moving between them could be very easy, but the organizers decided to make it difficult and unpleasant despite giving you a paper bracelet as soon as you entered the fair. It looked like they did not trust their own controlling mechanisms. But do not ask difficult questions...

So, what was on offer at TIPS 2023? More of the same things we saw on previous years: very few second hand and vintage pens, many more new pens, inks, paper, assorted paraphernalia...

Assortted paraphernalia...

However, I could see some new trends:

1. Timber, timber, timber! It seems wood lathes are on sale and the number of people making wooden pens –fountain pens, ball pens, mechanical pencils-- was surprising. But, is the market big enough for so many operations?

Timber! Timber!

2. Emerging markets. TIPS was a success in previous years and some see this event as a good stage to present new companies and new products. In previous years we saw some European and American traders. This year, we also saw dealers from India, PR China and Turkey.

An Indian trader--Endless.

3. Urushi might be from East Asia, but now it is everywhere. And by urushi I also mean urushi-based decorative techniques. At TIPS 2023 we could see some interesting examples of urushi and raden decorated pens made in India and in Turkey.

Urushi-nuri and raden from Turkey.

Conclusions:

– The TIPS model –a stationery fair- works and is here to stay. Its ability to attract younger aficionados is a powerful argument to support this event in the years to come. Pens might not be the argument to attract them, but it does not matter as long as they come.

– New trends come and go. Wooden pens and urushi-decorated pens might be fashionable now, but everything can change overnight.

– Look out for products and companies coming from emerging markets as they will pose a very serious competition to well established companies.

Would I come again? Not sure. I always end up disappointed, but it is a good place to find out what is going on in the world of stationery.

Moonman A2 - Diamine Bilberry

Bruno Taut
November 8th, 2023
etiquetas: mercado, evento, Tokyo, maki-e

The 23rd Pen Trade in Tokyo

This past Sunday –June 11th–, the 23rd edition of the Pen Trade event took place in Tokyo. As I had said in the past, this is the actual pen show in Tokyo, at least in the Western sense of the concept.

The drawback of this event, though, lies in its size—17 tables and around 100 visitors. But why is it so small when the metropolitan area of Tokyo hosts about 36 million people, there is an active pen community, and a rich pen manufacturing tradition?

Relaxed atmosphere.

But at the same time, are there real incentives to make it grow? Probably not, and I venture some hypothesis to explain that:

– In Tokyo there are pen and stationery events almost every single month, and people might not feel the need to cater the craving for pen action at this particular moment in the year.

– The Tokyo International Pen Show (TIPS) does attract more people than this Pen Trade event due to its eclectic nature—everything goes in there, new pens, old pens, paper, ink, paraphernalia,...

– Younger generations seem more focused on ink than on pens.

So, in summary, the potential market for a big pen-focused pen show in Tokyo is fragmented.

Some interesting pens on this table.

But in any event, and despite its size, there were some interesting pens and attractive people with whom to share information. And because of that, the date of the Pen Trade is the big day for those who love pens in Tokyo.

Parker 51 – Sailor Tomikei Blue

Bruno Taut
June 12th, 2023
etiquetas: Tokyo, mercado

East and West

The following picture shows the fundamental difference between pen shows in in the East and in the West:

Pens, pens, and pens. Madrid Pen Show 2021.

On this picture alone there are more pens than in any of the pen shows celebrated in Tokyo. And that is a representation of the differences in philosophies associated to them—Western shows are about pens, pens, and pens. Second hand and vintage pens are the name of the game, and after that you could also find some new pens and some inks and paper.

On the contrary, pen shows in Tokyo –and in other East Asian cities- are about cute things... and some pens, mostly new. Sure enough a couple of traders might be there offering used pens, but their offer pales in comparison to what you can see on a single table in Madrid, as the firs picture showed.

Lots of people, very few pens.
Tokyo International Pen Show 2019.
(Picture courtesy of Inktraveler).

As I have repeatedly said (::1::, ::2::), they are not pen shows but stationary salons where brands and new entrepreneurs show their products. But the formula works and there is no real incentive to change it.

Bottom line—if you were interested in pens go West, paradise is there.

Omas Extra ca. 1940 – Sailor Yama-dori

Bruno Taut
December 17th, 2021
etiquetas: España, Japón, evento, Tokyo, Madrid

Madrid vs. Tokyo (2021)

On the weekend of June 26-27, two different pen events took place in two very different cities: Madrid and Tokyo. This alone are very good news in times of pandemic, but a lot more can be said.

Let's start with the contexts. Madrid is a city of about 3.5 million people with a metropolitan area of 6.7 million. Tokyo, on it side, is home to 14 million with a metropolitan area of 37 million.

Regarding the infection conditions, Spain is currently doing a lot better than Japan in terms of immunization. At the time of the event, over 30% of the Spanish population had been vaccinated. And Japan, at the time, was struggling to get 3% of the population in the same conditions, and that despite the incoming  Olympic Games...

Then, 10 traders gathered in Madrid on Saturday morning (June 26th), and attracted about 100 potential buyers.

Madrid, June 26th.

In Tokyo, the yearly Pen Trade event was composed by 10 traders and 100 visitors over two days –Saturday and Sunday.

Tokyo, June 26th.

The plain figures are not very different, and any variation could be associated to the different levels in the immunization rates in these two countries... Maybe. However, the differences run much deeper.

The most obvious contrast, and not limited to these events of this month of June, is the mere number of pen for sale on the tables. On just one table in Madrid there were as many pens –or even more-- that in the whole Pen Trade event in Tokyo. We have seen this effect in other, bigger, events celebrated in these two cities—namely, the Madrid Pen Show, and the Tokyo International Pen Show.

Tokyo, June 26th.

Madrid, June 26th.

The real paradox is that a population shy of 7 million –Madrid-- concentrates more pens and more traders than Greater Tokyo with a population five times bigger. That or the organizers of pen events in Tokyo fail to attract those traders. Something is done very well in Madrid, and not so well in Tokyo.

And that, among other things, is why I say that the Tokyo International Pen Show is not a pen show. But there is always something interesting to take home with you.

The spoils fo the Pen Trade 2021. Not too bad...

My thanks to Inktraveler, whose pictures are greatly appreciated.

Montblanc 146 celluloid – Diamine Teal

Bruno Taut
July 7th, 2021
etiquetas: evento, Madrid, Tokyo

TIPS 2020

The third edition of the Tokyo International Pen Show –TIPS 2020— was celebrated on the weekend of November 6th to 8th. This alone, in these times of virus and infections, is just remarkable. Now, how was it?

Basic prophylaxis set the limits and conditions of such a potential massive event –remember that in 2019 there were about 2000 visitors. This year's event was organized in two-hour slots –seven of them— with 100 people in each of them. And that set a limit of 700 attendees. In contrast, the number of tables was barely smaller: 60 vs. 70 in 2019.

So, there were the boundary conditions on which those 700 visitors went in search of pens... or other objects. What we found was not any different to what we had seen in 2019—a stationery salon.

By that I mean a space where shops and makers show and present their new products as opposed to a place where collectors search for that rarity, and where there is some actual trading. So, the bulk of the pen show was dedicated to new products—pens, inks, paper, accessories; and only a handful of tables displayed vintage and second hand pens. Of them, only one –shared by two well-known traders— had those pens as its basic argument.

New stuff.

Vintage stuff.

One interesting element on this event is that it acts as an exhibit of a number of small pen makers whose products are not distributed through the usual distribution channels and are not present at the traditional stationers in town. Such is the case of Ohashido, StyloArt Karuizawa, Eboya, Takayuki, Matsuda Maki-e, Laurett's, Chriselle, Tetzbo, Hirai Woodturner...

Some of those small makers with very limited distribution.

I have said in the past that the East-Asia concept of a pen show is different from those in the West, but it is a successful idea. And giving the harsh times we are facing, it is excellent news TIPS 2020 came to exist.

Super Gold Line JIS 3232 — Diamine Graphite

Bruno Taut
November 19th 2020
etiquetas: Tokyo, evento

Cancellation and Virus

The planned Japan Premium Pen Show (JPPS) has been canceled by the organizers.

This was a project initiated by the organizers of the Tokyo International Pen Show (TIPS). It was planned for the first weekend of May (in coincidence with the Chicago Pen Show), and aimed at the “discerning collector” avid to find “high-end fountain pen brands”.

The nominal excuse for the cancellation is the spread of the Wuhan Coronavirus (COVID-19). This has become a common argument these days—a deus ex machina under which to hide likely failures and disappointments. And that regardless the actual danger of the situation, or how premature the call might be.

Extract of the message sent by the organizers announcing the cancellation of JPPS 2020 and promising the organization of a similar event in 2021.

The rumor goes that the organizers of the JPPS were having a hard time finding traders to fill the 40 tables allocated at the luxurious hotel Chinzanso. In fact, there was a healthy doses of skepticism among aficionados  about the interest if a pen show based on new pens and on well-known retailers. Who would pay JPY 3000 (about EUR 25) to check on pens otherwise available at shops with no entry fee? Who would come to Tokyo instead of to Chicago given the option?

In any event, those potential problems are no more. However, the organizers are promising to try again in 2021. Hopefully with much better sense and knowledge about the pen world.

Iwase Seisakusho N-model prototype – Noodler's Beaver

Bruno Taut
Nakano, February 25th 2020
etiquetas: eventos, Tokyo, Japón

Premium Pen Show in Tokyo

The organizers of the Tokyo International Pen Show (TIPS) have announced the celebration of another event, the Japanese Premium Pen Show, this coming month of May. This “premium” pen show will take place at the luxury hotel Chinzanso in Bunkyo Ward between May 1st and May 3rd.

The announcement so far.
http://tokyo-international-penshow.com/jpps2020/

Good for the pen community in Tokyo? These are my reflections:

First, it is surprising how quickly –in Japanese standards-- this event is being organized. In a country where improvisation is almost a taboo, announcing this even with less that six months is surprising. But so be it!

Second is the inability of Tokyo actors in the pen scene to create a single important and relevant pen event with an international significance. Instead, all we get is a multiplicity of small events scattered along the calendar.

Let us remember here that the TIPS events (::1::, ::2::) fall short of real pen shows, as the organizers implicitly acknowledge when they declare that “the (Japanese Premium Pen) show will focus on high-end fountain pen brands from around the world for the discerning collector.”

Tokyo International Pen Show 2019. Not a pen show but a stationery salon.

This event, however, could change the parochial scene in Tokyo should it become a resounding success in attracting foreign traders. But that doesn't seem to be the case so far: it is being quickly organized, and Japan is not particularly close to where most traders live and circulate in the world tour of pen shows.

Madrid Pen Show 2019. There are more pens on this table that on the whole of TIPS 2019.

The pricing policy for traders doesn't seem very adequate for that purpose. The cost per table is in the order of USD 700 (in fact, JPY 70000 if booking before Jan 31st; JPY 90000, booking after that date). In comparison, the well-established Madrid Pen Show (16 years of history, a three-day event) charges about USD 300. And the newly created Dutch Pen Show in Utrecht, just USD 80.

But we will see how it works in about four months. I will be there.

Yamada raden – Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Brown

Bruno Taut
Nakano, January 30th 2020
etiquetas: Japón, Tokyo, evento, mercado