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00:00A beautiful wood grain. A smooth feeling that sticks to the hand. This is not just a tool.
00:12A partner who walks with life. The only fountain pen in the world.
00:18This fountain pen, which was born in a small workshop in Tottori Prefecture,
00:24was made according to each person's taste and habit.
00:30The price ranges from 100,000 yen to 700,000 yen.
00:34It takes more than a year and a half to ship.
00:37Even so, orders are flooding in from home and abroad.
00:43It's the same as people. Everyone is unique.
00:46Here, every pen is unique.
00:49It would be nice if he could act as a partner who can't let go of his pen.
00:55However, the road to this point was not smooth.
01:00Due to mass production, he was at the brink of bankruptcy.
01:05Even so, he continued to stick to handmade pens.
01:08One of the secret measures of Sanagara was to support the company's annual output.
01:15His reputation has surpassed the sea and has attracted fans all over the world.
01:19This time, we will look at whether he was the only company to continue to produce fountain pens.
01:27Fountain pens
01:43Full-length pen.
01:46I think it's a mature look.
01:49When I see people using it, I think it's cool.
01:53It's like a fountain pen as a gift when you become a member of society.
01:57I think there is something beyond a fountain pen.
02:05This time, the stage is Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture.
02:10It's only five minutes' walk from Tottori Station.
02:14This is Dr. Fountain Pen.
02:18It's a beautiful pen lined up in a chic store with a rich atmosphere.
02:27There is a large table for customers in the center.
02:30There is a glass-wrapped workshop in the back.
02:33Here, the fountain pens are carefully made one by one.
02:42The company was founded in 1934.
02:46Mr. Yoshio Yamamoto, the founder, founded the fountain pen factory with his brother in Manchuria at that time.
02:55He returned to Japan in 1939 and moved to Osaka.
02:59Five years later, he returned to his hometown, Tottori, to avoid war.
03:04Since then, he has continued to produce and sell fountain pens in Tottori.
03:09He has kept the tradition alive.
03:13It was a sign of adulthood to have a fountain pen in the past.
03:17It was also a special necessity to be a member of society.
03:23At that time, the fountain pen industry was the mainstream, and craftsmen made one by one.
03:30Mr. Yoshio Yamamoto, the first founder, was also known as a skilled craftsman.
03:36However, in the 1950s, the mass production wave pushed the fountain pen industry.
03:45In the era of mass production and mass sales,
03:48the fountain pens sold in TV commercials became popular.
03:53So, instead of being made by a country craftsman,
03:56the fountain pens were made by a mass-produced company.
03:59The fountain pens were imported from the manufacturing business.
04:04The adversity continued.
04:07In the 1970s, fountain pens became popular.
04:11In the 1980s, the popularity of fountain pens increased,
04:15and the fountain pen industry began to decline.
04:20The second founder, Mr. Masaaki Yamamoto, was one of the reasons the company was in crisis.
04:27I was determined to quit.
04:35I was determined to quit.
04:38At that moment, I thought,
04:41what have I been doing as a specialist?
04:44I've been importing products from large manufacturers,
04:47and selling them from right to left.
04:49Am I really a specialist?
04:52Did I make 100% of my efforts as a specialist?
04:56I didn't.
04:58If I didn't, I thought I'd quit after doing that.
05:04This was the moment when he started making fountain pens for custom-made products.
05:09It was the story of the 10-million-yen fountain pen
05:14that the second founder, Mr. Inoue Yasushi, heard about.
05:19When Mr. Inoue, who won a literary prize,
05:22was asked by the publisher what he wanted as a celebration,
05:28he replied that he wanted a fountain pen that fulfilled his selfishness.
05:32The manufacturer, who responded to his request,
05:35spent 10 million yen to make a fountain pen.
05:42When I listen to the voices of various customers,
05:46I can tell that they are short-sleeved and long-sleeved.
05:49I want this grip and this writing feel.
05:53I want this writing feel and this design.
05:56They ask me how many fountain pens I can make.
05:58That's what customers are.
06:01If I can make a shop that fulfills their needs,
06:07then it's a 100% good shop.
06:12That's what he said.
06:13In a large-scale manufacturer that produces a large amount of products,
06:16there is a risk of moving the production line just for one fountain pen.
06:20But a company can deal with it, and it will sell.
06:24That's what he thought.
06:26In addition, there were tools from the fountain pen maker's era,
06:29and craftsmen who were in the process of repair and adjustment,
06:32and there were some craftsmen who were his first disciples,
06:34and he supported this idea.
06:36I see.
06:38Thus, he decided to make a custom fountain pen.
06:43Moreover, what the second generation aimed for was...
06:48There are various habits from the sensor and barometer of the writing set.
06:53But I don't know myself.
06:55How do I make a product that I don't know myself?
07:02I'm going to specialize in that.
07:06What the second generation aimed for was...
07:08A fountain pen with a comfortable writing feel that seems to have been used for decades from the moment it was obtained.
07:14I see.
07:15A new challenge has begun to realize that ideal.
07:21And what made that writing feel come true was not only the craftsmanship of the craftsman,
07:27but also the skill of Dr. Sanagara, who was the second generation to make a fountain pen.
07:34The third generation of Dr. Sanagara, Mr. Yamamoto, has come to the studio.
07:39Nice to meet you.
07:40Nice to meet you.
07:42This is a uniform, right?
07:43That's right.
07:44Because you've done all the self-study.
07:45That's right.
07:46This is Samuei from Oda.
07:48I work on the 6th floor of Shibumi.
07:50I see.
07:51I have a better sense of the bare.
07:53I see.
07:54It's kind of like a pottery.
07:58What is the origin of the name Dr. fountain pen?
08:03This is the name that my grandfather and my grandfather's brother came up with.
08:08At that time, when people around the world were making fountain pens,
08:15there were many places where doctors and hospitals could enter.
08:20It seems that it was decided to go to Hakase with a nuance similar to that.
08:25I see.
08:26When did fountain pens come into Japan in the first place?
08:30It is said that it was in the second half of the 1800s.
08:34At that time, a group of woodworkers made vessels and pottery with wood.
08:41I thought it would be a good job if one group of people made a fountain pen with this 6th floor.
08:46I see.
08:47That's why it evolved independently in Japan.
08:50Is that method unique to Japanese fountain pen making?
08:54That's right.
08:55There are a lot of movements that incorporate their own know-how when making foreign things.
09:04That's why it's true that it's a 6th floor.
09:07And that's what it looks like.
09:11What is Dr. Sanagara's secret technique that he incorporated into the fountain pen of custom-made?
09:20Custom-made fountain pens are made not only for decoration and appearance, but also for people.
09:27In order to realize this, the second generation came up with a secret technique.
09:33It's called a karte.
09:38I found that you can objectively leave data in a carved karte.
09:43That's interesting.
09:45I made it.
09:47When people write, their individuality appears.
09:54Dr. Sanagara carefully meets with customers to create a karte.
10:00Based on the data, he creates a fountain pen that fits each person's writing style.
10:06For example, where to put the little finger.
10:07The position to hold.
10:08Where the index finger and thumb go.
10:11It's completely different for each person.
10:14For example, holding the bottom will give you an angle.
10:18Holding the top will give you an angle.
10:21For example, the slope of the pen tip.
10:24For example, how to draw the outside.
10:26How to draw the inside.
10:29In addition, the pressure and speed of writing.
10:32The position to put the paper.
10:34The angle of the pen to be placed on the desk.
10:37I see.
10:39The ultimate goal is to have the person write the name and address three times.
10:44Even the details are necessary to create a fountain pen.
10:51At first, everyone is nervous.
10:55Of course, when you write an important letter, you stretch your spine.
11:04That's important.
11:06If you keep writing, you can relax.
11:10I want to see all the relaxation from the tension.
11:13I want at least three lines.
11:17I see.
11:18Based on the recorded writing, the length of the pen and the center of gravity of the pen shaft are carefully adjusted.
11:26And the most delicate and important process is the polishing of the pen tip.
11:32That's right.
11:33When you buy a copy of a manufacturer's product and use it for 20 years,
11:39you will find that the same parts will decrease.
11:43What we think is that this person's writing is like this when he used it for 20 years.
11:48We make a familiar writing from the beginning.
11:52This is a pen tip with nothing added.
11:56And this is a pen tip that was finished according to the customer.
12:00If you compare them, you can see that the tip is thin and scraped.
12:05This slight difference creates a big difference in writing.
12:11In addition, not only the appearance, but also the writing taste,
12:15a one-of-a-kind pen tip has been completed.
12:20Mr. Ryo Yamamoto, the third generation, is currently working on this delicate work alone.
12:27He started as a craftsman 22 years ago,
12:30but his son is not taught by a craftsman.
12:38As you can see, I didn't do it on purpose.
12:43It's not about numbers or manuals.
12:47I can teach it in words.
12:49I had no choice but to steal my job.
12:53After the craftsman left, I learned how to sharpen a knife,
12:57how to sharpen a stone for sharpening a knife,
13:00and how to make a good sound.
13:03For example, the sound of sharpening a knife,
13:05or the sound of the material being scraped,
13:07or the sound of the material being scraped,
13:11I think the sound of the knife being scraped is one of the reasons.
13:21In addition, there was a limit to the machines that the first generation craftsmen had been using for many years,
13:27and it was necessary to make new tools.
13:31For example, a machine called a saw to sharpen a pen shaft was disassembled,
13:37laid on a drawing board, improved, and made again.
13:43I didn't sell it.
13:45With this kind of ingenuity,
13:47he is finishing the order-made fountain pen suitable for the person who uses it.
13:51In addition, he is thoroughly particular about the material used for the pen shaft,
13:55so he sometimes uses rare celluloids,
13:59black charcoal, titanium,
14:02and even water buffalo horns and elephant horns.
14:07The price ranges from 100,000 yen per pen to sometimes over 700,000 yen.
14:13Even so, it is a window of admiration for fountain pen enthusiasts,
14:17and there is no end to orders.
14:22It takes a year and a half to make a fountain pen.
14:27At my current pace,
14:31I make about 8 to 10 pens a month.
14:39It's a high pace.
14:42He spends most of the day in the workshop,
14:46and has countless annual holidays.
14:50This is the world's only custom-made fountain pen,
14:53which is full of his third-generation commitment and technology.
15:00The reputation of this fountain pen is spreading not only in Japan,
15:04but also overseas.
15:07Why are people all over the world fascinated by this fountain pen?
15:14It's amazing.
15:16You spend most of your annual holidays on this fountain pen.
15:20Yes, I do.
15:21I think it's a reasonable price for a fountain pen.
15:29This time, I'm going to ask Mr. Yashima what kind of fountain pen suits him.
15:35I'm a little nervous, but I'm glad to hear that.
15:39Please write your name on the fountain pen.
15:43I'm going to write my name here.
15:46It's better to write it at the same height as you usually do.
15:48Yes, that's right.
15:50I'm going to write my name.
15:57This fountain pen is very easy to write.
16:00I think so, too.
16:02What do you understand by writing your name?
16:05The most familiar thing is that it's easy to get used to it.
16:10You wrote a cute name at the end.
16:13Thank you very much.
16:15But you were nervous.
16:18When I'm nervous, I tend to write at an angle.
16:22This fountain pen is about 45 degrees.
16:24It's the best way to write.
16:28Is that so?
16:30The biggest feature of this fountain pen is that it's very fast to write.
16:35And it doesn't pressure you.
16:37I see.
16:39What is a fountain pen suitable for Mr. Yashima?
16:43I want to put a cap on the back of the fountain pen.
16:47The length of the cap is about 159mm.
16:51159mm?
16:53It's not 160mm.
16:55I'm going to write my name in 1mm units.
16:57I'm going to write my name at an angle of 45 degrees.
17:04I want to put a sweet spot here.
17:07I'm going to make two strokes on this side and this side.
17:10I'm going to sharpen it like this.
17:12This way of sharpening is suitable for people who write Japanese.
17:17I'm going to make a shape like the tip of a brush.
17:21It's like this.
17:23I heard that the budget for the program is up to 400,000 yen.
17:28I've been waiting for a year and a half.
17:30Thank you for waiting for a year and a half.
17:34Mr. Yamamoto has made more than 6,700 fountain pens.
17:38We can see his personality from the fountain pen.
17:42I got an elegant image that spreads out to the side.
17:47This is probably the brightness in front of you.
17:51I think this is a feature.
17:54The speed of the fountain pen and the speed of the head are quick.
17:58It's quick to judge.
18:01I think there are more and more beautiful words in the ad-lib.
18:08I'll try to write it.
18:12Why is the company's fountain pen highly rated overseas?
18:22The company's challenge is finally spreading overseas.
18:26The first step was the challenge in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in 2016.
18:32A passionate customer came from the Netherlands to Tottenham.
18:40He asked if I would come to the Netherlands.
18:43Amsterdam is a hub airport in the Netherlands.
18:46It is said that it is a good place to access from various European countries.
18:51I'm sure people will gather.
18:54I thought it might be a good weather.
18:59So I went there.
19:05The name of the company gradually spread overseas thanks to the event held in the Netherlands.
19:14At the end of November last year, five customers visited the company's workshop.
19:21It can be closed.
19:23But they are most afraid of wood.
19:26Because there is a hole in it.
19:28It seems to be a specialty from Taiwan.
19:33One of them, Mr. Tsu, can't think of anything other than this fountain pen.
19:42I usually write with my left hand.
19:47Because I have a habit of writing with my right hand.
19:52The way I hold the pen is straight.
19:57It's basically 80 degrees and 90 degrees.
20:00From this angle, only Mr. Sanpei uses this fountain pen.
20:06I don't have any other fountain pens.
20:09This group is led by Mr. Tsu, a Taiwanese.
20:13He has been working with the company for 18 years.
20:16He is a passionate fan of fountain pens.
20:24This is the first fountain pen I made for Mr. Sanpei.
20:28I have more than 100 here.
20:31I change it every week.
20:33When I'm in a bad mood, I take it out and look at it.
20:36Then my mood will calm down.
20:38It's the same as people.
20:40Everyone is unique.
20:42Every pen here is unique.
20:45Currently, 65% of orders are from overseas.
20:50The online ordering system has been adjusted.
20:55Not only does the customer register the fountain pen,
20:59but also sends a video of the actual writing process.
21:03By diagnosing the writing habit,
21:06the order system in the communication sales has improved dramatically.
21:12Fountain pens were originally made in Europe.
21:16But when they came to Japan,
21:19Japanese people say that they have more delicate and wonderful technology.
21:28The joy of getting a fountain pen from the company.
21:32It is a letter of gratitude that proves this.
21:37Just having this fountain pen is fun every day.
21:41With these words,
21:43the feelings in each fountain pen are carefully written.
21:50I think it's a tool to leave a living proof for customers.
21:58It's the same with writing.
22:00It's the same with letters.
22:02The fountain pen itself is very durable.
22:05It can be used up to the age of a grandchild.
22:08The fountain pen itself is a living proof for customers.
22:13I hope it will be useful for customers.
22:19That's amazing.
22:20100 fountain pens.
22:22100 fountain pens in a row.
22:24I think those people are fountain pen enthusiasts.
22:28Are there many people who come from overseas?
22:31Yes, from all over the world.
22:33We have a schedule every week.
22:36I see.
22:37Especially in winter, crab is a top priority.
22:41It was delicious.
22:43There are many people who come every year to buy crabs.
22:49I see.
22:50I think there are many repeaters.
22:53That's right.
22:54We want more of these for each material and shape.
22:58I think people want to increase the number of fountain pens.
23:04I think it's a motivation for us to work.
23:08When we sign the petition, we use the fountain pen.
23:15I think we have a sense of companionship.
23:19When I listen to you, I feel that way.
23:21If we can make a fountain pen with the ultimate point,
23:25I think it's the ultimate one.
23:27I want to make a fountain pen that can excite people around the world.
23:33That's great.
23:34Lastly, Mr. Yashima, please tell us about today's lesson.
23:39Today's lesson is...
23:42Make a lifelong companion.
23:46Making the ultimate one will make you a lifelong companion.
23:53It's like a time machine.
23:58You can still read letters from 1,000 years ago.
24:06It's like a 1,000-year-old time slip.
24:09I think it's amazing to have a lifelong companion.
24:20I'm looking forward to it.
24:21Thank you very much for today.