Maki-e, Chinkin, and More - Exploring Namiki's Lacquering Artistry Techniques

Maki-e and Urushi

Namiki pens, which are the highest regarded traditional Japanese Maki-e fountain pens in the world, are named for Ryosuke Namiki, the founder of Pilot Corporation.  The company was originally formed as Namiki Co., Ltd. in 1918, and its most prestigious Maki-e and Chinkin writing instruments are still branded Namiki in his honor.

All Namiki pens are made with Urushi lacquer, an extremely durable and lustrous material made from the sap of a deciduous tree found only in Asia.  This natural varnish was discovered about 5,000 years ago in ancient Asia and introduced into China on lacquerware in the Han Era (BC 206-A.D.220), then introduced into Japan during the Asuka Era (1,300 years ago).

[Photo taken by my teammate Harsh Atit during our Pilot event with Bill Pearcy.]

The hand-applied Urushi lacquer finish withstands corrosion from water, acids, alcohol, and temperature changes, and has a totally different feel in your hand than a resin or metal pen does. With an Urushi lacquer pen, you will notice that the material looks and feels more "real," if that makes sense.  It warms to your touch and has a depth of color that can't be replicated.

Pilot began decorating its Urushi fountain pens using Maki-e artistry in 1925. Maki-e (pronounced like "mah-key-eh") literally means “sprinkled picture” in Japanese.  Pilot, in its Maki-e History and Limited Editions guide, explains the art of Maki-e as,

Namiki Collection Overview

All of the pens in the Namiki Collection are created by the “Kokkokai,” Pilot's group of dedicated Maki-e artisans, which was formed in 1931 by Professor Gonroku Matsuda of the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music.  Matsuda, who was later named a "Living National Treasure" by the government of Japan, organized more than 70 Maki-e artisans to form the Kokkokai, developed their mission, and oversaw the group's designs, techniques, and spirit, which continue to live on in Pilot today.  Maki-e artistry is a skill that takes years of apprenticeship, and only the very best can join the Kokkokai. 

Under the guidance of the Kokkokai, Pilot's Maki-e masters individually perfect every pen, and the group name "Kokkokai" or the unique signature of an artisan is inscribed on each piece of Namiki work. The only exception are the pens in the unadorned Urushi Collection, which are left unsigned.

In Pilot's Maki-e History and Limited Editions guide, the signatures are explained:

[An example of Signature Mamoru, on the Namiki Emperor 2022 Elephant limited edition pen.  Seventeen artisans are actively working in the Kokkokai right now, and each has his or her own distinctive signature.  While the majority are men, over a quarter of the group are women.]

The name Kokkokai was inspired by a statement given by Ryosuke Namiki to the members of Kokkokai on its inauguration in August, 1931, "In the way Sumo is Japan’s national sport, Maki-e is the nation’s light." Kokko means "light" in Japanese, and the name "Kokkokai" literally translates as "National Light Society."  As Pilot describes it, "The meaning of the name was derived from their belief that... Maki-e was the light of the country, and they aspired to making Maki-e shine brightly all over the world."  I love this name and what it evokes!

[Signature Yutaka, on the gorgeous Namiki Yukari Royale Golden Rose limited edition, by artisan Yutaka Sato, which features Raden (mother of pearl) details in the roses' leaves.]

Although the Kokkokai Maki-e masters create every Namiki pen, not every Namiki pen features Maki-e techniques.  Most do, but the pens in the Urushi Collection are left undecorated to highlight the simple beauty of the Roiro Urushi lacquer finish, and the Chinkin pens use a traditional lacquering artistry technique that is related to Maki-e, but, instead of the design being layered on top of the lacquer, dots and lines are gouged into it using special chisels. These are lacquered again and sprinkled with gold and silver dust, producing powerful, three-dimensional images that are fixed into the surface of the lacquer. The Chinkin carving skill requires extreme precision. Should a rare mistake be made during the process, it cannot be corrected. The artisan must start over!

[Namiki Emperor Chinkin Dragon macro photo by my teammate Harsh Atit.  This design is by Kokkokai artisan Yasuji Sumi.]

The Namiki Collection includes a number of sub-categories, so I decided to choose one representative from each to compare the sizes. I will focus briefly on each category later in the article, and use them to serve as illustrations of the lacquering artistry techniques.

The Emperor is different from all the others in a number of ways.  Firstly, they are made from Urushi lacquer over ebonite bodies, while the other models are Urushi lacquer over brass.  Ebonite, which is made by heating natural rubber with sulfur for prolonged periods in a chemical process known as vulcanization, is a much lighter material than brass, and the Yukari Royale is actually heavier than the Emperor!

Secondly, Emperors fill by eyedropper.  To fill an Emperor, just unscrew the pen's grip section and discharge your ink directly into the barrel using the glass eyedropper provided in the box. These huge pens hold an incredible 6.0 ml of ink!  There is a shut-off valve mechanism at the end of the barrel so that the pen can breathe. This shut-off valve needs to be open in order for the ink to keep flowing, so unscrew the end cap a little and create a small gap if you're going to be using the pen for more than a few quick notes.  The pens are so finely made, the division between the barrel and the end cap is nearly invisible when the shut-off valve is closed.

All the other Namiki pens fill via cartridge/converter, and Pilot's CON-70 is included.  (This easy to use push-button filling converter holds 1.0 ml of ink.)

Namiki pens come in exclusive presentation boxes made from pale paulownia wood with a traditional Japanese look.  The Paulownia, an extremely fast-growing deciduous hardwood tree, is also known as the Princess Tree or Empress Tree, appropriately enough!  The boxes come in three different sizes, depending on the pen, and all include a bottle of Namiki ink except for the small box used for the Nippon Art Collection.

Other attributes that distinguish the different collections:

• Emperor and Yukari Royale pens almost always have part of the artwork extended onto the clips.  The others have all plain gold-plated clips.
• All the models have ball clips except for Yukari Chinkin, which has a sword shaped clip.
• As I mentioned above, all the collections are signed by the artisans except the unadorned Urushi Collection. The Aya Collection, some Yukari Collection pens, and the Nippon Art Collection have the Kokkokai group signature rather than the signature of an individual.  These collections are hand painted like the others, but with a less detailed design.
• While all Namiki nibs, except those used in the less costly Nippon Art Collection, are made from solid 18k gold, they have two different color variations. The Nippon Art and Urushi Collection models have yellow gold nibs, and the rest have two-tone nibs featuring yellow gold accented with rhodium-plated gold depicting Mt. Fuji.  The Nippon Art Collection nibs are 14k gold.

Keep in mind that Namiki pens are extremely limited right now due to natural disasters in Japan, so the inventory we have is all we can be assured of. Call our customer support team to inquire about items that are not currently in stock.

Urushi Collection - Paragons of Roiro

Although all Namiki pens are made with Urushi lacquer, Namiki's Urushi Collection refers to its two models of large torpedo shaped fountain pen with smooth, unadorned lacquer polished to a glossy luster.  The huge Emperor Urushi has been produced since the 1930s, and, like other Namiki Emperor models, is filled by an eyedropper, just like the original.

The Emperor Urushi was originally named the "No. 50 Jumbo" and was manufactured under two brand names, Pilot and Dunhill-Namiki.  As the name suggests, its #50 nib and very large streamlined body are stunning in their size and clean simplicity.  The Emperor Urushi's smaller, but still impressive, Yukari Royale sized little brother is equally beautiful, but fills via cartridge/converter.

The two sizes of the pen look the same, except that the smaller Yukari Royale has a gold rim around the bottom of the cap to finish the underlying resin material, and the Emperor size has an almost-invisible line between its end cap and barrel. If you look carefully, you can see it on both pens in the photo below.

[Featuring my co-worker Harsh holding an Emperor.  He has medium sized man's hands.  The 10 pen roll is from Girologio and holds anything from a tiny Kaweco Liliput to the Emperor!]

Although the Emperor is an incredibly impressive pen, the Yukari Royale size is a much more reasonable model to take out and about with you!

Both the Emperor and Yukari Royale models are paragons of the Roiro lacquering artistry technique.  As described in Pilot's Maki-e History and Limited Editions guide,

All the base surfaces of Pilot’s Maki-e products are finished by this technique, which uses a hard Kurome lacquer from which the oil is drawn out. This is unique to lacquering and may be understood by visualizing the wet gentle gloss of melted candle wax. After applying and drying the lacquer, it is rubbed down with charcoal until it becomes smooth. Refined raw lacquer is then rubbed onto this surface and is allowed to dry. After repeating this process several times, the surface is polished with Tsunoko dust, which gives it a smooth finish like the surface of wax. Moreover, the surface is hard and cannot easily be damaged, having a resistance to acids and alkalis and has been said to resist heat up to 200C. Roiro finishing is the symbol of high quality Maki-e.

I love the vermillion Urushi lacquer coating on the underside of the feed!

The Urushi Collection pens are available in vermillion and black in Emperor size, and both colors also come in the smaller Yukari Royale size. 

Maki-e Emperors

The Maki-e Emperors are perhaps the most impressive pens in the entire Namiki lineup, especially the vest type, such as Goldfish, 100 year anniversary Mt. Fuji (limited to 100 pieces worldwide), and the 2022 Elephant (limited to 99 pieces worldwide).

[Pictured:  Night Scene of Pavilion Yukari Royale, Rakucho Birds and Weeping Cherry Blossom Emperor, and Goldfish, a vest-style Emperor.  Photo by my teammate Harsh Atit.]

These extraordinary pens have lots of space to show off Maki-e mastery, and are produced by only the most experienced and highly trained artisans.

The 2022 Emperor Elephant limited edition, which we are honored to have in our store, is astonishing in its expressive artistry, and is one of very few pens to feature the Shishiai Maki-e technique, in which Taka Maki-e (Burnished Raised Maki-e) is continuously combined with Togidashi (Burnished Maki-e). The highest level of skill is required. 

Pilot's description explains,

The vibrant scene of a sunset over the Savannah is depicted on the cap of the fountain pen using Togidashi Maki-e. The mother and calf, tree, and birds are brought to life through Taka Maki-e and with Raden inlay. On the front of the barrel, a single elephant is represented using Shishiai Togidashi-Taka Maki-e (Combined Raised and Burnished Maki-e), allowing the elephant’s strength and texture to be felt by the touch of the hand.

Being able to feel the three-dimensional Raised Maki-e makes the magnificent elephant really come to life in this pen, giving it a wisdom and majesty you can feel as you hold the pen and lightly run your fingers over its powerful and sensitive trunk. Even the elephant's eyes have a glimmer in them, conveying the animal's intelligence.  The use of ivory-colored Raden (mother of pearl) in the elephant's tusks is extraordinary, and may be my favorite part of the pen. There is something very moving and special about the tusks.  I also love the vibrant sunset colors used in the pen's cap, along with the purple Raden sparkling in the trees of the Savannah!  This pen is so different, and really stands out as special.

When we first received the Elephant, I made an unboxing video for Instagram, which shows this spectacular pen (and its packaging) in all of its glory.  Elephant is so majestic!

The slightly smaller, but still very impressive, torpedo-shaped Maki-e Emperors are breathtaking as well.

To illustrate the Rankaku (Egg Shell) lacquering technique, I borrowed the Emperor Owl from our Pilot rep, Bill Pearcy, when he was visiting our store for an event.  This pen by Maki-e artisan Yutaka Sato is still in production, but very difficult to find right now. To create a Rankaku design, small pieces of quail egg shells are bonded to the Urushi lacquer and then coated with more lacquer, which is burnished to reveal the image.

Rankaku reminds me of some of the beautiful and historic mosaic tile murals you can see when you visit New York City subway platforms, but on a much smaller scale!  It's fascinating and humbling to look at a Rankaku piece closely and marvel over how all the tiny shell fragments and powder are precisely placed to form a realistic looking picture!  The Emperor Owl features Togidashi-Taka Maki-e (Burnished Raised Maki-e) in addition to Rankaku to depict the owl both at rest and in flight in its natural surroundings. Their sparkling green eyes are created with Raden (mother of pearl), and catch the light as you turn the pen in your hand, almost appearing to glow! 

The Emperor Treasure by Maki-e artisan Masaru Hayashi also makes wonderful use of sparkling Raden inlay in the precious Japanese treasures it depicts. This pen is rich with gold powder and uses the Taka Maki-e (Burnished Raised Maki-e) technique to portray the invisibility cloak, inexhaustible money purse, and sacred gems in stunning gold, green, violet, orange, red, and blue against a glossy black lacquer background.

Chiseled Chinkin

The traditional Chinkin lacquering artistry technique is less colorful than Maki-e, but the level of mastery and control required to create these more subtle works of art is hard to even imagine.  As I mentioned above, Chinkin is related to Maki-e, but, instead of the design being layered on top of the lacquer, dots and lines are gouged into it using special chisels. These are lacquered again and sprinkled with gold and silver dust, producing very expressive three-dimensional images that are fixed into the surface of the lacquer. As the Namiki Collection guidebook explains, "The Chinkin technique involves engraving only; therefore, once the work begins, it cannot be corrected even if an error is made.  Each touch of the carving chisel requires excellent skill and concentration."

In Japanese mythology, the Dragon is depicted as a powerful and wise water creature with a serpentine body, three claws, and a ferocious face.  Japanese dragons are a symbol of good fortune and wealth, and they protect those around them. In our store display, the commanding Emperor Chinkin Dragon seems to oversee our Namiki case, keeping a watchful eye on all the other pens.

[Photo by Harsh Atit.] 

This exquisite design was also created by artisan Yasuji Sumi, and portrays a carp surrounded by elegant autumnal Momiji (Japanese maple leaves), painstakingly etched and filled in with 18 karat gold powder. The softness of the fish is portrayed with very fine pointillism-like carved dots, and it's a different color gold than the delicate leaves.

I was intrigued to learn that the carp is said to be an incarnation of dragons and is also a symbol of good fortune, so the majestic dragon and humble carp have a lot more in common than I originally realized!

[Macro photo by Harsh Atit.]

I love the delicate dots and lines that depict the leaves on this pen.  Pilot describes them as "comparable to exquisiteness of brocade silk – richly decorative silks woven with multicolored threads," and I completely agree.  The pattern strongly reminds me of beautiful fabrics I have seen. 

I was fascinated to discover this pen's name, "Kinshu" has multiple meanings including, "brocade," "poetic writing," and "the brilliance of autumn leaves." All three can apply to this pen, and I love that there's a word for autumn leaves' brilliance!  What a lovely and poetic writing instrument.

Yukari and Yukari Royale

The Japanese word “Yukari” means the connection and relationships between people, and these two collections depict serene and graceful traditional Japanese Maki-e motifs.  The lovely Yukari size (5.6" long) is perfect to carry with you, and its subjects focus on the beauty of nature.  The Yukari Royale, with the same torpedo shape but in larger proportions (5.9" long), has space to showcase more elaborate artwork, and many are finished with Togidashi-Taka Maki-e (Burnished Raised Maki-e), in which metallic or colored powders are sprinkled onto the surface of the lacquer after the initial design is drawn with Urushi lacquer, creating an elaborate image in bold relief. This is the most difficult and demanding form of Maki-e and requires the skill of a great master artist.

Golden Rose, a gorgeous limited edition Yukari Royale design from 2011 is one of my very favorites and I can't believe we have this incredible pen in our store.  Only 150 pieces were produced (with only 33 available in the US) by the skilled Maki-e artisan, Yutaka Sato, using very refined lacquering techniques.  This pen features a combination of Togidashi-Taka Maki-e (Burnished-Raised Maki-e) to create the flowers, with Raden (mother of pearl) leaves depicted using the Warigai (Cracked Shell Inlaid) technique with Aogai (blue shell) to accent the entire design. The base is sprinkled with gold powder, then burnished to create a complex and beautiful three-dimensional design.

Abstract Aya

The Namiki Collection guide taught me that the Japanese word "Aya" has multiple meanings, including "beautiful colour, gloss, shine, and pattern" and that the Aya Collection "depicts abstract patterns on several themes, representing an enchanting world that captures the viewer's imagination."  I love abstract patterns, and I love using my imagination, so the Aya collection fascinates me!

This series is made in a unique way, using dry lacquer powders, gold powders, and silver powders, which are applied with differing intensities against a rich black Urushi lacquer background, using Togidashi Maki-e (Burnished Maki-e), a form that dates back to the 7th century.

The dry lacquer powders used are created by mixing pigments with clear lacquer and applying the lacquer to a glass surface several times.  They are allowed to dry, then peeled off the glass and crushed to create the special intensely-colored power.

After the various powders are used to create the evocative abstract designs, the pen's surface is coated with another coat of Urushi lacquer, which is burnished with charcoal after it dries. The pattern is polished until glossy.

The Aya Collection really comes to life in sunlight!  When Bill Pearcy was visiting for an event at our store, I was able to photograph his Tokiwa (Evergreen) Aya outside, where the green lacquer showed brilliantly and the crushed abalone shells and gold-flat powders shimmered brightly in the sun.  This design depicts a mountain landscape with a gradient effect, symbolizing everlasting life. A starry night sky surrounds the stylized evergreen trees. 

These large pens with their #30 nib are amazing to write with, and I actually got to try one at the DC Pen Show this year when a collector, Lenny, showed me his beautiful Seiryuu (Limpid Stream) Aya when I was relaxing after hours on Saturday evening.  In the dim light of the hotel lobby, it was hard to make out the pen's brilliant blue wave design, enhanced by a mixture of crushed abalone shells, silver-flat powders, and silver-round powders, but the magnificence of the nib and comfortable, generous proportions still made it a pleasure to use.

There are only four pens in the entire Aya collection:  1) Hayate (Gale), the black pen finished with silver-round powders, which depicts the appearance of majestic winds, 2) Akatsuki (Daybreak), the deep red pen with gold powders and gold-round powders, which depicts the moment when light first appears in the morning, 3) Tokiwa (Evergreen), and 4) Seiryuu (Limpid Stream).  It's such a cool selection of abstract nature images to choose, and I love how each inspires the imagination.  Akatsuki may be the most poetic.. this Japanese word for "daybreak" is also used for a eureka moment or realization achievement. How perfect for a writer!

Nippon Art

The Nippon Art Collection is a charming and wide-ranging line with the same smaller dimensions as Yukari, and are the only Namiki pens with 14k gold nibs rather than 18k.  This collection features classic Japanese subjects depicted against black lacquered backgrounds, using the most simple technique, Hira Maki-e (Flat Maki-e), which dates back to the end of the 12th century. To create Hira Maki-e, the decorative pattern is drawn after the Urushi coating, and then the metallic or colored powders are sprinkled onto the surface while it is still wet. Another Urushi coating is applied to secure the powders, and then the surface is rubbed with lacquer-soaked cotton until it is polished and flat.  This collection, like Aya, is signed with the group name "Kokkokai." Although the designs are less elaborate, and the pens are less expensive, they are still exquisitely made, and I love the more minimalist style!

I think my favorite Nippon Collection pen is Dragon with Cumulus, which depicts an unusually cute green Japanese water dragon racing ahead of billowing clouds in stormy dark grey, gold, and white.  I like all the designs, though!  

Unfortunately, this collection is being discontinued by Japan, so, if you like any of the pens in the series, snag them now.  They won't be around for much longer. The ones still available, in very limited quantities, are Chinese Phoenix, Dragon with Cumulus, Crane and Turtle, and Golden Pheasant.

100th Anniversary Collection

There's one final collection that I really shouldn't include in this article, because it's branded as Pilot, not Namiki, but I can't resist mentioning it briefly because I enjoyed looking at it so much when Bill brought it along on a recent visit.

In honor of Pilot's 100th anniversary in 2018, the Kokkokai created The Japanese Seven Gods of Good Fortune collection.  Each of the gods, Ebisu, Daikoku-ten, Bishamon-ten, Benzai-ten, Fuku-roku-ju, Juro-jin, and Hotei-son are depicted in Taka-Maki-e (Raised Maki-e) on Yukari size vest type pens.  A total of only 300 sets were available worldwide.  Each pen comes individually packaged in a paulownia wood box accompanied by a 50ml bottle of matching limited edition Iroshizuku ink and a leather pen wrap, and they are available to buy as a set with matching serial numbers, or individually, except Benzai-ten, who is only available as part of the set.

The stories behind each pen are incredibly interesting, and I loved hearing about them and looking at all the details. I'm tempted to share about ten more closeup photos of my favorite parts, but this article is already too long.  It's not surprising that Benzai-ten, the only goddess in the collection, is the one that isn't available separately, because she's so beautiful and her pen glitters with breathtaking green Raden!

Although this set was released in 2018, there are still a few available, and you can contact us to inquire about ordering.

To learn more about Namiki's lacquering artistry techniques, please explore Pilot's website. You can see photos of the production processes for some of the techniques, and even watch a brief video.  I still feel like I've only scratched the surface of understanding the work and talent that goes into these traditional Maki-e and Chinkin methods, but I'm much more able to appreciate these amazing and fascinating works of art.

-Laura P.

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