The winter scene depicted in the motif of the Nakaya Long Cigar Karasu Kite and Crow is representative of the work of Edo period poet and painter Yosana Buso. Nakaya Maki-e artists have used this inspiration to achieve a stunning and evocative design.

Similar to Tame-Sukashi and often used in conjuction with it, Yakou Maki-e involves creating a painted motif under layers of clear smooth Urushi lacquer. In Yakou Maki-e, however, the motif itself is painted in black Urushi over a Tame-Nuri base.

Like all Nakaya Urushi pens, the Karasu Kite and Crow is made of hand-turned ebonite hard rubber in Nakaya’s Tokyo workshop, then sent to the Wajima region in western Japan for Maki-e work and finishing with Urushi lacquer.

The images of crows and dark branches have been achieved using Yakou Maki-e technique over an Aka-tamenuri base. Silver powder is used to represent the snow that layers the branches.

Nakaya pens can be filled with bottled fountain pen ink using the provided converter, and can also use Platinum brand ink cartridges. Hand-painted Maki-e converters are also available.

The Nakaya Long Cigar Karasu Kite and Crow is provided with solid gold 14k single-tone nib in your choice of tipping size.

Nakaya 14k nibs are well-suited to customizations including flex.

Nakaya pens ship in a solid softwood shipping box decorated with Japanese Kanji script and lined with decorative rice paper. A fabric pen “”kimono”” and starter box of Platinum brand cartridges are also included, making this pen a lovely presentation item. Sensible and elegant packaging has long been a hallmark of the Nakaya brand.

Nakaya pens are individually handcrafted in a process that requires a minimum of three to six months and often much longer.

Unless requested otherwise, each pen or nib you purchase from us will be carefully examined, tested, and optimized for your personal writing characteristics before it ships.