Kobeha Graphilo Paper Cover Image with different sizing

Paper Review: Graphilo by Kobeha

July 11, 2026

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.

Graphilo and Roterfaden Currently Inked Log — 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.

Currently Inked Lineup on Graphilo — 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.

Graphilo Opale Nocturne Closeup — 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.

Ancora Rainy Day Ink on Graphilo — 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.

Graphilo in my TGS_25 Roterfaden — 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.

Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper: Updated to Include Graphilo and Nebula Note

June 24, 2026

I just finished updating one of our most popular site resources: “Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper,” which was originally a blog post first published in 2021. Due to the expansive comments section, I’ve left it in blog format rather than move it to a stand-alone page. I periodically update the main article to account for changes in paper performance, new brands, and customer/reader feedback. Because I can’t test everything, I leave the comments open for suggestions.

What Were the Major Developments in 2026?

I added a handful of brands to the resource, and removed one or two others mainly due to availability issues. Here are the major changes:

Graphilo and Nebula Note Enter Tier 1. Graphilo paper, from Japanese company Kobeha, is one of the most ink-friendly papers I have used, and given that it’s now far more available in the U.S. than it has been in the past, I feel good about adding it to the first Tier. Similarly, I’ve been consistently impressed with Nebula Note, a slightly textured paper from the makers of Colorverse Ink, which comes in a super-convenient spiral format with perforated pages.
NOLTY Makes an Appearance. NOLTY is a relatively inexpensive Japanese brand that is sold everywhere in Japan but still uncommon in the United States. NOLTY paper comes in white and off-white variants, and while they are known for their planners, their notebooks are also excellent. I’ve added NOLTY to Tier I, and we look forward to carrying their notebooks in the near future, having previously carried their PAGEM B6 log books.
Notsu and Blackwing belong in Tier II, and Baron Fig Drops Off the List. I feel more comfortable including Notsu as a Tier II brand, not because there’s been any decline in their paper quality (they make the best fountain pen friendly notecards on the market), but rather because they have been rapidly expanding their line to include a wider range of notebooks and papers of different types, some of which may not be intended for fountain pens. Similarly, standard Blackwing paper is pretty good, including the “Illegal Pads,” but there can be wide variation in the paper used in the special edition notebooks. Baron Fig has fallen off my radar entirely, and has gone more mass market in recent years so I do not feel comfortable ranking it in terms of fountain pen friendliness.

Note that this is not intended to be a “ranking,” and the order in which these papers appear in each tier are not intended to suggest that any one is objectively “better” than another. Also, even non-fountain pen friendly paper can be quality stationery. Certain high-end cotton papers are tactile and highly absorbent - quite pleasant to write on with pencil, ballpoint, and rollerballs - but they can’t handle the water-based ink found in most fountain pens. Enjoy, and as always, drop a comment if you have suggestions on paper I may not have tried.

Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper: Updated Resource!

September 13, 2025

I’ve spent the last two days updating the site resource “Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper,” which was originally a blog post first published in 2021. It’s garnered such a good response - 50+ comments at last count - that I’ve left it in blog format just to maintain the active comment section. I periodically update the main article to account for changes in paper performance, new brands, and customer/reader feedback. Because I can’t test everything, I leave the comments open for suggestions.

What Were the Major Developments in 2025?

I added a handful of brands to the resource, and removed one or two others mainly due to availability issues. Here are the major changes:

Write Notepads Drops Off the List. Write Notepads left the direct-to-consumer market, at least for now, to focus on B2B sales. While I understand that may change in the future, for now their products are not as widely available so I’m leaving them out of this resource which focuses primarily on retail products.
Stàlogy and Blackwing Move Into Tier I. While I’ve considered these two brands “Tier II” fountain pen friendly paper in the past, I’ve noticed an increase in consistency so I’ve moved both of them into Tier I. With Blackwing, note that this refers only to their standard paper. Some of their special edition notebooks may use different paper which may or may not perform similarly.
Notsu and Shorthand Make an Appearance. These two brands make new appearances in Tiers I and II, respectively. Notsu is one of my favorite new stationery brands out there, and their ink friendly index cards have become a staple of my personal rotation. Los Angeles-based Shorthand makes a wide range of notebooks, notepads, and correspondence stationery, and while I would limit fountain pens to extra-fine or fine nibs, I love the feel of their vintage-y off-white paper and sturdy covers and spiral bindings.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’d like to see any of the papers mentioned here in person, or even try some of them, come by our brick-and-mortar shop located in Nashville!

Spiral Note Notebook Maruman Cover (Dot)

Notebook Review: Maruman Spiral Note Basic Notebook

May 17, 2025

Lower-cost paper for higher-cost times? You can’t dispute that recent events have been frustrating and confusing for U.S.-based stationery enthusiasts (and lovers of analog products in general) as a significant portion of them are made outside of the country and now subject to higher tariffs. With the cost of most products sourced outside the U.S. already having increased 10% or more, many of us find ourselves searching for lower-cost options. Fortunately there are many options out there that can probably absorb future price increases without destroying value.

Maruman Spiral Note B5 Notebook — The main review ink I used for this review is Taccia Aomurasaki, in a medium JoWo Nib (Hinze Taschenstift). We reviewed this pen and ink combination earlier this week!

The notebook I’m reviewing today, the Maruman “Spiral Note” Basic Notebook, is one such product. Considered a more economical counterpart to their flagship “Mnemosyne” notebooks, the Spiral Note features 70gsm paper (as opposed to 80gsm Mnemosyne), a simple kraft cover, and a single-wire spiral binding (compared to the Mnemosyne’s double). Maruman offers a multitude of different rulings, including .5mm grid or dot, 6.5mm lined, 8.0mm lined, and blank. There are 80 sheet and 40 sheet options, and pages are perforated, allowing you to easily tear out/archive individual pages. Perforations are a huge plus for me, as a perforated page allows me to take meeting notes in an A5 spiral notebook and then hole-punch any sheet I might want to move to one of my notebook systems.

Maruman Spiral Note 70g Writing Sample — While this isn’t what I’d consider a heavy-sheening paper, you can see a hit of sheen on the blue ink here.

Despite the slight decrease in paper weight, performance remains impressive. To me, the paper feels slightly slicker than Mnemosyne, and somewhat similar to Tomoe River 68gsm, though maybe not quite as tactile? I’ve had no issues with feathering or bleedthrough, except for some pinpointing where I really bore down hard with the writing pressure, or did an especially wet swatch. Because the paper is relatively lightweight, darker inks may have some slight show-through on the other side, but you can easily use both sides of a page. I would say that the paper shows off sheen and shading moderately well.

Maruman Spiral Note Basics Wet Writing Sample with a Kodachi Grind — An especially wet writing sample, using a Schon DSGN Monoc Nib that I recently had Matthew Chen grind to a Kodachi. You can read more about it here.

So Who Is the Maruman Spiral Note Basic Notebook For?

While I think this is a great everyday notebook for anyone, I’d consider it perfect for a few different categories of users:

People who use a LOT of notebooks, especially writers who draft longhand, or those in other note-intensive jobs. These are also perfect for those who want a more visually low-key option, since the simple kraft cover is unobtrusive and blends in alongside all of the generic office-supply-closet notebooks.
Those who need to be able to scan or file individual pages and need a “looseleaf” option. Perforations are a too-often overlooked feature, in my opinion, especially for professionals who want or need to take notes on paper but have confidentiality obligations that require them to periodically shred paper. It’s nice to be able to do that without having to destroy the entire notebook.
Students. If I had known about these notebooks in college they would have been the only thing I’d have used. I’d have used different rulings for different purposes, and then have the notebooks match.

Maruman Spiral Note Basic Writing Sample with Show-Through

Takeaways and Where to Buy

If you’re looking for a low-cost, functional spiral notebook that features perforated pages and works well with most inks, I consider the Maruman Spiral Note Basic Notebook to be an excellent option, especially given that it currently costs $5.50 to $8, depending on size and page count. If I had to draw an immediate comparison, it would be to the now-discontinued Write Notepads spiral notebook. While the Write Notepads notebook definitely felt like a higher-end product, with a thicker cover and a more substantial spiral, it also cost $20. You simply couldn’t churn through these notebooks at the pace that I did, and I ended up having to find lower-cost everyday options, especially when I started doing different kinds of work that required me to regularly shred notebooks.

Maruman Notebooks on Shelf at TGS — Come check out our full range of Maruman in person!

These notebooks fit a market niche that I felt was lacking in our shop, so as of now we carry them in the B5 and A5 sizes, in both 80 and 40 sheet options. I believe some A4 formats are also available, which we may consider adding in the future. As I mentioned above, prices start at $5.50 and run up to $8, depending on format and page count. For those looking for something more upscale (with a sturdier plastic cover), we also stock many other Maruman products, including the excellent Maruman Mnemosyne notebooks and the Maruman x Kleid collaboration with the 2mm grid ruling.

Everything shown here is also available in our brick and mortar shop, which will be open regular hours this week (Thursday-Friday 1-6pm, and Saturday 10am-6pm). Come take a tour of our new look shop, which we’ve recently been updating. You can also read more about different fountain pen friendly papers in this archived post, and don’t miss the comments section!

Discovering Unusual Paper: "Paper Tasting" Sets from Yamamoto Paper

May 10, 2025

It’s easy sometimes to get stuck in a rut with hobbies and interests, and many times over the years I’ve found myself bored with my stationery routine, using the same pens, pencils, and especially paper without much variation. The good thing about paper is that if you write enough you will use it up and need more, which offers you endless opportunities for experimentation (as long as you keep writing). Japanese distributor Yamamoto Paper offers a seemingly endless array of unique and uncommon Japanese papers, and sells them in convenient sample packs of pads and loose sheets.

Yamamoto Paper Tasting Sample Descriptions for Gray Pack — Each Yamamoto Paper Tasting Sampler includes a cover sheet with a short description on the manufacture, history, and usage of each of the three papers. It will also indicate Yamamoto’s opinion on how each paper reacts to different types of ink.These sorts of opinions are incredibly subjective, and as I’ll discuss more below, your own opinion may differ wildly (which is part of why these sorts of samplers are so much fun). Photos of additional information included with each Paper Tasting Sampler are included in the gallery below.

I’ve purchased many different paper sampling or “Paper Tasting” products from Yamamoto Paper over the years, starting back in 2022 at the San Francisco Pen Show where they had a setup at their table that allowed you to assemble a small box of samples of different papers in square sheets. I bought two full boxes, and I’m now well into my last one which I’m working through sparingly. I use them for small notes, and have found that they fit well inside a six-ring plotter binder if I punch them with three holes. What I plan to write about today, though, is Yamamoto’s “Paper Tasting” series. These relatively inexpensive sets of three bound notepads are organized by paper texture, color, and/or other properties such as translucency, and are released in different “volumes” as Yamamoto acquires new papers, and other papers are discontinued.

Among the most recent set of releases is this new set of “Gray” papers (Volume 4). I’m a fan of unusual paper colors such as gray and blue, as these tones add some visual depth to written correspondence and often showcase different undertones in fountain pen ink than standard white or ivory. The current Yamamoto “Gray” paper sampler comes with three different paper options: First Vintage Ash (B7 pad), Half Tone Color Abyss (A6 pad), and Kona Wrap Sky (B6). The latter two papers are blue-grey, so directly fall within my own personal preferences.

Testing Fountain Pens for the Yamamoto Paper Sampler Set — When I test papers, I often choose fountain pens that will “challenge” the paper. Shown here is a Pilot Custom 823 ground to an architect nib, a very wet Parker 61 with a medium 14k nib, and a relatively wet Aurora 88 Sigaro Blu with an ebonite feed that delivers a lot of ink to the page.

Half Tone Color Abyss and Kona Wrap Sky Writing Samples — My two favorites from this sampler pack are the Half-tone Color Abyss (Top) and Kona Wrap Sky. I would probably flip Yamamoto’s descriptions in terms of fountain pen friendliness. All of these papers are indicated as working well with fountain pens, but I wouldn’t consider the First Vintage Ash (below) to be the best of the bunch. Again, there’s no substitute for your own experimentation.

First Vintage Ash Paper Writing Sample — First Vintage Ash didn’t bleed through, but there was some feathering with the architect nib on this fibrous paper. I assume that Yamamoto values dry time over the lack of feathering, thus explaining why this particular paper received the highest marks of the three for fountain pens? This strikes me as a better pencil paper than anything, given the texture.

Yamamoto Paper Kona Wrap Sky Writing Samples — The largest pad in this assortment (Kona Wrap Sky, in B6) will probably get the most use, as I will use it to write letters and for general notetaking. This paper showed zero feathering or bleedthrough, and it has a wonderful cool blue-gray tone.

So are these papers purely “samples”, or are they usable? It depends on how you use your paper. I’ve personally always found great practical usage for my Yamamoto Paper, and these particular papers are bound into pads so they are incredibly useful for things like short notes and even written correspondence, if you like the A6 and B6 sizing. I’ve also turned the smaller pads sideways and hole-punched them to add notes to my binder systems.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

For me, trying out different papers, even one-offs or papers so rare that I likely won’t be able to find them again, is one of the most enjoyable parts of the stationery hobby. These Yamamoto Paper samplers are an easy way to do that. I appreciate that these aren’t just loose sheets of paper, and the fact that they’re bound into small pads makes them much more usable as notepads, writing tablets for letters, or even small sheets that you can hole-punch and add to your binder system.

As I noted above, we currently have seven different Yamamoto “Paper Tasting” Samplers available in the shop, alongside the packs of larger A4 looseleaf papers (which of course can be cut down to different sizes using a paper cutter). Patreon members should check this week’s Patreon feed or the “Announcements” section of the Discord for a special Yamamoto Paper Sampler offer.

If you’re ever in the Nashville, Tennessee area, please stop in and see us! We’d love to welcome you in store and answer any questions you may have. The Gentleman Stationer is open this week Thursday (1-4) and Friday (1-6) and Saturday from 10-4. Our site is entirely self-supported through the shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.