Paper Review: Graphilo by Kobeha

Earlier this summer I revamped the "Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper" site resource, and one major change I made was to add Graphilo paper as a top-tier option. Graphilo has assumed something of a cult-favorite status due to how difficult it was to obtain in the United States (and when you could find it, how expensive it could be). As it becomes more easily available outside of Japan, I strongly recommend Graphilo as an option for anyone looking for ink friendly paper with exceptionally good color reproduction.

I’ve been using an A5 Slim Graphilo Notebook in my Roterfaden TGS_25 to log all of my currently inked pens.

Graphilo is made by Kobeha, a paper company located in Kobe, Japan. Specifically formulated for fountain pens, Graphilo has survived several different iterations, with each new release fine-tuning the paper formulation. In my opinion, all of them have been excellent, with the last two batches qualifying as superb.

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The Herbin shimmer inks combine shading, sheen, and shimmer, so they offer an excellent example of what Graphilo is capable of.

Even with growing distribution, Graphilo is still relatively expensive, so why splurge? It’s a combination of factors: Most people enjoy this paper not just for its ability to handle any ink you throw at it, but also for its superior color reproduction. You will always get sharp lines without feathering and bleedthrough, but many feel that no paper showcases fountain pen ink properties better than Graphilo, particularly shading and multi-chromatic inks. Color is very subjective - I personally prefer how my fountain pen inks look on MD Cotton Paper and Graphilo, so I tend to use notebooks containing one of these two papers whenever I'm experimenting with new inks or writing out my "currently inked" lists to keep track of what inks I have in which pens.

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Herbin’s Opale Nocturne is one of my favorite shading inks with subtle shimmer. I love how it looks on Graphilo paper.

Another reason that I love Graphilo is that you get the ink friendly performance of Tomoe River in a heavier paper (81.4g) with slight texture for those who dislike the onionskin-like feel of Tomoe River. That said, the biggest downside to Graphilo is the dry time - like most paper intended to showcase fountain pen ink, it's not absorbent, so it may take some time for the ink to dry when writing with especially wet nibs. If you plan to use Graphilo in a context where you are having to turn pages quickly, you may want to use blotting paper.

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Extreme shaders like the Sailor Ancora Rainy Day Ink (Sorry, it’s a Japanese store exclusive) really show off their properties on Graphilo!

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Personally, I find Graphilo paper among the most fountain pen friendly paper I have ever used. For those who dislike the ultra thin feel of Tomoe River and similar paper, and prefer a heavier weight with greater durability, Graphilo is high on my list of personal recommendations. I have yet to find a fountain pen ink that bleeds or feathers, and I even know people who have pushed this paper with sharpies and alcohol markers and had decent results.

Though Graphilo is not an inexpensive paper option, the price has gradually aligned over time with other high-end Japanese writing papers. Kobeha has increased production while also making the paper available in a wider range of formats, including A5 Slim, A5 Square, and standard A5, as well as looseleaf, memo blocks, and letter pads. We currently stock all of them in our own shop.

The Graphilo A5 Slim (right) which will be coming back in stock in the hopefully near future.

The Gentleman Stationer carries most varieties of Graphilo paper, though because this paper is imported directly from Japan, specific items may not be in stock at the same time. We regularly order so if the particular paper you are looking for is not showing as available, keep checking back.

Weekly Drops: Got Gift Cards to Burn? New TWSBIs, a Roterfaden Restock, and More!

The week between Christmas and New Year’s marks that special time when everyone starts to (1) spend their holiday gift money/gift cards and (2) retailers look to clear out their excess inventory. To that end, everything in the T.G.S. Clearance section will now receive an automatic 25% off at checkout, no coupon code necessary. We’ve also received the latest TWSBI release “Obsidian,” as well as a large Roterfaden restock that has many different sizes in stock in addition to the standard A5! Finally, be sure to check out the latest arrivals from Japan, including special edition releases from Craft Design Technology and Graphilo!

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CDT is a Tokyo and UK-based design house that collaborates with traditional manufacturers such as Pilot, Pentel, and more on their own versions of classic stationery items. These including multi-pens like the Zebra Sharbo and Pilot Frixion 3, a Pentel Sharp Kerry, Camel pencils, writing pads and notebooks, and even leather items. We are constantly adding more as they arrive, so stay tuned.

We will be open in our Nashville store normal hours (1-6pm Friday and 10am-6pm Saturday). Please come by and see us!

1. TWSBI Obsidian Piston Filler. The latest TWSBI acrylic piston filler limited release has landed, and it’s a beautiful pearlescent black acrylic with rose gold trim. We still have a (very) small number of the TWSBI “Kai” release from last year, if you prefer the blue.

2. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter B5 Size. We’ve restocked on most Roterfaden sizes, but the increasingly popular B5 is the one we’re asked about the most. This will hold B5 notebooks as well as standard composition books.

3. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter A4 Size. We have a few larger-format A4 Taschenbegleiters in black. We get requests to bring in A4 but it’s definitely a larger portfolio so these restocks tend to be fewer in number.

4. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter TGS_25. Our store-exclusive A5-slim Roterfaden is still available in grey leather, with either the grey or green elastic. We have a growing selection of A5-Slim notebooks, including newly arrived Graphilo offerings! More on those below.

5. Craft Design Technology Leather Pen/Pencil Cases. These zippered leather cases can hold either pens or pencils, and will age/patina beautifully. Available in either black or brown leather.

6. Craft Design Technology x Pentel Mechanical Pencil. So far, this CDT special edition mechanical pencil that is based on the iconic Pentel Sharp Kerry is a top seller.

7. Craft Design Technology Desk Note Bagasse Notebooks. These landscape-style notebooks feature CDT’s signature green color and fountain pen friendly Bagasse paper, which is made from sugarcane waste and handles most inks extremely well. The Desk Note is available in two sizes and designed to sit beneath a keyboard while you work.

8. Craft Design Technology Notepads. Available in either A5 or A6, with a mint green or natural color, this textured paper is pleasant to write on and features a smaller grid for jotting notes or even drawing.

9. Graphilo A5-Slim Notebooks. The A5 Slim format is becoming increasingly popular, and Graphilo has released these notebooks with lined, grid, blank or “Ciro” (white line) layouts. Each notebook contains 188 pages of fountain pen friendly Graphilo paper.

10. Graphilo Notebooks and Looseleaf Paper. In addition to the A5 Slim format, Graphilo makes notebooks in traditional A5, Square, and A4 sizes, and even has looseleaf sheets available in both A4 and A5.

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Thursday Drops: Last Minute Gifts and Unique New Arrivals! Craft Design Technology, Graphilo, and Musgrave!

Well, it’s the week before Christmas, so if you’re relying on the internet to get you something shipped, mailed, and delivered in time, the best-case scenario is that you roll the dice and you luck out and it arrives on the 23rd or the 24th. There are simply no guarantees at this point. That said, we are here to help you in-person, and we have a ton of cool stuff that’s arrived in-store, including several recent Japan shipments containing Craft Design Technology, Graphilo, and more! If you’re short on ideas, you can check out our Holiday Gift Guide, and most of what we highlight there continues to be in stock.

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These CDT Pentel Sign Pens, featuring a soft brush tip, have been heavily requested by in-store and online customers.

Craft Design Technology is a design house based in Japan and the U.K., best known for partnering with manufacturers on specialized custom versions of classic stationery items such as the Zebra Sharbo Multi Pen, Pentel Sign Pen, Pilot Frixion, and more. I have followed their work for years and am thrilled to be able to offer teir goods directly. As discussed in Tuesday’s post, we’ve also recently added Graphilo to our lineup of specialty Japanese papers, and people seem to be enjoying it because it’s flying out the door. Finally, we’re excited to restock on many of our Musgrave pencils, including the Heritage collection sets that offer a way to try out different Musgrave pencils and also have a cool pencil-themed case and pencil cup.

Our Nashville shop is open this week from 1-6pm on Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. Check the shop page and on our Google profile for hours.

1. Craft Design Technology x Zebra Multifunctional Pen. Years ago, the Zebra Sharbo was the trendy multi pen, known for its D1 gel refills that ran out in approximately 2 hours. Craft Design Technology has partnered with Zebra to release it’s own design in matte black and silver, substituting the gel refills for low-viscosity ballpoints and a .5mm mechanical pencil. For those who find other multi pens too long and clunky, this one is almost perfectly balanced.

2. Craft Design Technology x Pilot Frixion 3 Multi Pen. Yes, the Pilot Frixion comes in a Dr. Grip-style 3-slot multi pen, complete with three different ink options and the Frixion eraser. Available in CDT’s dark green colorway. Refills available separately by individual color or a multi-pack.

3. Craft Design Technology x Pentel Tradio Plastic Fountain Pen. A hybrid between a fountain pen and a fineliner, the Tradio adds a touch of softness to your writing to make it more expressive. Of all the CDT collaborations, the Tradio has been the one I’ve used the most, since the ink dries very quickly and makes an excellent planner pen. Tradio refills available separately.

4. Craft Design Technology Brush Sign Pens. One of the most-requested items is now available! These soft-tip fineliners/markers/brush pens are sold individually in 10 different colors or come in two different assortment packs of 5 or 10 pens.

5. Craft Design Technology Desk Note Notebooks. These landscape-style notebooks are made from bagasse paper, a byproduct of sugarcane processing. Bagasse paper is quite fountain pen friendly, and I’ve found that this particular notebook handles not just fountain pen inks but markers and other writing instruments as well.

6. Kobeha Graphilo Paper. Developed specifically for use with fountain pens, Graphilo has developed a cult following over the years. Available in multiple formats, including A5, Square, and a 188-page A5-Slim (which will work with our Roterfaden TGS_25).

7. Musgrave Heritage Pencil Assortment Pack. These popular pencil assortments have arrived just in time for Christmas, and yes you can reuse the pencil box as a pencil/pen stand or pencil case.

8. Musgrave Highlighter Pencil Set. I can never stock too many highlighter pencils, and these 8-packs contain two of each color in a relatively rare slim barrel design.

9. Musgrave Songwriter Pencils (Including Special Edition Blue Set). The 4B Songwriter pencil sold out nearly immediately when we had it in stock early in the year, and we’ve restocked on both the standard cream version as well as the new special edition Teal Blue set.

10. Musgrave “Tennessee Red” Pencils. The Tennessee Red features the highly aromatic Eastern Red Cedar wood, which used to be a staple of pencil manufacturing until it was abandoned in favor of the more readily available Incense Cedar. A few years back, Musgrave sourced some slats to make the Tennessee Red, and it’s one of the more unique offerings.

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The Craft Design Technology “Desk Note” in Large and Small Size.

New Arrivals: Introducing Kobeha Graphilo Paper

Like other specialty Japanese papers, Graphilo has developed a reputation as an excellent fountain pen friendly writing paper that has, to date, been somewhat difficult to obtain in the United States. Made by Kobeha, a stationery company located in Kobe, Graphilo was developed specifically for use with fountain pens, much like Nakayabashi developed Yu-Sari. Graphilo is a coated, slightly textured paper with an 81.4gsm paper weight, making it suitable for writing with nearly all fountain pen inks as well as ink-heavy art applications like drawing and some painting.

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Graphilo notebooks offer four different rulings: lined, grid, blank, and “Ciro” (white lines).

I’m most excited about the 188-page “Graphilo Style” A5-Slim notebooks, which are the same size as our own Roterfaden TGS_25 exclusive and the Lochby Voyager Journal. Graphilo paper is also available in stitched softcover notebooks in A5, Square, and A4 formats, as well as A4 and A5 looseleaf sheets and memo pads. All Kobeha Graphilo products are in-stock and available to ship immediately. Visit our Curated Paper section to see the Graphilo line and and more!

This week our Nashville shop will be open normal hours, from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. If you’re looking for gift ideas, be sure to check out the 2025 edition of our Annual Holiday Gift Guide!