Tomoe River

Shizuoka, Japan · Stationery

The ultra-thin paper beloved of fountain pen enthusiasts, made in Japan: it shows off the colour and sheen of the ink without bleeding through.

Pads, notebooks and loose sheets for letter writing, ink drawing and planners.

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Origin

Shizuoka, Japan

Tomoe River in detail

伝説の和紙

The legendary Japanese paper

In 1914, the Tomoegawa Paper Company was founded in the city of Shimizu, Shizuoka Prefecture. It takes its name from the Tomoegawa river, which flows near the production site. More than a century later, Tomoe River, a paper originally made for mail-order catalogues, is one of the papers most prized by stationery enthusiasts.

While conventional notebooks use 80 to 100 g paper, Tomoe River defies the norm at just 52 g. Despite its thinness, it is renowned for its exceptional compatibility with fountain pen ink.

卓越したパフォーマンス

Exceptional performance

Tomoe River paper excels at showing off the qualities of ink, sheen and shading, while keeping feathering to a minimum. Made from pulp from sustainably managed forests, it is a dream canvas for fountain pen enthusiasts and calligraphers.

Its smoothness allows clean, precise lines for impeccable strokes, and it reveals the sheen and colour variation that many inks offer.

巴川製紙の歴史

The turbulent history of Tomoe River paper

In 2021, Tomoegawa announced it was halting production: machine No. 7, then No. 9 in Shizuoka, shut down at the end of October. In the pen world, the rumblings grew and bulk buying followed.

Fortunately, Sanzen Paper came to the rescue, buying not only the remaining stock but also the rights to Tomoe River. Sanzen is part of Japan's largest paper group: the future of Tomoe River seems to be in good hands, to the great relief of the stationery community.

In pictures