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I wasn't 100% sure if I should start this thread in the repair or Japan forum. I chose Japan because it is not about repairing a Sailor pen but sending it to Sailor for repair. I thought I would post this thread to inform anyone interested of how the repair process for Sailor Pens works. I sent mine in for repair because I lost the friction-fit inner cap. This is probably a 10 cent part, but the only solution I could find was to send it to the factory for repair. After consulting the forums in this thread: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/347469-sailor-inner-cap-replacement/ I contacted Itoya -- the US Sailor distributor -- via their website: itoya.com. From there, I emailed returns@itoya.com and received this email: Hi Jonny, We can help facilitate the repair with Sailor. We as the distributor is not allowed by Sailor to do any sort of repair. All repair work has to be done at the factory in Japan. It is also Sailor policy not to send just parts for replacement. The entire pen has to be sent to Japan for evaluation. Even if you are just missing the inner cap. This is to ensure that the pen is in perfect working condition once the parts are replaced and repair is completed. Below is our repair process. You will be shipping your pen to our facility in California. Once it arrives, we will send this to SAILOR Japan. Once the evaluation is completed, SAILOR will contact us with a cost estimate which we will forward to you through email. If you authorize us to have SAILOR proceed, you are responsible for this amount plus a $20.00 shipping & handling fee (these charges are typically handled by credit card - we accept Visa, MasterCard or Discover). The entire process typically takes 10-12 weeks. If you decide not to proceed with the repair, the pen will be return unrepaired and your cost will only be the $20.00 shipping and handling. Please send the entire pen to ITOYA, at the address below. Reference on the outside of the package ######### for easy identification. Itoya800 Sandhill AvenueCarson, CA 90746 Here's the timeline so far for repair: Tuesday, July 9, 2019I sent the pen to Itoya via USPS. Friday, July 12, 2019USPS let me know Itoya received the pen. Tuesday, July 16, 2019I emailed Itoya to confirm receipt since I had not heard from them. Wednesday, July 17, 2019Itoya confirmed they had received my pen. Tuesday, August 13, 2019I have not received further communication from Itoya. I assume all is moving forward and my pen is somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. I will update this thread as the process continues. In the meantime, I sent a pen to Franklin-Christoph last week for repair and have already received confirmation that it is in the mail back to me. I have also learned that Pilot has a repair tech in Lousiana. I love my Sailor, but I may choose Pilot for my next Japanese pen since they shouldn't require 10-12 weeks for a simple repair.

Itoya changed the clip on its sign.

Hi All, I am heading to Japan for my first trip in early September and I am planning to buy a Nakaya from Itoya, I realise they can be purchased online but living here in New Zealand the customs and duty makes this very expensive as well as the exchange rate, hence why I want to pick one up on holiday. Does anyone have any experience of buying one at Itoya?? Is it true I can get the nib swapped within 24 hours if I need too, I have only 3 days in Tokyo so time is critical...thanks for any ideas or help Craig

Hi, Some of you know me by name, some of you know me by face. My name is Matt, I work at Ito-ya in Ginza. Everyone on this forum has been extremely helpful and insightful over the last few years. I am not promoting anything for my company, but I would like to ask for your opinions and advice on an event that I am trying to plan for our main store in Tokyo. During the summer, on weekends, I would like to hold a Maki-e class in English for the many foreign customers that visit our store. In the past, we have held Maki-E classes for our Japanese customers, but Japanese people do not seem to be as enamored by the Maki-e technique as their foreign counter parts. I know that the people that subscribe to this section of FPN love Japanese pens and there seems to be a great deal of interest in the art of Maki-e. My plans for the class would be to give a 30-45min class, in English, about the different techniques used in the Maki-e process explaining why one pen may cost about $50 but another can cost upwards of $10,000. I also plan on covering the history of the process and its traditional uses other than the fountain pens that we are all familiar with. If there is only a class where we hand out a small brochure and or leaflet, we will be able to hold the class for free. However, if only being able to hand out leaflets does not draw people to the class we are thinking about doing an event where the customers will be able to make their own 'maki-e' souvenir. This, however, would end up causing the class to cost about 3000JPY. So, basically, I want to ask you lovely people and pen lovers, 'What would you like to see in a Maki-e class?' How important would making your own Maki-e souvenir be? Would just learning about the process for 30-40min satisfy your lust for knowledge, just wet you appetite or be mind numbingly long and tedious? Would including a breif history of Japanese fountain pens in general make the topic less dull and more interesting? Also, if you were in Tokyo this summer, is this something that you would like to learn more about? Is this an event that would interest you? I personally love Maki-e and want to share it with the world. I thank you all in advance for any opinions/advice that you can give me. Sincerely, Matt

Hi Everyone, I live in Japan and sell fountain pens at a very famous store in Ginza, Tokyo, Japan. I want to help contribute to this forum and hopefully let you know about event that will be held at my store that I think you may find interesting. Ive only been selling fountain pens for a year but Ive been using high end pens most of my life and hated writing with ball pens even as a child. Also, if you have any questions about fountain pens or especially japanese pens, feel free to ask me and Ill do my best to get back to you. I dont know everything, but I can probably get an answer for you. Well, great to meet you everyone, hope to get a good thing going here. Thanks, Watson