Japanese Paper Showdown: Muji vs Kokuyo Fountain Pen Test
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- Опубликовано: 26 июн 2024
- Testing out a new contender for my favorite low cost EDC fountain pen friendly paper.
Kokuyo
Kokuyo Campus Loose Leaf Paper - Sarasara - A5 (featured in the video)
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Kokuyo plain loose-leaf A5 20 hole 100 sheets (Green one I haven't tested)
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Muji
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#doodlebud #fountainpen #review
0:00 - Intro
0: 21 - Campus Paper
1:13 - Muji Paper
3:50 - Pens used
4:53 - Writing Sample
6:06 - Paper Comparison
10:31 - Final Thoughts
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This world definitely needs more fountain pen friendly paper! Thank you for spilling some light to the Kokuyo paper!
So, about the colours on the packaging...
There are lighter colours, and the hand on the front of the package is also writing inside a circle that says "sarasara" in Japanese(which means "smooth"). This is the 70 g/m² smooth paper you've got. Then there are darker colours which have the hand writing in a square that says "shikkari" in Japanese(which means both "steady" and "firm"). This is 77 g/m² paper that has substantial texture to it when you write, and is also very ink resistant, but has longer dry times and is much stiffer and thicker.
I'd ignore the individual colours and just look at the letters: A is 7mm ruling, B is 6mm ruling, C is 5mm ruling, U is 8mm ruling, W are blank sheets(an underlay with grid on one side and lines on the other is included), F is English ruling(the stuff you use in elementary school to learn to write), M is music ruling, P is vertical ruling, V is tabled ruling for bookkeeping and S is 5mm grid; I believe the S always says "Sx", where x is a number denoting the grid spacing in millimeters, but I believe they've since stopped making S8 and S10 and now they only sell S5. Some of the lined ones are also dot ruled, which means there are dots on the lines at regular intervals to help you draw tables without a ruler, but I seem to remember the only indicator of this is an oval outline above the ruling letter that says "ドット入り".
They recently launched a "smooth erase" version of Sarasara as well, which has a hand with an eraser rubbing away at a square shape on the packaging.
This is the product page for all of the Campus loose leaf paper, you can select different paper sizes at the top: www.kokuyo-st.co.jp/stationery/looseleaf/b5.html
Thanks for sharing all the info
I use both Kokuyo Campus Loose Leaf Sarasara and Shikkari, and they’re both very good pairings with fountain pens. Sarasara is a quite smooth, while Shikkari has a texture that gives a lot more resistance, so your writing tends to be slower and neater. My main issue with Sarasara is it is very susceptible to skin oils, so your writing will feather and bleed through the page if you write over any areas your hand touches. So if your ink is holding up on the top half of the paper, but starts feathering and bleeding down the page, it’s most likely because you are writing over skin oils. Shikkari doesn’t have either of those issues, and is more bleed resistant, but may not be as nice to write on with finer nibs. Medium to broad nibs, wider gel nibs, pencils and broader ballpoints are a joy to write on Shikkari, though. Whether you go Shikkari and Sarasara, they are both more bleed resistant than the Campus paper you get in those 5 packs of 30 sheet B5 notebooks.
Had the same issue with sarasara! Even with a piece of paper in between my hand and main sheet, it’ll still feather in random places. I think I’ll try the shikkari; I don’t mind rough paper
Great discussion. Jet Pens also has an in-depth discussion
Pro tip
Place a sheet of paper or cloth under your hand to avoid hitting the oil patch as you move down the page
@@blaiseutube that's the issue with this paper; even with a sheet of paper in between, it's so sensitive that sometimes it starts to feather anyways lol
Thanks for the notebook names, gives me something to search for other than general Campus. I use a blotting sheet under my palm btw, helps with my sweaty hand.
Kokuyo’s notebook covers are called smartring binders, but theres also a ton of different compatible binder/notebook covers out there (many also by kokuyo, but also maruman and king jim). A variety of open/close mechanisms too. Some exclude the middle rings so its more comfortable to rest your hand on it. Its kinda a wild rabbit hole tbh. Theres also lihit labs brand with more size variety but the hole spacing is different unfortunately
Actually my go to paper is found in Walmart called Mint Green. It is from Taiwan. I will admit it will show through on more saturated ink but works well. The nibs write wider than say Rhodia but surprisingly no feathering.
It is also very inexpensive. An 80 sheet notepad costs $8.
I used Campus paper for years. It was a standard paper for me when I worked in NYC as there was a Kinokunia store nearby. Now, all I have is Walmart and Amazon.
I get the campus paper from jetpens and they ship with a lot more care than Amazon plus it is cheaper than the 10 dollars!
I love my kokuyo paper. They make great B5 size pre-bound notebooks as well. They are only 30 sheets but they lay flat when opened really well and the 10 pack of them is pretty affordable. I also have the loose leaf and smart ring binder with B5, but I kinda prefer the pre-bound ones because once you fill it up it is easier to just put it on the shelf than it is to take out the loose leaf sheets and store them.
I really appreciate your thorough reviews. You put in a LOT of work. I’ve had good luck in the past with Campus notebooks from Jet Pens where they’re usually available. The paper that I think is really underrated is paper from Vietnam. You can find it in mass-market notebooks, i.e., composition books at big box stores. I’ve found it handles fountain pens well in most cases and if on sale, it’s really inexpensive. Thanks for the review/test.
Oooh, thank you the viet nam tip.
I live near San Jose and will ask if there are any sources for Vietnamese stationery.
Fun fact, some of those Kokuyo papers have the nice white without being fluorescent if you're playing with inks with some UV property. Jetpens has great content on these papers and the differences too btw, San Fran retailer.
The Kukoyo "silky smooth writing" three hole punched loose leaf paper is the best paper for the price in the market. It is amazing.
And the Kukoyo printer paper is 64 gsm and is amazing. You can buy a pack of 500 for 25 dollars and then print the French ruled template on it. And you have a clairfontaine rival for 1/3rd the price.
I have some Kokyuo Shikkari B5 paper, plus some Sarasara that my notebook/binder came with. I'm a big fan of the Shikkari; it's got a bit of tooth to it, and doesnt make me feel like my pen is going to slide off the page. I'm a long-time mechanical pencil user, so I appreciate the touch of feedback. Plus, the pack I bought features an ingenious "6mm dotted rule": it's lined paper with small, subtle markings along the lines to help you line up your indents and line ends. It makes outlines and paragraphs look so neat and sharp, and the slightly smaller rule works well with my handwriting and the small page size.
The Sarasara is nice too, but I don't feel like I have as much control over my pen. I know lots of people like their very slick paper, though, and I bet it'd show off shimmer and sheen better than the Shikkari.
I use the Campus loose leaf and the A5 composition notebooks for university as all I use is fountain pens.
I use both Kokuyo Campus Loose Leaf Sarasara and Shikkari, and they’re both very good pairings with fountain pens. Sarasara is a quite smooth, while Shikkari has a texture that gives a lot more resistance, so your writing tends to be slower and neater. My main issue with Sarasara is it is very susceptible to skin oils, so your writing will feather and bleed through the page if you write over any areas your hand touches. Shikkari doesn’t have either of those issues, and is more bleed resistant, but may not be as nice to write on with finer nibs. Medium to broad nibs, wider gel nibs, pencils and broader ballpoints are a joy to write on Shikkari, though. Whether you go Shikkari and Sarasara, they are both more bleed resistant than the Campus paper you get in those 5 packs of 30 sheet B5 notebooks.
Jet pens sells Campus paper.
I've also found Kokuyo "KB" business paper on Amazon - reams of A4 or A5 to use in my printer when I make my own planners. Works great with my broad nibs that splash ink around, though I don't have any BSB!
The one you tested has lines and dots. The green one is the exact same paper, but with no lines or dots. The green one also comes with a "shitagaki," (the japanese name literally means under writing) which is a thin sheet of plastic with markings, maybe lines or dots or a grid, so that you can stick it under the sheet of paper you're writing on and see the lines/grid/dots through it so you can keep your writing neatly sized and spaced but without any lines/grid/dots on the paper itself.
This is a papel want to try, there are 2 versions smooth and firm... This is helpful, thanks so much
You recently sold me on Muji paper. The link you provided would not deliver to US. I recently tried another Muji site and received the paper in four days. It’s the made in Japan paper. Love it. Especially its smoothness. There is no shadowing, much less bleed-through on any of my inks. Campus is nice to know, but I’m firmly with Muji. Thank you.
The links I had are to the Canadian Muji site so if you're in the US you just use the US site and look for the same stuff. Good to hear you're enjoying the Muji paper. I love the the stuff!
Sticking with my Rhodia A4 Dot.
Love the weight, brightness, and I just think my ink looks better than on Muji. I'll eventually need to try Thomoe River but not really in a rush since it's primarily loose-leaf in larger sizes.
Just had a friend recommend this to me. They did say there’s a couple kinds and that the Sarasara style is the ones that are most fountain pen friendly. Most Amazon listings have it in the product name or description.
Oh wow your handwriting has gotten so amazing!
Thanks!
I started using the Muji A4 binders at work, but with plain 8.5x11 printer paper hole punched by a hand operated Japanese hole punch. There is a 1/2 hole at the top of each page, but I could care less. The convenience of being able to make my own "spiral" bound notebook for each project I work on is immeasurable. The 8.5x11 size also allows me to throw the pages into the copier and not worry about selecting a different paper size for the copy. For notebook covers, I use colored folders cut in half.
Thank you for this video! I haven't been able to locate any muji paper in my area and that notebook is so cool! Love your channel! It has been indispensable as a fountain pen newbie!
I love using the Kokoyu Campus paper. I also have the Kokoyu A5, A4 and B5 paper that you can buy by the ream. It works very well. I recommend it to my friends. Thanks for a great paper comparison.
How do you bind the A5 size( the unpunched style)?.....and if you buy a Ream of the A4, can you fold it into a5 booklets?( that equal the smoothness of the Campus A5 lined 50 sheet booklets?)
Litereally the only 2 paper brands I use on a daily basis are muji and kokuyo, the occasional exception being midori md.
Went to my first MUJI store last week (in London). Didn't realise they sell clothes as well as world class stationary. My only sadness - I couldn't find any dotted notepads or refills. Still bought a bunch of other things to try and love the shop!
Thanks to you I also picked up my own muji binder and paper and I am honestly loving it. It's so handy to be able to readjust sheets around as most of what I write is just one off notes, todos, etc. I like being able to reorganize it so all my stuff is together and I'm not worrying about preplanning how many pages I might need next like on a notebook.
BTW: the green paper is kokuyo's other paper. They make a couple types, the blue type is sarasara which is supposed to be extra smooth. The green paper is a slightly higher GSM and has a toothier texture. I believe kokuyo primarily markets at students so the toothier paper should be better for using pencils. Maybe ballpoints and gels that are super slick and hard to write with as well.
Maruman also makes a5 20 hole paper. I haven't used that specific version, but I do love their paper pads. The grid a5 is my go to for writing notes. The grid doesn't look as nice but it makes calligraphy so much easier. Also their paper shows off sheening as well as midori's, although it has worse bleed through. I bet you could water color on midori paper, I've never tried anything else as good as it.
I use a Campus soft ring notebook for first draft writing and it handles very well. Campus is definitely my favorite right now.
Hi DB! That is a very interesting comparison. I bought the same "binder" as you have and the only paper I could get from Muji USA was a grid pattern. i really like it a lot, but it does bleed through some, especially with my juicier pens. If I ever run out of the Muji, will for sure try the Kokuyo! Thanks for showing it!
Love the Kokuyo paper. Got a packet from our local bookstore months ago, but way cheaper when converted 😂. It’s around rm11 or around USD2 for that whole packet. I use them to test new inks, pens and send off snail mail with the holey side trimmed off.
I get their a5 notebooks for rm3+. Love them
Going back to your suggestion for subject matter for future videos how about one on the Diplomat Magnum? A cheap as Chips pen with a unique size #5 made by JoWo. Brilliant writer
Kokuyo gang reporting in
I think the green one is a 5mm grid rather than the 6mm lined you’ve got. I believe that the paper is the same though - just the different format.
I love Kokuyo paper, thanks for this review
I'm jealous that you have a Muji store close to you! There are a few in the states and we always stop by when we're near one but none I can easily pop into!
Yes, this paper are crazy good for fountain pen
I've been a long time user of the campus line of paper for school work. It's been my go-to for anything outside of my journals BUT I will say that they're prone to finger/hand oils messing with with your inks so for those of us with that problem need to be a bit more cognicent of placement.
As an added bonus they do have their shikkari line which is heaver and has more tooth for those that enjoy that compared to their sarasara which has the smooth coating in this video.
will need to try these out next time I need to buy paper. I like the B5 but all the muji paper here appears to be the "Made in Indonesia" type. Would have been nice to see the Indonesia paper tested side by side, but my assumption is that almost all of the inks would have had significant show through and bleeding based on my own experience.
I haven't tried the Muji paper, so thank you for recommending it. The type of Campus paper you didn't reviews has wider lines (I think 7 mm versus 6 mm) and is a toothier surface. I believe the later was designed for pencil and maybe geared to younger Japanese students. One thing you missed about Campus is that it is dot-lined. The tiny dots on each line make it easy to create columns, a feature I use. Maybe the Muji paper has that same feature?
Can't wait for DB to find out about the Traveler's notebooks lmao!
Just in case someone has never used this paper before, Kokuyo Campus paper comes in two categories Sarasara and Shikkari. Sarasara is fountain pen friendly, Shikkari is not. Another great option is Maruman loose leaf paper.
Shikkari is not fountain pen friendly? I thought both of them are fountain pen friendly but there is texture difference. Maybe that's why the pen shop i know sell sarasara only.
@@almighty858 I remember reading on Jet Pens Shikkari paper is more suitable for Pencils. Usually, with more textured paper, you need to use a smaller nib size, and it will not show the ink properties.
That azure noir looks sick
Ooo that kaweco sport😮
O man, I use Campus Kokuyo papers as well and I really like them. Try also Apica papers, I found that the “cheap” one, not even the “Premium” one is super good or at least I enjoy using it. Just try a cheap A5 regular Apica notebook and see what I am talking about, you might like it. I found that “cheap” Japanese papers are actually very good and a much better value of those of the bigger more “premium” brands from Europe.
Hey Bud, you can find the Campus paper, at least in Vancouver, at Oomomo stores for third the price. I think the colours are for the line spacing 6 or 7 mm.
I've bought Campus from Oomomo but it didn't perform as well as this particular one
@Doodlebud my apologies it looked the same, but it isn't upon a closer look I made a mistake. There are different , Sorry. Thanks for sharing this find!
I recently bought a 2 dollar notebook from a dollar shop and i am telling you the truth, it was much better than many expensive notebooks. No bleeding through the paper. No fuzziness. Very fountain pen friendly… 😀
I came across a video one time where a girl was talking about the books/journals from the dollar store. She said to look for the paper from Vietnam & India. They're good for fountain pens. The books from China tend to make the ink bleed. She also said there was a spiral notebook at walmart that looked like all the rest except for the number of pages or something & it was a good one. It was a lot of information & I can't remember which it was. But, I mention it because sometimes good paper can sneak up on you in unexpected places.
Now when I travel, I take a driving break at the dollar store to check out the stationery section. Some are very well set up. The one right by my house stays trashed.
I love Kokuyo paper. Kokuyo has a higher grade paper too. They call it their business paper.
The mnemosyne notebook series is heavenly
Can you also please try fountain pens from India like click fountain pens and yes please try indian flex tip also
I'd love to see your opinions on leuchtturm1917 paper, since I got my first notebook from them in May and fell in love
day 3 of saying
as always a great review
Thanks for the video, informative as always. Neither brands are readily available here in the Netherlands, after an evening's search. Some Kokuyo on Dutch Amazon, some Muji, but not with the 'high quality' indication on the front, nor the easy open spiral cover. Does that Muji cover have a name I can search? Kokuyo has a similar one called 'Smart', but the vendor is also smart and charges high p&p for that one. -- Edit: another reply mentions Lihit Lab with a smart cover, I will go in search of those tomorrow.
Hey bud!
Welcome to Noodler's "forever dry times". This is, sadly, the average experience. I have purchased over 20 bottles of various Noodler's inks and only three are worth keeping.
Gruene Cactus, Green Marine, Turquoise of the Mesas, Southwest Sunset, Baltimore Canyon, the two Black Swans, Red-Black, Navy, Blue-Black, La Couleur Royale, and Golden Brown all have long dry times. Some take several minutes; others take hours. Adding water and using a dry pen helps but I have yet to find any formula that makes them dry in less than a minute and the changes can diminish the vibrancy. It's a shame. They're all beautiful inks, IMO, and I especially appreciate the water-resistant/proof feature that some of them boast.
Wow, what paper are you using? I use several Noodler's inks in Preppies and don't have dry times problems (Pasternak, Apache Sunset, Q-E'ternity, the Chicago show LE [a lovely blue], General of the Armies, Hunter Green, Periwinkle, Black Swan in Australian Roses). I'm usually using Kokuyo Campus or Kokuyo THIN paper.
One thing about Noodler's is that at least some of them are made for using on cheap paper. In my experience, I've had lots of feathering, showthrough, and bleedthrough on typical American copy or notebook paper.
Dooooodlebud!
Our Oomomo store has Campus paper.
I've bought campus from there too but this particular one seems to perform better
The grammage is listed on the business papers, does anyone know the loose leaf grammage?
Woooow, i would love to try diferent kinds of paper, but here in argentina its impossible, they dont care about grammage and rodia is like 150 dolars
Muji Kraft Cover unavailable where I live. (Staten Island, NY) Any other suggestions?
A viewer commented there are Kokuyo smart ring binders that work as well. If you hunt around for 20 hole A5 binders/covers you should be able to find something. Jet Pens seems to carry a bunch of stuff
Oh "Never Dry" Noodler's ink again... how it can be so popular when It doesn't dry on high quality fountain pen papers? It dries only on cheap papers. I don't know how the people who like noodler's ink stand with it.
A lot of famous comic book artist use the ink with brushes.
I use several Noodler's inks on Kokuyo Campus and THIN paper and haven't ever had this problem.