Posts filed under Kobe

Kobe Ginza Gold Sepia Fountain Pen Ink Review

Kobe Ginza Gold Sepia Fountain Pen Ink Review

I seem to have two modes of ink buying: Weird, or Blue. Shopping for those non-traditional shades is one of my favorite things to do, and my counterbalance is popping a basic Blue ink cartridge into a pen and going to town.

While I keep a good stock of basic inks at hand, the weird inks are the ones that get me going. Kobe Ginza Gold Sepia fits the bill perfectly.

Kobe Ginza Gold Sepia

One of my favorite questions to ask when shopping for weird inks is “what color is it?” You would think that would be a straightforward question to answer, but with modern inks it can be more difficult than you think. So, what color do I think Ginza Gold Sepia is? Sepia, with a hint of Gold. Sorry to disappoint you, but the name is accurate!

I keep trying to see other colors in this ink that would allow me to describe it differently, but I don’t see them. Sepia Brown is the primary shade, with Gold being more of an undertone in the lighter areas of the lines and swatches. And in all honesty, I would like to see more funkiness to it, more shading, maybe a hint of Green?

Kobe Ginza Gold Sepia Swatches

I tried this ink on a variety of papers to see if I could get something to pop. Between Graphilo, Crena, PLOTTER, and two types of Midori, Ginza Gold Sepia remained Ginza Gold Sepia. I’m acting like this is a negative, but it’s not. Not even remotely. In fact, the consistency is to be commended.

Kobe Ginza Gold Sepia Writing

This is also why I chose an Extra Fine nib for this review. Seeing ink characteristics in a swatch is one thing, but seeing an ink in its natural writing form (my writing form, to be specific,) is valuable. I want to know if this is an all day, every day writing ink more than if it will be good for Ink Pony Club.

Ginza Gold Sepia is an all day writer, but I’m left wondering how often I will choose it over more pure Brown or Sepia shades, or over something ultra funky like Rohrer and Klingner Alt-Goldgrün? I don’t think that often, but we will see how it goes.

Kobe Ginza Gold Sepia Nib

I bought my bottle directly from Nagasawa at the 2025 California Pen Show, and you can pick yours up for $30 from Vanness Pens, or try a 4 ml sample. Kobe Nagasawa inks are made by Sailor, and meet the high performance expectations I have from the brand. It’s perfect from any nib, and on any page. Now to see how frequently Ginza Gold Sepia will be the perfect shade for me to use.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Kobe Ginza Gold Sepia Lines
Posted on July 21, 2025 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Kobe, Nagasawa, Ink Reviews.

Pairings Party: Retro 51 Coffee House Tornado Fountain Pen and Kobe Kitano Antique Sepia

What kind of party features a coffee-themed pen and Brown ink? My kind of party! The pairing of the Retro 51 Coffee House Tornado Fountain Pen with Kobe Kitano Antique Sepia has been my most used writing combo over the last month, and has taken the clubhouse lead early into September.

The Retro 51 Coffee House is a Goldpsot exclusive, which they kindly sent me earlier this Summer to try out. The black-based pen features chalkboard-style graphics you can find at a coffeehouse - beans, mugs, presses, cups, steam - the works. It’s a cool design for coffee lovers like myself, and I especially like the all-black hardware.

That includes the nib, which is coated black to match the rest of the pen. Retro 51 switched over to Jowo nibs years ago, and this #6 Fine nib writes nicely. The black coating may add the slightest bit of line width compared to a standard uncoated steel nib, or it could be a placebo effect. There are so many variables to take into account beside nib width - ink properties and paper, for starters. Regardless, this one writes smoothly, and the ink flows well.

This pen also fits my hand well. The underlying barrel is stainless steel, but it’s not heavy. There is some weight to it, but it is well-balanced throughout the tapered barrel. The metal section has a slight concave toward the nib for a solid gripping surface. The cap is threaded, taking two turns to remove or replace, and the clip provides a strong attachment.

In choosing an ink, there was no chance I was inking this pen up with anything but Brown. This shade has been edging towards the top of my usage list for the past year, after years of avoiding it. Antique Sepia was recommended to me by a friend after bemoaning the limited nature of Sailor Tea Time Series Fika Coffee Ink, one of my favorites.

This ink is a rich, dark brown that could easily pass a “normal” ink in a business setting. Some lines lean black, and some of the thinner areas of shading bring in the brown. Let’s keep it on theme here and call it a nice Medium Roast. There is a hint of green sheen with the right amount of ink on the right type of paper, but I rarely see it from my standard writing on Bank paper, PLOTTER paper, or Kokuyo paper - all of which I’ve used this combination with heavily.

The Retro 51 Coffee House Tornado Fountain Pen is $119 from Goldspot, and Kobe Kitano Antique Sepia is $30 at Vanness Pens. The Retro 51 is at a premium from their standard offerings, primarily due to the store exclusive/limited edition nature of the pen, plus the awesome artwork and finishes. Standard Retro 51 fountain pens start around $65 if you are looking to try out a great pen, but don’t need a full caffeine fix. $30 for 50 ml of Kobe (ie. Sailor,) ink is fine by me. Yes, it is still expensive/ml but at least the multiplier is 50, instead of the smaller bottles Sailor loves so much.

I drink coffee every day, often many times a day, so this pen and ink combo has been a blast to use. I just had to make sure I had the real thing flowing through my veins before attempting to write with the pen and ink version.

(Goldspot provided this pen at no charge, and Vanness Pens provided the ink at a discount, to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on September 2, 2024 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Retro 51, Fountain Pens, Kobe, Ink Reviews, Pen Reviews.