Sakura wood nib holder: A Kakimori classic
Fusing Japanese craftsmanship and the innate warmth and quality of wood. When we embarked on this journey, Japanese cherry wood stood out as our first choice from the many varieties available. In 2021, we launched our wooden tools for writing with a collection of nib holders, pen rests and ink bottle caps, created with designer Makoto Koizumi.
Since its launch, Koizumi’s design for a simple and enduring nib holder has captured a worldwide audience, and the nib holder in Japanese cherry has become a key staple in our tools for writing with joy.
Giving new life to furniture offcuts
As the Japanese cherry nib holder became one of our favourite classics, we naturally found ourselves wanting to complement it with another type of wood.
During our discussions with Koizumi, he suggested the possibility of repurposing offcuts from furniture production for making stationery.
Since furniture like desks and chairs are integral to our writing experience, utilising offcuts from furniture seemed like a perfect concept. We discovered that an associate of Koizumi’s in the furniture industry had a surplus of walnut wood.
Walnut is a hardwood widely used in furniture and considered premium due to its scarcity, slow growth and high demand. Its rich brown colour provides a visual contrast to the reds and whites of Japanese cherry, and we were eager to explore further.
Finding a new connection
Koizumi introduced us to Wakaba Kagu, a furniture maker and a longtime collaborator of his. Wakaba Kagu was founded in 1974 in Fuchu, Hiroshima prefecture, a region renowned for its high-end artisanal furniture known as Fuchu furniture. We visited the company's showroom.
The Fuchu furniture exhibit at Wakaba Kagu’s showroom.
We were welcomed by Wakaba Kagu's director, Takao Inoue, who showed us around the showroom.
Inoue explained that typically, most of the offcuts from the production of large furniture such as tables and sofas, as well as Buddhist accessories with their intricate ornamental details, are discarded.
While the company normally doesn’t resell materials, they kindly process the walnut offcuts for us to the size required for the production of our nib holders.
These offcuts are transformed into our nib holders by Nakamura Woodworks, also based in Hiroshima Prefecture. We’ve worked with Nakamura Woodworks since , and each nib holder is meticulously crafted under their expert eye and craftsmanship.
Circularity of materials
From Koizumi’s idea, the walnut wood has passed through the hands of Wakaba Kagu and Nakamura Woodworks to become our nib holders. Favoured for its unique grain and texture, walnut offers a range of variation and character much like Japanese cherry. The colour will naturally lighten over time, allowing you to appreciate its evolving beauty as it ages.
This was our first experience working with manufacturing offcuts. We were not only delighted with the new addition to our collection, but also found pleasure in breathing new life into an unsung material.
With the help of Koizumi, we welcomed a connection with both a new material and a new maker. Like our Japanese cherry nib holder, we hope the new finish will be a welcome addition to many writing moments.
