Namiki presents the 2021 Limited Edition Yukari fountain pen Tanuki (Japanese Racoon Dog).
According to Japanese folklore, the lovely and charming tanuki figurines are said to be auspicious talismans. The word ‘tanuki’ in phonetic characters means ‘to surpass others’, and therefore the figurines are placed at the entrance of shops as a symbol of prosperity for business.
There are a total of eight attributes in tanuki figurines. Known as the Eight Blessings, these are the straw hat, eyes, happy face, belly, flask (of sake), account ledger, tail, and money bag.
• Straw hat that protects from evil and disasters.
• Big eyes to quickly understand customers and be attentive.
• A smile that makes people spend their lives happily even during
difficult times.
• Big belly conveys a sense of security and making decisions calmly.
• Sake flask refers to eating and drinking in moderation.
• Account ledger refers to the relationship of trust with customers.
• Thick tail supports the tanuki’s body and is said to be well-balanced,
meaning a sense of stability.
• Money bag that provides financial wealth and luck.
A limited edition of 300 pieces worldwide, the Tanuki fountain pen is crafted using Hira Maki-e and Togidashi Maki-e (with Raden and Mother-of-Pearl) technique. This level of art requires a long tradition of inherited skills and are created by the collaboration of Japanese maki-e artists (Kokkokai).
Each pen comes with an 18k bi-colour gold nib in size 10 (F, M and B), engraved with the outline of Mount Fuji and Namiki branding. The pen fills using cartridge or converter (CON-70 converter included), and comes packaged in a paulownia box for Namiki Limited Edition.
