Kakimori Frost Fountain Pen — Frosted Translucent Body with Swappable F/M Nib, Made in Japan

A Pen Designed to Be Watched as Much as Written With

Most fountain pens hide their mechanics behind opaque resin or metal. Kakimori's Frost does the opposite: its frosted polycarbonate body is translucent by design, softening into a satin, frosted-glass texture that lets the ink colour, ink level, and nib shape show through as part of the pen's aesthetic rather than something to conceal. Designed by Makoto Koizumi — the same designer behind Kakimori's Sakura Wood nib holder — Frost takes the visual language of frosted glass and applies it to a genuinely practical, everyday fountain pen.

What Makes Frost Different

Frost's clipless, torpedo-shaped silhouette is a deliberate design choice: without a clip to snag or a faceted body to distract from the light passing through it, the pen reads as calm and continuous on a desk, whether capped or in use. The cap itself unscrews on a four-start thread, meaning it opens and closes in a fraction of the turns a standard screw cap requires — practically enough turns for one-handed operation, so the pen is genuinely ready to write at a moment's notice rather than something you fumble to open. The grip section is extended slightly beyond what's typical for a pen this size, giving a longer, more relaxed hold without any hard step or edge underneath the fingers.

Because the body is translucent, the ink level is always visible — no shaking the pen or guessing when to refill. Frost takes standard international cartridges (the same short or long cartridges used by brands like Pelikan or Kaweco) or the included converter for bottled ink, and the nib unit itself is swappable, so a single Frost body can move between Kakimori's Fine and Medium fountain pen nibs — or even a rollerball nib — without needing a second pen.

Design & Craftsmanship

Each Frost measures 134mm in length with a 14mm body diameter and weighs 14g — light enough for extended writing sessions, with enough heft to feel substantial rather than hollow. The body is designed, manufactured, and assembled in Japan from polycarbonate, chosen for its combination of light weight, durability, and the specific frosted finish that gives the pen its name. The stainless steel nib is a Schmidt-manufactured #5 unit made in Germany, selected for consistent, reliable performance across both nib sizes. A plastic converter is included with every pen for those who want to write with bottled ink from the start.

Five Colours, One Shared Language

Frost is available in five frosted colourways, each reading differently depending on the ink loaded inside:

• Translucent — the clearest of the five, closest to true frosted glass; ink colour and the internal converter mechanism are most visible here, making it the colour of choice for anyone who wants the ink itself to be the star
• Moss — a deep, muted green with the look of antique glass; reads dark and grounded when capped, with ink colour emerging more subtly through the tinted body
• Violet — a soft, smoky purple that sits between playful and refined; pairs particularly well with sheening or shimmering inks, which show through the frosted violet tint with extra depth
• Amber — a warm orange-brown tone reminiscent of vintage glass bottles; complements warm-toned inks especially well and develops a particularly rich look with darker inks loaded inside
• Graphite — the newest addition to the range, a cool charcoal-grey tone that reads as the most understated and neutral of the five, well suited to darker inks or a minimal, monochrome desk setup

Compatibility & Care

Frost accepts standard international cartridges (short or long) or the included plastic converter, and the nib unit is interchangeable between Kakimori's Fine and Medium fountain pen nibs. Daily use is recommended to keep the nib from drying out between writing sessions; if travelling by air, filling the pen with ink after arrival rather than before departure helps prevent leakage from altitude pressure changes. Write with gentle pressure rather than pushing down hard — the nib is designed for a light touch, in keeping with the pen's overall minimal, considered character.

About Kakimori

Kakimori is a stationery brand and shop rooted in Kuramae, Tokyo, tracing back to a family stationery business founded in 1961. Reopened in 2010 by third-generation owner Takuma Hirose as a shop dedicated entirely to the pleasure of handwriting, Kakimori has built a small, considered catalogue of pens, nibs, custom inks, and order-made notebooks — objects designed, in the brand's own words, to bring stillness and pleasure to ordinary, everyday writing.

Product Specifications

Available at Shosai — Ottawa–Gatineau

Shosai (shosai.ca) is a fine stationery boutique serving the Ottawa–Gatineau National Capital Region. Each colour and nib size in this Frost collection is a one-of-one at Shosai — we've brought in a single unit of each combination, so once a specific colour/nib pairing sells, it's gone until our next order.

• 📍 In-store pickup: Gatineau, QC — J9J 0K6
• 🛵 Local delivery: Available in the Ottawa–Gatineau area
• 🚚 Ships Canada-wide and to the US
• 🇫🇷 Bilingual service — English and French

Whether you're drawn to the clarity of Translucent, the warmth of Amber, or the quiet neutrality of Graphite, the Kakimori Frost is a considered, everyday fountain pen built to be watched as closely as it's written with.