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The Pilot Pen clinic in TokyoOctober, 2001 October must be the month for Pen clinics here in Tokyo! Sailor, Pilot and Platinum (with Nakaya) are setting up tables with pen masters at the major department stores on weekends throughout the city and surrounding areas. This weekend, Pilot was holding a pen clinic at Keio department store in Shinjuku. Pentracer Mikiko Yamamoto went on Saturday, and I went on Sunday. We compared notes via e-mail, and came up with the following report.
He also let me know his other pen clinic schedule and invited me to visit the Pilot pen gallery on the Ginza. According to him, the gallery exhibits pen-related materials, for free admission. They also accept repairs for any makes, both Japanese and foreign -made. He said if you bring your pen to the gallery, they will estimate repair cost. When I showed him my English Waterman W5 with a cracked nib, he recommended me to get it repaired before the crack developes more and the nib completely splits into the two. He suggested I bring it in to the gallery for estimation. It was a long day, but I really enjoyed clinic experience and would like to visit one of these again.
weekdays 9:30 - 17:00 The Pilot pen clinic person, Mr. Komiya will be usually at the gallery from Wednesday to Friday. When no pen clinics at the weekend, he'll be there on Saturday too.
There was a quiet dignified man, Mr Komiya sitting at the table working on a pen. At the time there were no customers at his table, so I introduced myself and sat down and brought out a pen. This was the mystery fine flex BCHR ring top that Sam had listed in Pendemonium's recent newsletter (yep, I'm the fiend who snatched it up, and it is many miles from Iowa now!). It had a bit of a stingy ink flow, but Mr. Koniya set to working on it right away while I snapped a few photos. I wish now that I had paid closer attention to what he was doing, but I was fiddling with my camera. In a few moments he returned my pen with a fantastic ink flow, and oh so smoooooth! I thanked him and also gave him a floppy with the photos on it. Since I was in Maruzen, I also picked up a bottle of that wonderful Athena blue black ink which--and I feel I must rub this in every chance I get--most of you can't get in your parts of the world! Mikiko Yamamoto and Russ Stutler |
Mikiko: At Pilot clinic, the craftsman called Mr. Komiya was a very
friendly person, as friendly as a Nakaya craftsman, Mr.
Watanabe. He was kind enough to repair/adjust my other
three vintage pens (Parker English Duofold, Canadian
Waterman Ideal, Conklin Endura) and check other two
(Mont Blanc 323, English Waterman W5) ! He even kindly
taught me how to use a magnifier. His jobs were also
perfect. All of these pens became just reborn and write
perfect now. I'm amazed that all these jobs were offered
free (at Sailor it was free too) ! 
The Pilot Pen Gallery is located on the 1st floor of the Pilot head office,
Russ: I visited the Pilot Clinic as well. It was in the Shinjuku branch of Maruzen department store, located on the 6th floor of Keio department store. I actually visited this one before I went to the Sailor clinic a few blocks a way. 
