2022 was the year when stationery got more expensive, a new ink trend emerged, and traditional pen makers joined the dip pen craze.

2021 was the year when people went back to in-store events, Sailor kicked into high gear, Pilot woke up, glass pens became unobtainable, and a North American ink brand challenged Tono & Lims.

Japan has a long tradition of urushi lacquerware, going all the way back to the Jomon period. Over the years, multiple regional forms such as Wajima-nuri and Kyo Shikki, and decorative techniques like maki-e and chinkin, have evolved. Urushi is a time-consuming craft. Sap is extracted from the lacquer tree, filtered, often mixed with pigment such as vermilion, and painstakingly coated in many layers, on everything from rice bowls and trays to cars.