I would venture that the most popular draw at both the D.C. and San Francisco Pen Shows was the Toyooka Craft table. Toyooka Craft Co. is a family-run woodworking company founded in Hamamatsu, Japan, and while their business extends beyond desk accessories and stationery products, they are known in the pen community for their simple - yet beautiful - pen trays, chests, pen rests, and other items. I really can’t overstate the popularity of their products. In San Francisco, for example, a long line formed on both Friday and Saturday mornings, and persisted until at least midday. For those who have seen videos of the Friday morning attendees lining up and racing to the back of the show in San Francisco, many of these people headed directly to the Toyooka Craft table.
Toyooka Craft uses the "kumi-ki" metal-free construction method, discussed in more detail on their website. Woods used include a combination of Alder and plywood, with liners made from soft rayon that won't scratch your pens. I went into the month of August with zero Toyooka Craft products in my personal collection and began September with three: two of the small stackable pen trays in a black/burgundy combination, and one larger covered pen tray in Hinoki Blue, a color I didn't expect to love as much as I did when I saw it in person.
My Hinoki Blue Tray holds 15 pens and features a non-attached, removable lid. I like this because it means I can stack the tray with others should I (or, “when I”) purchase more in the future.
The seams/joints are nearly invisible, and I love how the blue lacquer still allows the wood grain to show through.
I keep one of these small six-pen trays at each of my workstations. Partitions in the small pen trays are raised enough to keep the pens separated without destroying the sleek aesthetic. In other words, these trays look flat, and there's no fumbling with "slots" whenever you need to pick up a pen to write. While extremely lightweight, the trays also have rubber pads on the bottom so they will remain stationary and not slide around.
Takeaways and Where to Buy
I find that many "traditional" pen chests and trays sold in the U.S. lack a sense of subtlety - they’re either too large for my taste or overly ornate. These Toyooka Craft trays are so sleek that they essentially disappear on your desk, despite my having chosen relatively loud design choices such as the blue lacquer and red lining.
I’ve been using Toyooka Craft Pen Trays as part of my pen show table display. They really look great with demonstrator fountain pens like the Pilot Custom 74.
Unless you plan on waiting until next year's D.C. or San Francisco Pen Show, the best way to obtain a Toyooka Craft product is by direct order through their website. While some products are likely ready to ship, depending on stock, there may be a slightly delay in the event the item you order needs to be made.
I find Toyooka Craft products reasonably priced given the quality. The small pen trays shown here list at 4,500 Yen (roughly $30), and the larger pen tray with the separated lid at 1200 Yen ($80), though adding the Hinoki Blue lacquer will increase the cost. Pen show pricing was roughly double what is listed on the website, presumably to reflect freight, import duties, and the expense of attending the show. Some, but not all, of these costs will need to be added to your online order as well, so don't expect the website price to be inclusive.
The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases through the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid advertising or third-party affiliate links. I purchased the products featured in this review with my own funds for my own use.
