The Making of the Moonlit Cloud Glass Pen: A Journey of Artisanship

Hello everyone, Taka here from Komorebi Stationery! Since January this year, we've been collaborating with glass artist Hideki Hosaka to develop our Moonlit Cloud Glass Pen, which we've just released a few hours ago. I’m writing this to capture our fresh excitement and to share with you, in chronological order, the story of how this pen came to be—a story we hope makes you feel closer to us.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the driving force behind my wife Sayuri and me at Komorebi Stationery is our dedication to preserving and passing on Japanese traditions and craftsmanship to the next generation. We are committed to showcasing artisans whose skills and personal stories resonate deeply, aiming to introduce their work to a global audience. Hideki Hosaka's studio, Flame Works, definitely fits this bill.

Meeting Hideki

We first met Hideki at the 2023 Tokyo International Pen Show, before we had even opened our store. We were immediately captivated by his intricate work and commissioned him to create some unique versions of his cat and goldfish glass pens, which sold out quickly despite our store just opening.

Purple Cat Glass Dip Pen

Seeking a New Masterpiece of Japanese Glass Pens

Since then, our store has become one of the largest distributors of Japanese glass pens, but to further popularize these pens globally, we felt the need to create even more beloved designs. In January 2024, we asked him to craft a completely original glass pen, which Sayuri had sketched out.
(The Shiba Inu glass pen is still in development.)

Idea Sketch of Glass Pens by Sayuri

Throughout the development of this pen, we revised its motifs, shapes, and colors, as well as the design and hue of the shaft multiple times. Hideki works with borosilicate glass rods, melting them down to form the pens. However, translating these into the actual shape of the pens often resulted in colors that differed from our initial visions, leading us to search tirelessly for the best glass materials.

 
A part of Prototype Glass Pens and Motifs

The photos above showcase some of the prototypes for the pen shafts and motifs we developed. As you can see, the colors turned out differently than we expected, and the cloud shapes didn't quite capture the essence of real clouds as we had hoped. We encountered these challenges repeatedly, pushing us to refine our techniques and materials to get closer to our vision.

And here is the final result—the Moonlit Cloud Glass Pen. After overcoming the challenges with colors and motifs, we finally achieved a design that beautifully captures the essence of twilight skies adorned with clouds and the moon.

Doesn't it look stunning? When I first held this glass pen, I was genuinely taken aback by its beauty—it literally took my breath away. Not only is it visually appealing, but it also offers a smooth writing experience. So, whenever you feel a burst of creativity, whether for drawing or writing, this pen will surely become your go-to tool.

Parting Words

That's all for now. Did you feel a closer connection to our process of making glass pens? If you enjoyed this post or have your own ideas for a glass pen design, please feel free to leave a comment. We love hearing from you!