Written by Jin Fujisaki / Published: 2026-02-23
With the booming "ink swamp" trend of collecting colorful bottled inks, dip pens and glass pens — which let you change colors simply by rinsing the nib — have exploded in popularity. However, glass pens tend to have a distinctively hard, scratchy writing feel, leaving enthusiasts with a dilemma: "I want to write as smoothly as I do with my everyday fountain pen."
Enter the "iro-utsushi" from Pilot, one of Japan's leading writing instrument makers. True to its name — which means "transferring colors" — this product is specialized in beautifully transferring the "color" of ink onto paper, and it's a dip pen equipped with the same stainless steel nib found on genuine fountain pens. The moment it touches paper, you'll recognize that supreme, silky-smooth glide unique to Pilot fountain pens — combined with the convenience of a dip pen. It's truly a dream-come-true writing instrument.
| The "Guide Line" that solves "How deep should I dip it?" at a glance
image Rakuten
A surprisingly common frustration when using dip pens is not knowing how deep to submerge the nib into the ink bottle. Too shallow, and the ink runs out almost immediately; too deep, and the barrel gets stained with ink, making cleanup a hassle.
The nib of the iro-utsushi features a beautifully etched "wave-shaped engraving (guide line)" that perfectly solves this problem. When dipping the nib into an ink bottle, you simply submerge it up to this line with a gentle plop, and you'll always pick up the optimal amount of ink. Even first-time dip pen users won't get their hands dirty — it's the kind of meticulous, user-focused thoughtfulness you'd expect from Pilot, and it's genuinely moving.
| The warm, inviting "wooden barrel" you'll never want to put down
image Bungu-ya.com
What truly elevates this pen's appeal to the next level is the texture of the body (barrel). The affordable resin barrel models (available in 5 colors) are beautifully translucent, but the model you absolutely must hold at least once is the "wooden barrel (mokujiku)."
Available in two colors — Black and Mocha — the wooden barrel model has a warm, supple feel that fits naturally in your hand, evoking the elegant sensation of holding a high-end fountain pen. With its moderate weight and thickness, your hand won't tire easily even when creating ink color swatches for hours or writing daily entries in a journal. It radiates the aura of a refined indulgence — not merely "a tool that makes color-swapping easy," but an instrument that "enriches the very act of writing itself."
| F (Fine) and M (Medium). Nibs that bring out the personality of every ink
image Goulet Pens
Two nib widths are available: "F (Fine)," ideal for writing in the small grids of a planner, and "M (Medium)," which lets you fully enjoy ink shading and shimmering sparkle.
Whereas glass pens tend to produce uniform line widths, the iro-utsushi lets you add subtle nuance through pen pressure, bringing out the beautiful character of "stops, hooks, and sweeps" in your strokes. To switch ink colors, just lightly rinse the nib in a cup of water and give it a quick wipe with a tissue. This overwhelming ease, combined with the exquisite writing feel, will surely have you reaching to open one bottle of ink after another.
| Summary: A premium ink experience starting from just 770 yen
image PenChalet
Priced at just 770 yen (tax included) for the clear resin barrel model and 1,980 yen (tax included) for the upscale wooden barrel model, the cost performance is astonishing — almost unbelievable for something fitted with a Pilot fountain pen nib.
"I want to use all kinds of inks, but cleaning out my fountain pen is such a chore that I've stopped using it." If that sounds like you, please consider welcoming the iro-utsushi to a spot beside your ink bottles. The colorful inks flowing from its smoothly gliding nib will adorn your notebooks and planners more beautifully than ever before.
