--- title: "KOKUYO PASTA: Solid Graphic Marker with a Square Core" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kokuyo-pasta/" description: "KOKUYO PASTA explained: a twist-up solid marker with a 4 × 7 mm water-based gel core, 35 colors including five fluorescents, refills, sets and US prices." category: "Pens" type: "Marker" published: 2026-10-29 updated: 2026-10-29 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 4 products: - name: "KOKUYO PASTA solid graphic marker (KE-SP15), Black" brand: "KOKUYO" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Not stated" material: "Water-based gel color core in a resin twist-up case (KOKUYO, bungu.store)" price_band: "$ (under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "KOKUYO Co., Ltd." model: "KE-SP15" mpn: "KE-SP15-BK1" gtin: "4901480344744" url: "https://www.kokuyostore.com/en/blog/blog20-kokuyo-pasta-markers.html" --- # KOKUYO PASTA: Solid Graphic Marker with a Square Core > The KOKUYO PASTA is a solid graphic marker: a square stick of water-based gel color, 4 × 7 mm, that twists out of a resin case like a glue stick. KOKUYO says it lays down like pastel but glides smoothly, layers and blends without bleeding through. It comes in 35 colors, five of them fluorescent, and the cores are refillable. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kokuyo-pasta/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-29 - Updated: 2026-10-29 ![A capped KOKUYO PASTA marker drawn in proportion: square white resin case and cap with a blue core end, and an inset of the 4 × 7 mm square core](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/kokuyo-pasta-illustration-16x9.png?v=07bc5b39) *Drawn in proportion, because KOKUYO publishes no case size; the core inset is to scale and the blue is a representative tint.* Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times. Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | KOKUYO PASTA solid graphic marker (KE-SP15), Black | KOKUYO (by KOKUYO Co., Ltd.) | Japan | Not stated | Water-based gel color core in a resin twist-up case (KOKUYO, bungu.store) | – | $: under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (KOKUYO PASTA solid graphic marker (KE-SP15), Black): Not stated. KOKUYO's global store, Yoseka and bungu.store don't state where PASTA is made, and the Japanese retailer pages we tried didn't load. ## Key takeaways - KOKUYO gives the square core as 4 × 7 mm, so the narrow face draws about a 4 mm line and the wide face a 7 mm band. - KOKUYO lists 35 colors, including 5 fluorescents; Yoseka sells 30 standard colors singly, each with a code such as BK1 or YL3. - Sets come in 5 fluorescent, 10 and 30 colors (KE-SP15-5, -10 and -30), and refill cores come in packs of two. - Yoseka says PASTA was the first product of KOKUYO Colors, a line of drawing tools for adults that KOKUYO started in 2018. - Yoseka listed single markers at a price in our $ band (under $5) on October 29, 2026. ## What is the KOKUYO PASTA? **It is a solid marker: a square stick of water-based gel color in a twist-up resin case.** KOKUYO says it lays down like pastel but glides smoothly, with vivid, transparent color, and its twist-to-open case keeps your hands clean. Yoseka says it feels like a crayon but is water-based. It also says PASTA was the first product of KOKUYO Colors, a range of drawing tools for adults that KOKUYO started in 2018. That's the paper and notebook maker behind the Campus notebook, as our [KOKUYO history](https://stationerytimes.com/stories/kokuyo-history/) explains. ## What does the 4 × 7 mm square core do? **It gives you two widths from one stick: about 4 mm from the narrow face and 7 mm from the wide face.** KOKUYO says the square core is designed for coloring both large and small areas, and Yoseka adds that it is easy to use in small spaces. ![The KOKUYO PASTA core end drawn to scale at 4 × 7 mm, beside a 7 mm band from the wide face and a 4 mm line from the narrow face](https://stationerytimes.com/images/kokuyo-pasta-core.svg?v=bd44fe27) *The core end to scale at 1 mm = 12 px; the bands show the core's faces, not measured strokes. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.* KOKUYO calls it a hard tip that gives consistent, clean lines, good for drawing and for marking lines in text. The corners give finer marks than either face. ## What colors does PASTA come in? **KOKUYO lists 35: 30 standard colors and 5 fluorescents.** Yoseka sells the 30 standard colors singly, each with a short code printed on it, such as BK1 for black or YL3 for ocher. | Set | Code | Colors (bungu.store) | |---|---|---| | 5 fluorescent | KE-SP15-5 | Fluorescent blue, green, orange, pink and yellow | | 10 colors | KE-SP15-10 | Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, light orange, brown, gray, black | | 30 colors | KE-SP15-30 | All 30 standard colors, from ocher and beige to navy and viridian | The 30 standard colors include earthy and muted shades, such as burnt umber, steel gray, wine red and marigold, so the set works for illustration as well as notes. ## How do you blend and layer it? **KOKUYO says the water-based gel core lets you layer and mix colors to build shades and gradients.** Yoseka describes the same thing as color mixing by shading and layering. KOKUYO says the pigment won't bleed through to the back of the page, which matters in a journal you use on both sides. We haven't tested that claim yet. ## How does it compare with a highlighter or a paint marker? **It sits between a crayon and a marker: there is no liquid ink, but KOKUYO says the color glides and is transparent enough to layer.** The 7 mm face fills large areas, and the 4 mm face and corners handle lines and details. For liquid-ink highlighting in soft colors, see our [Zebra Mildliner](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/zebra-mildliner/) guide; for KOKUYO's own twin highlighter, see the [Campus ANY LINER](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kokuyo-campus-any-liner/). For coloring with brush and felt pens, our [best pens for coloring](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-pens-for-coloring/) compares the main options. ## Who is PASTA for? **KOKUYO aims it at adult artists and students alike.** Its store calls PASTA easy to use for detailed, vivid artwork whether you are a student or a professional, and Yoseka says it works as a drawing tool and as a line marker. That makes it a fit for sketchbooks, coloring books and study notes, where one stick can fill an area and then underline a word. It isn't a writing pen: there is no fine tip for text. ## Can you refill it, and what does it cost? **Yes: KOKUYO says the cores are refillable, and refills come in packs of two.** Yoseka lists a refill alongside the single markers. On October 29, 2026 Yoseka listed single PASTA markers at US$4.00 in 30 colors, in our $ band (under $5). We couldn't read JetPens or Amazon, which block our tools, and KOKUYO's global store didn't show us a US price. ## Where is PASTA made? **Not stated.** KOKUYO's store, Yoseka and bungu.store don't give a country of manufacture, and the Japanese retailer pages we tried didn't load, so we couldn't check a Japanese listing. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is KOKUYO PASTA a crayon or a marker? KOKUYO calls it a graphic marker. The color is a solid water-based gel stick, so it feels like a crayon or pastel, but it twists out of a case and glides more smoothly. ### Can you refill PASTA markers? Yes. KOKUYO says the cores are refillable to cut waste, and refills come in packs of two. ### Does PASTA bleed through paper? KOKUYO says its pigments won't bleed through, so the back of the page stays clean. We haven't tested that on thin paper yet. ### Can you blend PASTA colors? KOKUYO says the water-based gel core lets you layer and mix colors for shades and gradients, and Yoseka describes mixing by shading and layering. ### Can PASTA be used as a highlighter? KOKUYO and Yoseka both say it works for line marking, and in our view the five fluorescent colors suit it best. Test it over your pen's ink before marking a whole page. ### How many PASTA colors are there? KOKUYO lists 35, made up of 30 standard colors and 5 fluorescents. The 30-color set holds all the standard colors. ### Do PASTA markers get your hands dirty? KOKUYO says the twist-to-open case keeps your hands clean, because you hold the case, not the color stick. ## Sources - [KOKUYO (global store): Kokuyo PASTA Markers, The Trending Tool for Artists (water-based gel core, 4 × 7 mm square core, 35 colors including 5 fluorescent, refillable cores in packs of two, no bleed-through, twist-to-open; read October 29, 2026)](https://www.kokuyostore.com/en/blog/blog20-kokuyo-pasta-markers.html) - [KOKUYO (global store): Pasta marker pen sets (KE-SP15)](https://www.kokuyostore.com/en/pasta-marker-pen/KE-SP15.html) - [Yoseka Stationery: Kokuyo PASTA Soft Marker (30 colors with codes, 4 × 7 mm core, KOKUYO Colors started 2018 with PASTA first, US$4.00; read October 29, 2026)](https://yosekastationery.com/products/kokuyo-pasta-soft-marker) - [bungu.store: PASTA Graphic Markers / KOKUYO (flagship of KOKUYO Colors, resin twist case, water-based gel, color lists of the 5, 10 and 30 sets)](https://bungu.store/products/pasta-graphic-markers-kokuyo)