Mitsubishi Pencils

We’ve carried Mitsubishi pencils in the studio shop since it opened, and we’ve slowly migrated them over to the main shop. They’re of course online now, but I thought I would share my favourite ones since you can’t come in and try out all the pencils in person.

From top down:

Mitsubishi Recycled Coloured Pencil - Vermillion and Prussian Blue - this is great for editing and notes. I use it for marking things up, homeschooling, in my planner.
Mitsubishi 9800EW - A true classic. I guess I should say the 9800 is the original classic, and then the 9800EW is the recycled version, with natural wood. The glossy dark green on the 9800 is very nice, but I like natural wood finishes. The Matureddesignation refers to the graphite.
Mitsubishi 9850 - HB - with an eraser! A superb all around pencil, with a glossy finish, burgundy finish. I might send Caleb to school with these.
Mitsubishi Kohitsu Shosha Angle Pencil - 4B - this is a bit soft for long writing sessions, but it is a joy to write with. It is buttery and dark.
Mitsubishi 9000 - Like the 9800, another pencil for “general writing.” I have a few of these kicking around my desk.

Japanese pencils in general tend to write a bit softer and a bit darker, which I love. It can be extremely satisfying to write with a pencil, especially if your paper has a bit of texture. It’s a Sophie’s choice in the world of stationery, if you should get smooth fountain pen friendly paper, or textured paper that gives you some feedback when writing with pencils. Ah, the agony of indecision. (Midori MD notebooks are probably my choice if you’re a fan of using both. The Traveler’s Notebook refills also have a lot of options—sketch paper, lightweight Tomoe River paper, etc., which is part of what makes them so great!)

As a shop that sells fountain pens that are often $30 or more, my favourite thing about pencils is that they’re so inexpensive and consumable. While Blackwing pencils can be a bit more of a special treat, Mitsubishi pencils are surprisingly cheap and exceptionally good value. Despite not being able to come in to the shops these days, it’s fun and easy to pick up a few Mitsubishi pencils just to try out. In a similar but different way from fountain pens, the writing experience of a pencil is so unique and tactile.

And, you have the satisfaction of seeing its use as the pencil gets shorter and shorter. There is nothing like the feeling productivity these days.