Japanese brands are known for their quality and reliability, with many brands achieving cult status around the world.
Over the last century, Japanese companies have emerged as market leaders in the manufacturing of pencils.
In particular, the Japanese are key innovators of the mechanical pencil and have made this modern writing implement an international success.
In This Article – We’ll take a look at 9 of the best Japanese pencils, including the key writing, drafting, and coloring pencils to add to your stationery collection.
Table of Contents
The 9 best Japanese pencils
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Japanese pens and pencils are some of the best in the world and many of the brands featured here are instantly recognizable.
Japanese pencil companies produce a comprehensive range of pencils making it easy to find the pencil that is perfect for the job.
Here are the need-to-know brands.
1. Zebra Co., Ltd. ゼブラ株式会社
Zebra is one of Japan’s leading manufacturers of pencils.
Its global exports have made it an international brand with subsidiaries across Europe, Asia, and The Americas.
Aside from pencils, mechanical pencils, and coloring pencils, its inventory includes a variety of pens and highlighters.
About Zebra
| Headquarters | Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Founder | Tokumatsu Ishikawa |
| Products | Pencils Mechanical pencils Coloring pencils Brush pens Gel pens Fountain pens Ballpoint pens Markers Highlighters |
| URL | www.zebra.co.jp/main/index.html |
| Social Media | www.instagram.com/zebra_global_official/ |
Zebra was founded in 1914, by craftsman Tokumatsu Ishikawa, a producer of homemade nibs.
He named the company Zebra, after the animal’s strong herding instinct and its black stripes, which looked like pen strokes.
Like many manufacturers in WWII, Zebra suffered the destruction of its factories, which were gradually rebuilt in the 1950s.
By 1959 – Zebra had launched its first ballpoint pen, expanding to include markers, pencils, and brush-tip pens.
Its first mechanical pencil was introduced in the 1970s and in the 1980s the company started to manufacture the DRAFIX line of pencil leads.
Why choose Zebra pencils?
Zebra was one of the first manufacturers of mechanical pencils and their simple refined design has gained a cult following over the years.
They are favored for their smooth writing and good-quality, hard leads that do not continually break.
Despite their low price, you’ll be impressed with their performance, especially the strong stainless-steel barrels, supportive rubber grips, and good-quality erasers.
Try great Zebra pencils
Want more? Check out these!
- Zebra #2 Mechanical Pencil 28-Pack:
- A plastic mechanical pencil that looks like a conventional #2 wood pencil with an eraser
- Disposable
- 0.7mm point size line
- Graphite pencil lead (HB lead)
- 3 pencil leads per mechanical pencil
- Large eraser
- Check price
- Zebra Delguard Mechanical Pencils 3-Pack
- Graphite pencil lead (HB lead)
- Novel design protects the pencil lead from mechanical stress/breaking
- 0.5mm fine point line
- Rubber grip for writing
- Multicolor barrels
- Chrome push button with replaceable eraser underneath
- Check price
2. Muji Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd. 株式会社良品計画
If you’re a millennial, you’ll know and love Muji as an iconic Japanese brand.
The name Muki Ryohin means ‘no-brand quality goods’. This Japanese consumer goods company is renowned for its varied inventory and staunch minimalist aesthetic.
This stylish brand is stripped of logos, and excess packaging and prioritizes sustainability. Muji produces high-quality stationery with a range of conventional and mechanical pencils.
About Muji
| Headquarters | Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Chairman | Masaaki Kanai |
| Products | Household goods Stationery Clothing Food Bodycare Appliances |
| URL | www.muji.com |
| Social Media | www.instagram.com/mujiusa/ |
Muji is a spin-off of the product line of Seiyu, a Japanese supermarket brand.
From 1980, products were sold with the slogan ‘Lower priced for a reason’.
The classic clear cellophane, plain labels, and basic fonts garnered a cult following leading Seibu Ryutsu Group, the supermarket owners to open dedicated stores for Mujirushi Ryōhin products with the first store opening in 1983 in Tokyo.
The first Muji stores were so successful that the separate company Ryohin Keikaku Ltd. was formed.
Demand for Muji goods sparked international interest with stores opening in London and New York in the 1990s.
Why choose Muji pencils?
Muji pencils and stationery are a hit with schoolchildren, students, and creatives. Its pencils are designed to be simple but highly functional.
In line with the company’s brand values, Muji pencils are great value for money, though they are a little more expensive outside of Japan.
Try these great Muji pencils
If you don’t have a Muji store near you, you can keep your pencil case stylish by stocking up on Muji pencils via Amazon.
Here are some top picks.
Want more? Check out these!
- MUJI Mechanical Pencil with Low Center of Gravity
- White plastic mechanical pencil with metal clip
- 0.5mm fine point line
- Heavier tip for more stable writing
- Graphite pencil lead
- Removable eraser cap
- Check price
- MUJI ColoRed Pencils in Tube 60-Pack
- 60 packs of coloring pencils in iconic MUJI cylinder
- Pastel wooden pencils
- Professional quality art materials
- Strong pigments and blendable
- Check price
- MUJI Small Pencil Sharpener (White)
- Classic white pencil sharpener
- MUJI quality
- Efficient function
- Made in Japan
- Check price
3. Uni-ball ユニボール
Uni-ball, Uni or Yuni, is a subsidiary of the Mitsubishi Pencil Company Limited 三菱鉛筆株式会社.
Uni-ball’s parent company is unrelated to the Mitsubishi conglomerate.
The Uni brand specializes in gel rollerball pens and mechanical pencils, with over 3,000 product lines that are distributed worldwide.
About Uni-ball
| Headquarters | Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Founder | Niroku Masaki |
| Products | Mechanical pencils Ballpoint pens |
| URL | www.mpuni.co.jp/en/company/ |
| Social Media | www.instagram.com/uniballco/ |
Niroku Masaki founded the Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd. in Tokyo in 1887.
From its Tokyo base, the company manufactured pencils that were exported to companies that included Argentina, Belgium, Portugal, and India.
In the late 1940s, the Mitsubishi Pencil Company introduced the ‘9800’ pencil which was extremely successful and has been continually manufactured until the present day.
The first Uniball product was released in 1966 as the company focused on developing innovative writing implements.
The Uniball rollerball pen would go on to become one of the company’s most successful items and the impetus for creating a dedicated subsidiary.
The company’s first mechanical pencil hit the market in 1961.
Uni has continued to innovate mechanical pencils with self-sharpening pencils and a near-complete departure from producing conventional wooden pencils.
Why choose Uniball mechanical pencils?
Uniball is a convenient choice for good quality, great value mechanical pencils that deliver great writing quality.
There is a massive range of pencils to choose from, and Uniball’s global distribution means that they are carried by most good stationers.
Try these great Uni pencils
Uniball mechanical and conventional pencils last a long time and write beautifully.
Here are some of Uniball’s best pencils to buy.
Want more? Check out these!
- Uni 2B Pencils – Box of 12
- 12-pack of classic wooden pencils from the Mitsubishi Pencil Company
- Extremely high quality and hard to break
- Smooth and even writing and drawing
- Slightly blendable
- Check price
- Uni Kurutoga Advance Upgrade Mechanical Pencil
- Limited edition red design
- Robust metal barrel with black rubber nubs for grip
- Metal parts within the pencil keep the core sharp for prolonged writing quality
- Internal core-break protection for lead
- 0.5mm point line
- Graphite pencil lead
- Check price
4. Pentel Co., Ltd. ぺんてる株式会社
Pentel is a privately owned Japanese stationery company, which distributes its pens, pencils, art, and office supplies worldwide.
The inventor of the felt-tip pen. The name is a play on the English words ‘pen’ and ‘tel’.
Pentel conventional and mechanical pencils are a reliable buy that is manufactured in Japan, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
About Pentel
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
| Founded | 1946 |
| Founder | Yukio Horie |
| Products | Art tools and material Writing implements Office consumables Electronics Production equipment |
| URL | www.pentel.co.jp/ |
| Social Media | instagram.com/pentel_official/ |
Pentel was founded by Yokio Horie in the late 1940s as Japan Stationery Limited.
It started to be making crayons and pastels and moved to pencil manufacturing in the early 1950s.
Pentel’s felt-tip pen invention called the Sign Pen led to massive company growth as it was popular in America and even adopted by NASA for space missions.
More than 2 billion of these pens were sold, making it Pentel’s best-selling product of all time.
The company name was changed to Pentel Co. Ltd. in the 1970s. Pentel continued to innovate in its sector producing rollerball pens and brush pens with replaceable ink cartridges.
The brush pens had a niche following from comic book artists who used them to color their drawings.
Why buy a Pentel pencil?
Pentel has a strong manufacturing base with high-quality standards, but also an innovative approach to their writing implements.
This means a Pentel pencil will be reliable and designed for maximum writing efficiency and comfort.
Pentel mechanical pencils are some of the best on the market. Its firm leads produce dark writing that still erases easily.
Top Pentel pencils
There are so many great Pentel pencils to choose from.
Take a look at these top picks.
Want more? Check out these!
- Pentel Quick Click Mechanical Pencil 36-Pack
- 36-pack of classic Pentel Quick Click mechanical pencils
- Unique slide advance button that advances your lead without interrupting your writing
- Transparent plastic barrel
- Rubber grip for comfort
- 0.5mm point line
- Graphite pencil lead
- Check price
- Blue P200 Series Automatic Mechanical Drafting Pencil
- Specifically designed for draftsmanship
- Blue polymer barrel with metal clip
- 0.7mm point consistent line width
- Suitable for professional use
- Check price
5. Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. 株式会社トンボ鉛筆
Tombow is one of Japan’s best pencil companies and has been manufacturing pencils and other stationery products for over a century.
Their pencils, pens, art, and office supplies are produced in Japan and across Southeast Asia with exports across the world.
Popular products by Tombow include water brush pens that are used for painting and Japanese calligraphy effects.
Its conventional and mechanical pencils are favored by artists from across the world.
About Tombow
| Headquarters | Kita-ku, Tokyo, Japan |
| Founded | 1913 |
| Founder | Harunosuke Ogawa |
| Products | Pens Water brush pens Crayons Erasers Ballpoint pens Pencils Mechanical pencils Office Supplies Art materials |
| URL | www.tombow.com/en/ |
| Social Media | www.instagram.com/tombowpencil/ |
Tombow started as a shop in Asakusa called Harunosuke Ogawa Pencil, opened by Harunosuke Ogawa in 1913. Over the following decade, Ogawa developed a range of pencil designs that proved popular.
In 1927 the company adopted its iconic dragonfly or ‘Tonbo’ logo.
By 1939 the company had been renamed Tombow Pencil Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and continued to develop and manufacture novel pencil and eraser designs.
In the 1950s, Tombow relocated to Tokyo and became established as a manufacturer of varied writing implements and accessories, including ballpoint pens, markers, mechanical pencils, and electric pencil sharpeners.
Subsequent business growth has enabled Tombow to establish subsidiary companies in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Tombow has several contemporary product lines, including:
- Mono: Tombow’s signature pencil line includes wooden and mechanical pencils and erasers.
- Pit: A line of gluesticks by Tombow.
- Zoom: a popular line of ballpoint pens and mechanical pencils.
Why Tombow?
According to President and CEO Akihiro Ogawa, Tombow develops its pencils and stationery as tools for the expression and transmission of ideas.
This makes the company very innovative, and keen to deliver customer excitement and satisfaction.
Tombow products are of great quality with a minimalist aesthetic that is distinctly Japanese.
They continue to innovate with fun and quirky product like their scented glue sticks and illustrated special edition products.
Best buys from Tombow
Tombow has an outstanding range of writing and colored pencils.
Whether you have a new manga project or an architectural brief, these are the Tombow pencils that are just right for the job.
Want more? Check out these!
- 12-Pack Tombow 2558-B Pencils with Rubber
- Vintage B pencils with rubber
- Firm leads
- Smooth writing
- Easy to erase
- Perfect for your office
- Sharpens beautifully
- Check price
- Tombow Mechanical Pencil
- Classic Tonbow shaker mechanical pencil
- White plastic with metal clip
- 0.5mm point line
- Quality graphite pencil lead and MOMO eraser
- Check price
6. Felissimo Corporation ぬいぐるみプレゼント！
Felissimo is a popular Japanese mail-order company that is known for its great stationery and art supplies.
Products are sold via its classic catalog or online. The company makes the list because of a remarkable offer of 500 high-quality coloring pencils that were delivered to customers in packages of 25 each month.
These pencils have become best-sellers with people buying them across the world and tentatively waiting for the pencils to turn up.
This now famous set of coloring pencils called the ‘Tokyo Seed Collection’ is a true collector’s item and is even displayed in special display cases as an ornament.
About Felissimo
| Headquarters | Shinkocho, Chuo-ku, Kobe |
| Founded | 1965 |
| President and CEO | Kazuhiko Yazaki |
| Products | Homewares Clothing Tools Stationery Art materials Toys Fashion accessories Food and Drink |
| URL | https://www.felissimo.co.jp/int/ |
| Social Media | https://www.instagram.com/felissimo_int_ltd/ |
Felissimo Corporation was founded in 1965 and has grown to become one of Japan’s leading catalog companies.
The products it sells are original and unique and the company also imports interesting products from other countries to introduce to Japanese customers.
Apart from its direct marketing activities, Felissimo also champions customer and community engagement with a variety of design competitions and subsidized production projects in partnership with UNESCO.
Why Felissimo?
If you love art and coloring, this encyclopedic collection of coloring pencils is one of the best in the world.
Felissimo now ships its 500 coloring pencils and partner crayon collection via Amazon with a range of limited-edition production runs.
You can store and display Felissimo coloring pencils in the modular display case also available online like this one.
- FELISSIMO Original Design Acrylic Display/Organizer Blocks
- Set of 3 boxes, each box contains 10 pencil holders
- Stackable and interlocking boxes
- Organize your desk!
7. Kitaboshi Pencil Co. Ltd 北星鉛筆
Kitaboshi Pencil company is a lesser-known Japanese pencil company that manufactures a lot of OEMs for other companies.
The name Kitaboshi means ‘North Star’.
Kitaboshi has a good reputation in Japan for producing high-quality pencils and a rich heritage that extends back at least a century.
Its product range is limited outside of Japan but there are some unique Kitaboshi pencils available to a growing non-Japanese following.
About Kitaboshi
| Headquarters | Yotsugi, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo |
| Founded | 1913 |
| Founder | Yasuzaemon Sugatani |
| Products | Pencils Coloring pencils Mechanical pencils OEM pencils |
| URL | www.kitaboshi.co.jp |
Kitaboshi began in 1913 as the Sugatani Lumber Company, located on Hokkaido Island in the north of Japan, Founder Yasuzaemon Sugatani set up the lumber firm to produce slats of wood for the growing cased pencil industry.
It is thought that Sugatani knew pencils through ancestors who had worked for the Shogun of the Tokugawa.
The Shogun was one of the first people to own a graphite pencil in Japan several centuries prior.
Japanese pencils were made with a Basswood species that was plentiful in northern Japan.
In 1944 the Sugatani family switched from supplying wood to making pencils, renaming the company the Kitaboshi Stationery Sales Company.
Kitaboshi relocated its manufacturing operation to Tokyo in the 1950s and began to import American cedarwood to make its pencils.
The company remains family-run with Kuzutoshi Sugitani, the company president, a third-generation descendant.
Why Kitaboshi pencils?
Kitaboshi’s wooden conventional and mechanical pencils, continue to feature the quality wood that the company is built on.
Its wooden mechanical pencils are pretty unique too. This pencil company has also embraced sustainability, using its waste wood to produce products like modeling clay and only sourcing wood from sustainably-managed forestry suppliers.
Kitaboshi pencils for sale
If you’re looking for a unique Japanese pencil, Kitaboshi is a great find.
They manufacture a lot of OEM for companies like Disney in Japan, but their own-brand pencils display beautiful craftsmanship and write beautifully.
Here are some favorites.
Want more? Check out these!
- Kitaboshi Wooden Barrel 1B Mechanical Pencil
- Classic mechanical pencil with a real wood barrel
- Looks and feels like a normal pencil
- 1B pencil lead hardness
- 2.0 mm diameter (thick lines)
- Lead sharpener included
- Mushroom knock button to release and retract the lead
- Ideal for carpenters
- Check price
- Hokusei HB Pencil #9500 – Set of 12
- 12 quality pencils by Kitaboshi
- A vintage product that remains in production
- Hexagonal shaft
- Premium cedarwood and high-quality graphite for dark, consistent lines
- Suitable for study or office use
- Check price
8. Pilot Corporation 株式会社パイロットコーポレーション
Pilot Corporation is a well-known producer of pens, but they produce mechanical pencils too.
Pilot is Japan’s largest pen manufacturer with subsidiaries throughout the world. Pilot stationery is manufactured in Japan, France, and the U.S. and is rated internationally for its quality and precision.
About Pilot
| Headquarters | Chuo City, Tokyo, Japan |
| Founded | 1915 |
| Founder | Ryōsuke NamikiMasao Wada |
| Products | Pens Fountain pens Calligraphy pens Erasable ink pens Ballpoint pens Mechanical pencils |
| URL | www.pilotpen.com/ |
| Social Media | www.instagram.com/pilotpenusa/ |
Pilot was founded in 1915 by Ryōsuke Namiki, a professor from the Nautical College in Tokyo.
He left his academic work to make gold pen nibs and within a year had started mass-producing writing instruments. In 1918 he established the Namiki Manufacturing Company in partnership with Masao Wada.
The company grew quickly with Namiki and Wada establishing offices in Europe, America, and Southeast Asia in the early 1920s.
They changed the company name to Pilot Pen Co., Ltd in 1938 with a later change to Pilot Ink Company.
Highlights of the history of Pilot include the acquisition of the Nagoya Ink Plant to manufacture inks for Pilot pens.
In the 1950s Pilot released its first oil-based ink markers. The 1960s brought innovations in precision mechanisms for mechanical pencils which are used to the present day.
Are Pilot mechanical pencils worth it?
Pilot produces a great selection of cost-effective mechanical pencils.
This company has almost 70 years of mechanical pencil manufacturing experience, meaning you can choose from a range of pencils for everyday writing, sketching, or drafting work.
Best Pilot pencils
Pilot pencils are a great buy if you are looking for quality Japanese pencils.
Pilot has a vast product range, making it easy to find a pencil that meets your need.
Here are some great examples.
Want more? Check out these!
- Pilot Dark Brown (DBN5) Mechanical Pencil
- Smart mechanical pencil with dark wood effect barrel
- 0.5mm line diameter
- Barrel-shaped for comfort and writing efficiency
- Chrome metal clip
- Refillable leads and eraser
- Check price
- PILOT Dr. Grip Mechanical Pencil
- Ergonomic grip mechanical pencil
- Silver plastic finish
- 0.5mm line
- Shaker pencil
- Eraser included
- Check price
9. Sakura Color Products Corporation 株式会社サクラクレパス
Sakura is named after the iconic cherry blossom of Japan.
The name is apt as the company is one of the leading producers of art supplies for the country and is famed for its rich pastels and coloring pencils.
The company is also known for its popular annual art competitions held in America and Japan.
They recently held a centenary celebratory contest that invited artists of all ages to submit work created with their CRAY-PAS pastels.
About Sakura
| Headquarters | Morinomiya-chūō, Chūō-ku, Osaka, |
| Founded | 1921 |
| President | Nishimura Hikoshiro |
| Products | Art materials Pastels Coloring pencils |
| URL | www.sakuraofamerica.com/ |
| Social Media | www.instagram.com/sakuraofamerica/ |
Sakura was founded in 1921 and within 4 years the company had brought its proprietary CRAY-PAS oil pastels to market.
From the 1950s onwards, the company developed numerous art materials, including a novel semi-transparent watercolor and later, tough industrial markers, gel-based inks, and sign pens.
The uniqueness and quality of Sakura pigments spurred its international growth, with Sakura Color Products of America, Inc. being its leading overseas subsidiary.
In the 1990s – Sakura acquired two Dutch art materials companies; Royal Talens 1991 and Bruynzeel, a pencil-making company.
Sakura’s dedication to promoting human expression shines through in the quality and care with which its products are made.
Sakura pigments are always rich and their coloring pencils are known for their longevity with some people owning a single set for decades.
Why Sakura coloring pencils are a great buy
This niche art company is a specialist in producing fine-quality coloring pencils.
The pencils are available in a wide range of colors with the rich pigments Sakura is known for.
Sakura coloring pencils are extremely accessible and used by children, and amateur and professional artists, with equally stunning results.
Buy Sakura coloring pencils
Sakura coloring pencils are sold under the Sakura Coupy-Pencil brand.
They always come in a brightly colored tin. Though they are relatively expensive, your Sakura Coupy Pencils will last a long time.
Here are the best buys.
Want more? Check out these!
- Sakura Color 30
- Tin of 30 Sakura Coupy-Pencil coloring pencils
- Hard to break type 1 coloring pencils
- Sakura pastel colors
- Pack includes a color map in Japanese
- Check price
- SAKURA COUPY-PENCIL 18 colors
- Canned Sakura coloring pencils
- Easy to sharpen and erasable
- Sharpener and eraser supplied
- 18 rich colors
- 4 times the color volume of a traditional pencil because they are wood-free
- Check price
Best Japanese Pencils FAQs
What is a mechanical pencil?
What is a shaker pencil?
What is an HB pencil?
In conclusion
Japanese pencils are interesting and diverse. Because they are exported around the world, you probably have already used Japanese pencils for work, study or hobbies.
The quality and craftsmanship of these Japanese pencils make them great collector items and if you are new to using them you’ll be impressed if you give them a try!
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