Designed by Nakaya master pen designer Shinichi Yoshida in collaboration with Classic Fountain Pen's John Mottishaw, the Naka-ai, with its peaked ends and tapered body, combines many of Nakaya’s most distinctive design features in a single model. "Naka-ai" has the meaning of middle or in-between, and brings to mind the Middle Way of Buddhist practice with its emphasis on balance, integrity, and centeredness.

Each Naka-ai is made of hand-turned ebonite hard rubber, then sent to the Wajima region in western Japan for finishing with Urushi lacquer. Final assembly is then accomplished in Nakaya's offices in Tokyo and at the Classic Fountain Pens workshop in Los Angeles, where each nib is hand-tuned for the writing characteristics of the individual user.

The Naka-ai Cigar in Kuro-tamenuri finish is provided with your choice of solid gold 14k single-tone nib in Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, or Extra Broad, with Fine Soft, Medium Soft, and Super Extra Fine nibs also available. 14k nibs are well-suited to customizations including Stub, Cursive Italic, and Left Oblique, as well as the modification for added 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.