Nakaya Naka-ai Writer Kuro-tamenuri
This is one of our all-time favorite pens, not only for its shape but also for the rich urushi lacquer surface. The surprise with this pen is that it is actually red in color. Many layers of red urushi lacquer are applied under more layers of deep urushi pigment in a tradition that goes back centuries. The result is the classic look of Japanese lacquer with red peeking around the corners and edges.
Designed by Nakaya master pen designer Shinichi Yoshida in collaboration with Classic Fountain Pen's John Mottishaw, the Naka-ai, with its cone ends and tapered body, combines many of Nakaya’s most distinctive design features in a single model. "Naka-ai" has the meaning of middle or in-between, and brings to mind the Middle Way of Buddhist practice with its emphasis on balance, integrity, and centeredness. Appropriately enough, the Naka-ai occupies a midway position between Nakaya's smaller Piccolo series pens and the longer Desk pen.
The Kuro-tamenuri finish is a reddish-black color that appears very close to black upon first glance. However, under good light conditions, the red under-layer of lacquer can be seen where the dark color "breaks" on the edges. As time goes by, the red color becomes more prominent. These pens are intended to age well and become more colorful as the years goes by.
Like all Nakaya Urushi pens, each Naka-ai pen is made of hand-turned ebonite hard rubber, then sent to the Wajima region in western Japan for finishing with Urushi lacquer. Final assembly is then accomplished in Nakaya's offices in Tokyo and at the Classic Fountain Pens workshop in Los Angeles, where each nib is hand-tuned for the writing characteristics of the individual user.
The larger-tipped 14k nibs are well-suited to customizations including Stub, Cursive Italic, and Left Oblique, as well as the modification for added flexibility.
This pen is also made available in a matching ball pen version.
Measurements & Specifications
| Clip | With Clip |
| Cap Type | Threaded |
| Closed Length | 5.9" |
| Postable | Not Postable |
| Barrel Length | 4.5" |
| Section Diameter | 0.4" |
| Cartridge Capacity | 1.5 ml |
| Converter Capacity | 0.5 ml |
| Ink Capacity | 1.5 ml |
| Filling System | Cartridge-Converter |
| Pen Weight | 26.4 g |
| Barrel Diameter | 0.6 |
