12 Of My Favorite Pens From Japanese Companies That Are Totally Dependable

Totally Stupendous

If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I love pens. OBSESSED with them. I probably spend way too much money on them but they bring me joy.

Over the years I have amassed a collection from various brands across the world. While there are a ton of pens from Asian-owned pen manufacturers, here are some pens from Japanese companies that are definitely worth the hype:

Tasia Bass / BuzzFeed

As a writer and artist, I often use pens for a variety of reasons on different mediums. However, every pen mentioned below can be used to write normally if you so desire. 

1. An Ohto Fude Ball Rollerball pen to help you ditch the laptop and jump back into the art of handwritten letters.

Tasia Bass

I bought these pens individually in a stationery shop a few years back and fell in love with how they just waltz around the page. My love for these pens comes from the perfection of the rollerball, which always just feels so wonderful in my hand, definitely making the entire writing experience a complete joy. The ink kind of reminds me of a Muji pen in consistency. My only complaint would be the lack of rubber grip but I fixed this myself by putting on a pencil grip I had. But everything else about the pen — from the ink to the vibrancy of the color to the movement — is so wonderful.

Rating: 9/10

Get a pack of 5 colors from Amazon for $10.51 (also available in black).

2. A metallic Uni-ball Signo Broad Point Gel Pen for sparkly fun that can even show up on black paper.

Tasia Bass

I adore this pen. I use it when I want to be a little fancy. While I also have this pen in silver and white, the gold one is my favorite. They are slightly metallic without being overly metallic, which I like. The pen ink is very opaque, allowing me to use them to draw details in my artwork. They will show up against even the darkest of inks or on dark paper. However, like many gel pens, you need to let it dry before touching and it can take up to five seconds for the ink to dry. Still, the color and usage make the experience so amazing.

Rating: 8/10

Get a pack of nine from Amazon for $13.

3. A Zebra Co. Z-Grip that will glide across the page and makes writing notes so much easier during meetings where people are determined to speak 300 words per minute.

Tasia Bass

When looking for a good pen, the first question I always ask myself if how does it feel in my hand? The Z-Grip feels absolutely lovely in the hand. It has a nice heft to it without being too heavy or bulky to write. I often use this pen for when I am taking notes during a work meeting. It is smooth and glides across paper without smearing as I quickly scribble down everything being said. Not to mention the ink flow feels incredible. It is one of those reliable pens that you will find yourself reaching for when you need to quickly sign a check or trying to write a grocery shopping list. Definitely worth the buy. 

Rating: 9/10

Get a pack of 24 from Amazon for $10.46.

4. A pack of colorful Sakura Gelly Roll, so you can re-live your childhood of swapping your green one for that coveted glittery pink one.

Tasia Bass

A staple for many, I remember when I first saw someone with these in elementary school and then BEGGING my mother to buy me some that weekend. I was immediately smitten. The ink was so creamy and smooth. I love the fun colors that almost made the pages sparkle. Fast forward many, many years later and I am still using Sakura Gelly Roll pens as an adult. They come in over 70 colors and a variety of different sets. Now they may not be my favorite anymore, but they started my pen shopping addiction and hold a special place in my heart.

Rating: 8/10

Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for $13.37 or the complete set from Dick Blick of 74 for $79.72.

5. An Uni Pin Drawing Pen, a versatile and waterproof fineliner that won't run when you accidentally spill an entire glass of water on your notebook. Again.

Tasia Bass

These pens are my go-to fineliner for both sketching and writing. There are a ton of fineliners that exist, but one of the reason I like these is that they don't smear or erase when you're erasing pencil marks on a sketch. I used to use a Copic multiliner but the Uni Pin blew it out of the water. I love the feel of the more matte barrel instead of the usual smooth barrel on most pens. It INSTANTLY dries and is long lasting. 

Rating: 9/10

Get a pack of six from Amazon for $12.95.

6. A Kuretake Disposable Pocket Brush Pen that will make your calligraphy POP.

Tasia Bass

Now this is a brush pen, so it is a little different than a regular ballpoint or roller pen. Brush pens have flexible nibs that allow you to the control the ink flow and spread. This means it is great when you're doing calligraphy or handlettering. There are a ton of different brush pens but the reason I tend to like Kuretake's brush pens is because with its softer tips, I have the ability the guide the pen exactly how I want it without fear of it sputtering ink. While it can be used for every day writing, it does have a shorter ink usage than most pens. 

Rating: 8.8/10

Get it from JetPens for $2.45.

7. A Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen with a flexible nib, allowing you to create broad brush strokes in your next calligraphy piece.

Tasia Bass

I like this brush pen when I am doing very deliberate calligraphy. It comes in both a hard and soft tip. The soft tip (which I have currently) has a lot less control and can make it easier to make mistakes. The hard tip is much better for control. I also like that it tends to be skinnier and shorter than normal brush pens, so it almost feels like a fine liner in hand. The ink is very opaque, and if you press too hard, it may bleed through the page. It requires the lightest touch. 

Rating: 7.9/10

Get a pack with both tips from Amazon for $5.87.

8. A revolutionary Teranishi Rushon Petite Pen water-based pen that will make you want to handwrite EVERYTHING.

Tasia Bass

When people ask what is my favorite pen is, I always say the Rushon Drawing pen hands down. However, that pen is hard to come by in the US, but luckily they do have a version of the same thing, just smaller. The Rushon Petits uses water-based ink and has a point size of 0.3. The ink comes out crisp and without spread, allowing for seamless writing and drawing. While I do prefer the weight of the drawing pen (which I can only really find when in Japan), the petits are so good that lightness is a hinderance. Plus they are super affordable. These are so versatile. You can use them while bullet journaling, writing recipes, sketching in a book while sitting in the subway, and more. Seriously, this is the pen I always recommend over any other pen. 

Rating: 10/10

Get a pack of 12 from Amazon for $16.99. 

9. An Uni Jetstream Retractable Roller Ball Pen, for when you have to write for long periods of time and want to avoid the dreaded hand cramp.

Tasia Bass

When people ask me why I like Uni pens so much, I often say it's because their products offer consistency and quality. The Uni Jetstream is no different. To me, it writes very similarly to the Namiki Falcon Fountain Pen, but has a way more affordable price tag. I do think it has a better grip, which most likely has to do with the unique design on it. This is definitely a comfortable pen, great for long writing sessions. Plus the barrel is slick and colorful.

Rating: 8.5/10

Get a pack of five from Amazon for $9.59.

10. A Zebra Sarasa Fine Felt Pen for when you want to write notes in the margins of a book.

Tasia Bass

I love using these pens for journaling! Despite the bright, bold colors, it has never bled through any paper, even when I use thin computer paper. I really like the fine tips, which allows me to write in close cursive and still be legible. The only downfall is that if you get it on your clothes, it is not washing out. I also used them to highlight sections in my law books and being able to have thin lines that wouldn't accidentally cover the sentence below was great. Plus, it allowed me to color code sections.

Rating: 8/10

Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for $8.64.

11. A set of Sakura Pigma Microns that you can use on any medium or type of paper with ease.

Tasia Bass

A staple in many artists' toolbox, the micron pen is the epitome of versatility. It's quick drying and fade-resistant. Its biggest issue is that it can run out of ink quickly and isn't cheap to constantly replace. However, it comes in a multitude of colors and works on various mediums, including watercolor paintings. This OG fineliner has not changed in 30 years, which is great if you want what's familiar.

Rating: 7.5/10

Get a pack of 8 black pens from Amazon for $14.29 or a pack of 8 colored pens for $18.88.

12. A stylish Uni-ball StyleFit Retractable Gel Ink Pen to show everyone how fancy you are and will make sign anything seem like an elegant event.

Tasia Bass

Now this is a sleek pen. With its slim body and extremely fine tip, this is the pen I use when I want to seem important. It has a great ink color and a nice silver barrel. However, it unfortunately sometimes skip, which may make you have to rewrite over words. It is refillable, letting you keep the barrel without having to buy a whole new pen each time. They also sell empty barrels in a multitude of colors, if you want to change it out occasionally.

Rating: 7.2/10

Get a pack of 18 from Amazon for $18.85. Refills are available at JetPens for $1.40+.

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