Nakaya Naka-ai Writer Shobu
The Nakaya Naka-ai Writer in dark purple Shobu features rich urushi lacquer finish over our Naka-ai tapered pen barrel. Shobu is a notoriously difficult color to produce in urushi lacquer requiring extreme measurements and application techniques.
Designed by Nakaya master pen designer Shinichi Yoshida in collaboration with Classic Fountain Pen's John Mottishaw, the Naka-ai, with its cone 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. Appropriately enough, the Naka-ai occupies a midway position between Nakaya's smaller Piccolo series pens and the longer desk pen.
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.
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. See our nib set-up and optimization page for more details.
Measurements & Specifications
Clip | With Clip |
Cap Type | Threaded |
Closed Length | 5.9" |
Postable | Not Postable |
Barrel Length | 4.5" |
Section Diameter | 0.4" |
Cartridge Capacity | 1.5 ml |
Converter Capacity | 0.5 ml |
Ink Capacity | 1.5 ml |
Filling System | Cartridge-Converter |
Pen Weight | 26.4 g |
Barrel Diameter | 0.6 |