Maruzen Athena Ink Location Help

[flexy]

I am looking for single shop inks. I went to Nihombashi Maruzen and got the Eternal blue and Hatobanezu grey. Where are the others? Did I miss any in the Marunouchi store?

 

What are these colors?? See picture. These green boxes are not the store editions .. Correct?

 

Thank you

[sakayume]

This one is Black, and it should be the store edition? The box says Maruzen Atena ink, and the Sepia I have from a while ago came in the same box. The little sign says to ask the people at the fountain pen counter for the rest of colours. I think Nihonbashi is the main store so they ought to have it there, if it's in stock?

[flexy]

This picture is from the Nihonbashi store. Thank you. I will ask. These 2 were also there.

Edited April 30, 2016 by flexy

[Algester]

Most of the athena inks are in the nihombashi almost properly documented in my signature link about 8-ish colors

[Tinjapan]

Recently, Maruzen started to carry Sailor regular line inks; Blue, black, blue-black (and red?) in the same bottles as their sepia. So, Maruzen Athenia ink of the regular Sailor colors are regular Sailor ink in the retro style bottle.

[flexy]

The only Athena ink they had today was black. May 7, 2016.

[flexy]

The only Athena ink they had today was black. May 7, 2016.

[agchristie]

Oh no Is the black at least still in the old bottle? I would love one of those and am thinking of sending a friend there next week if she has time. Thanks

[flexy]

Yes, the black ink was in the old bottle. I will uodate this weekend on what is in stock.

[agchristie]

Thank you that would be fabulous!

[flexy]

They had a few bottles of brown yesterday 13 May 2016. Went back today and they were all gone. No Athena. I will look again tomorrow.

Edited May 14, 2016 by flexy

[flexy]

Also I don't think the black is in the same bottles as the other athenas. I never opened the green box, but found a picture of it.

Edited May 14, 2016 by flexy

[flexy]

Maruzen Nihonbashi and Marunouchi branch has been carrying Maruzen Blue, Blue-Black and Black in the green box. One bottle only allowed. The Athenas have been sold out for the last month. Also the Kyoto Maruzen has been sold out of the lemon yellow Athena for quite some time.

[mongrelnomad]

When I was in Nihonbashi in December, they only had a single bottle of Sepia left (which I snatched). The usual Sailor ink travails...

[sugna]

I will be in Tokyo in the last week of July, but don't fancy my chances of finding a Sepia (I've been wanting to try it for the last 6 months). Hopefully there will be something else interesting to try!

[DrDebG]

Wow! Following this thread makes me wonder if people in Japan drink ink for breakfast!

[sugna]

Wow! Following this thread makes me wonder if people in Japan drink ink for breakfast!

I wonder too haha! Probably has more to do with the contrived scarcity aspect of Sailor's ink business model. Especially as they restrict the number of these special inks one can purchase.

[Tinjapan]

No way to know what will be in stock until you go to the store, sadly. They have had NONE of their exclusive inks the last couple of times I have stopped by.

 

The shortage is not contrived. The speciality inks are hand blended by one man, Mr. Isimaru, and suddenly became extremely popular overseas driving demand much higher than one man could supply them. Sailor's shop exclusive inks popularity skyrocketed as the company that produced the tall jewel bottles went under.

 

We over here in Japan are not drinking ink for bereakfast, we can't get them either. I stop by one or more of these weekly; Maruzen, Itoya and Kingdom Note and still haven't been able to get Sailor inks except on the rare occasion. Stores are now rationing the inks to one bottle of each per customer because people have been buying out the stores' entire stock and then reselling then on eBay for well over $100. USD.

 

Sugna, hopefully Sepia will be in stock for you when you visit.

[Barkingpig]

And then there is the bottle of Maruzen Sepia on Ebay @ the moment, (it will end this Sunday 19 June) offered by Atsu.

[haruka337]

I will be in Tokyo in the last week of July, but don't fancy my chances of finding a Sepia (I've been wanting to try it for the last 6 months). Hopefully there will be something else interesting to try!

 

Maruzen Athena Sepia is amazing, not so much for its color (the the brown is quite lush, yet pleasantly dark), but for its flow and lubricant nature. However, if one cannot obtain a bottle of it, fear not for Nagasawa Kobe #3 Sepia is equally lubricant and the color is similar, if not lovelier.

 

Once my bottle of Maruzen Athena Sepia is depleated, I shan't repurchase it when I can easily buy Kobe #3 for much less.