Though the fear and FOMO has since subsided, the rumored demise of Tomoe River paper prompted many manufacturers and enthusiasts to begin searching for the “next big thing” to replace it as the go-to option for fountain pen friendly paper. One alternative that kept popping up was “Bank Paper,” a product originally developed by Mitsubishi for the high-end office market. While it offers a different writing experience from Tomoe River Paper, it’s yet another ink-friendly paper that’s becoming more available in the U.S., and which I personally enjoy very much.
The classic Mitsubishi “Three Diamonds” watermark adds some vintage flair that I adore. You can also see some of the texture here.
What strikes me the most about Bank Paper is the tactile feel. The paper has a slight texture to it - not nearly as pronounced as a heavier bond paper or antique laid paper like Original Crown Mill, but it’s there. Some may enjoy it, some not, depending entirely on personal preference. It reminds me of the business letterhead I used to steal from my Dad’s office as a kid.
Most Bank Paper is ivory, so your inks may look slightly different than they would on bright white stock. Performance, however, is exceptional.
Performance-wise, you won’t go wrong with Bank Paper. Like most ink-friendly papers, it can be somewhat slow to dry, but I had no issues with usability. (As noted below, the Life Bank Paper Writing Pad shown here ships with a large piece of blotter paper, in case you find yourself using especially wet nibs or slower-drying inks.) While there is some show-through, I experienced zero feathering or bleeding, as should be expected of a paper at this price point.
Zero bleed. I’d characterize this as the ultimate office paper, and is something I could use every day if it weren’t so pricey.
Takeaways and Where to Buy
Personally, I love the look, feel, and overall writing experience that Bank Paper offers. I sometimes find Tomoe River paper (or at least the 52gsm variety) too smooth for my preference, and enjoy the more tactile Bank Paper texture. I also tend to prefer ivory paper over bright white for written correspondence. For those few letters I write, I can see myself turning to Bank Paper, and once I work my way through my enormous journal backlog, I wouldn’t hesitate to use this paper in a notebook (with a blotter sheet as necessary).
Bank Paper is no longer so specialized that you can’t easily find it. We sell the letter-sized Bank Paper writing pads from Life Stationery, which contain 100 sheets and a full-size piece of blotter paper, perfect for stocking up in advance of InCoWriMo (International Correspondence Writing Month). Another option are the paper sampler packs from Yamamoto Paper, which have a Bank Paper option. And Atelier Musubi has long offered certain of its handbound journals with Bank Paper.
Finally, I wanted to alert all of you to a new product that recently hit the market: Bank Paper notebooks from The Paper Mind, a new venture from a pen enthusiast and former stationery blogger who recently started a company focused on high-end notebooks with fountain pen friendly paper. Currently available in A5 size, these notebooks feature 192 pages of lined Bank Paper in a stitched lie-flat binding. Be sure to check these out and support this sort of creativity in bringing new products like this to market!
I will note that none of the Bank Paper options are inexpensive - $28 for the writing pad, and $35 for the notebook - but this is imported specialty paper, after all, and I get the impression Bank Paper is a highly specialized product, even for Japan, that’s not made in large quantities. The things we do for an exceptional writing experience!
I received the Paper Mind Notebook pictured here for review purposes, free of charge. This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links, but does contain links to the T.G.S. Curated Shop. By shopping with us directly, you are supporting original content, pen reviews, pen show events, etc. from The Gentleman Stationer. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!