Renjishi 連獅子, a scene from “Kabuki”

Ranjishi is one of the representive Nagauta pieces for the Kabuki dance drama. The theme is adapted from the Noh play "Shakkyo" by Kineya Shojiro, and is classified as a matsubame dancing; a dance that is performed before the symbolic backdrop of a large pine tree flanked by bamboo, which similar to the Noh play.

Not Your Usual Bamboo

Bamboo in the Chinese and Japanese culture had a similar meaning - strength of a character.

Whenever there is a storm, trees are broken, destroyed, no matter how big they are, bamboo will be able resist the force of the wind. Even the strongest trees are no match for the strong wind. It is like a toy unroot and tear apart by strong winds.

Yonex ... Not Badminton Racket, but Fountain Pen

Previously, we mentioned that Yonex-Sailor was only for the Japan domestic market. Sailor changed their mind. It is now available at our local retailer.

It come in 3 colours, black, green and Bordeaux. The pen doesn't come with any clip.

When we get to know about the Yonex and Sailor is working on this project in August, we were wondering how the pen is manufacture, and the structure of carbon fiber compound material lid and trunk.

Their very own ink ...

Unlike Japan, here in Singapore we only have a handful of good pens retailers. E&C is the only retailer who managed to get Namiki and Sailor to create pens just for them, design that is unique and available from their 2 stores. And they come in limited number (limited edition). Of course, all this "just for EC" design come with a premium.

As we are very late in the pen collection, and does have deep pocket, we can only affort a bottle of their "premium" E&C ink.

The picture on the box is Mr. Herman Chan (Owner of E&C) holding his son hand when he was small. Now, the little boy had grow up.

How good is the ink?

With the price we are paying, we perfer to buy a bottle of Sailor, Pilot, Namiki or Omas.

Rumours, Rumours ... Sailor Professional Gear Slim New Colours

Nowadays, we are spoiled with a wide range of colours by the pen manufacturers like Sailor. After much talk on the forum, the Sailor new range of metallic colour is now available at our local retailors. Hmmm... it seems that Sailors agent is rushing to push out new products range toward at the end of the year.

Pen Details:

Rumours, Rumours ... Sailor ProColour 500

Nowadays, fountain pen users not longer have to buy the boring black colour. Manufacturer like Sailor who understand the demand for colour had spoiled us with another budget range of colour pens.

The price of these fountain pens are easily on us, and give us the writing feelings of the Sailor Fountain Pen original charm. After a a few months wait, the Sailor ProColour 500 fountain pens is now available at our local retailors.

Pen Details:
Model Name: ProColour 500
Materials:
Lid and Barrel: AS resin/coloured
Section: PMMA resin/black.
Metallic part: Nickel chrome plating finish
Filling system: Converter & Cartridge type
Length: φ17×134mm
Weight: 12.2g

Available colours: Purple (as shown in picture), beige, red and turquoise(green).

Bull or No Bull ... Running for the Nude

Dervied from the Latin word for bull and the Greek word for battle, the Tauromaquia was widespred speatacle throughout the the Mediterranean during the second millenium BC and still taking places today in Spain, Mexico and Portugal.

The origins of the event are still debated today but most historians agree that games involving men and bulls were held in both Greece and ancient Rome.

Big Cat, Small Cat, Which is Your Prefer Cat?

Namiki and Sailor seems to like Cat this year. Both of them released Cat in 2009. Strangely, both fountain pen manufactorer uses the same Chinkin technique for their Cat pen. The major different is their chose of Cat, art work layout and the presentation.

Decling Populative ... Slowly turning Venice into a ghost city

There is no time better than now to pick up a good piece of collection regarding Venice. According to an Today newspaper article dated November 22, 2009 titled "Declining Population - Venice mourns its death", the population of the city is declined to at a alarming number of below 60,000.  The local feel like an endangered species and fear that the city into a ghost city in 30 years with no Venetians left.

During the transition between Richmont to Elmo Monegrappa, they introduced the limited edition City d'Arte Venezia. It helped to give the city the necessary attention from the fountain pen world.