Est. 2026 · Price: FreeEditor-at-large: The Hedgehog

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Kuretake ZIG Fudegokochi: Firm Brush Pen for Beginners

Compiled from 4 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research

Quick answer

The Kuretake ZIG Fudegokochi is a felt-tip brush pen with a firm, brush-shaped plastic tip that handles like a pen, made for lettering, envelopes and illustration. Kuretake lists the black LS1-10 at 138 × 11 mm and 11 g, with water-resistant pigment ink that writes 300 to 400 m. It's made in Japan and costs about ¥242 (about US$1.50) there.

On this page11 sections
Kuretake ZIG Fudegokochi brush pen drawn to scale at 138 mm, capped, above a black brush stroke, with an inset of the pointed POM tip
The Fudegokochi, 138 mm long per Kuretake (1 mm = 4.4 px).

Product facts

Product
Kuretake ZIG Fudegokochi brush pen (LS1-10, black)
Brand
Kuretake
Brand origin
Japan
Made in
Japan*
Material
PP body, cap and end plug, stainless steel clip, POM brush-style tip, water-based pigment ink (Kuretake)
Price range
$under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Ink
Black, LS1-10, water-based pigment ink
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No ratings yet. Be the first to rate this product.
Notes on these facts
  • Made by Kuretake Co., Ltd. (Japan). Made in Japan: Kuretake's Japanese order site lists 原産国 (country of origin) 日本 (Japan) for the black Fudegokochi, LS1-10 (read October 23, 2026). Source. Price: example listing.
  • Colors: names per Kuretake (order site), checked October 24, 2026. The LS1-10 is sold in black (黒) only, per Kuretake's order site; the light-ink LS5 and quick-dry versions are separate models. Tint sampled from Kuretake's product photo. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
  • Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

  • Kuretake's Japanese order site lists the black Fudegokochi, LS1-10 (JAN 4901427104288), at 138 × 11 mm and 11 g.
  • Kuretake says one pen writes 300 to 400 m, with water-based pigment ink that resists water and light.
  • Its list price in Japan is ¥220 (about US$1.40) before tax and ¥242 (about US$1.50) with tax.
  • The retail-packed LS1-10S had 1,343 Amazon US ratings averaging 4.7 stars on October 23, 2026.
  • Kuretake lists Japan as the country of origin.

What is the Kuretake ZIG Fudegokochi?

It’s a disposable brush pen from Kuretake with a firm, brush-shaped plastic tip, made to feel like a pen rather than a real brush. Kuretake’s Japanese page calls it an easy-to-use brush-style sign pen for people who aren’t comfortable with brush pens.

Kuretake, a sumi-ink and brush maker based in Nara, recommends it for envelopes, gift envelopes, postcards and illustration. In the US it’s sold as the ZIG Fudegokochi, model LS1-10S in retail packaging.

Kuretake ZIG Fudegokochi specs

Kuretake’s order site lists the black LS1-10 at 138 × 11 mm, 11 g, with a POM tip and water-based pigment ink.

Spec Fudegokochi, black (LS1-10)
JAN 4901427104288
Size 138 × 11 mm (5.4 × 0.4 in), widest point without clip
Weight 11 g (0.39 oz)
Body, cap, end plug PP
Clip Stainless steel
Tip POM (acetal) plastic, brush-shaped
Ink Water-based pigment, direct-liquid
Writing distance 300–400 m (330–440 yd)
Japan price ¥220 (about US$1.40) before tax
Made in Japan

All figures come from Kuretake’s Japanese order site. Kuretake calls it a direct-liquid (直液式) pen and says that lets you use the ink to the end without waste.

How firm is the Fudegokochi tip?

Firm: it’s a molded plastic point, not bristles, so it flexes only a little. That’s why Kuretake pitches it at people who find soft brush pens hard to control.

You still get thin upstrokes and thicker downstrokes by changing pressure. A softer brush tip trades some of that control for bigger thick-thin contrast.

The four Kuretake Fudegokochi versions: regular pigment, quick-dry pigment, quick-dry extra fine and light ink
Kuretake Japan sells four Fudegokochi versions.

Which Fudegokochi versions are there?

Kuretake Japan lists four: regular, quick-dry, quick-dry extra fine and light ink.

Version Model Ink Use (Kuretake)
Fudegokochi LS1-10S Pigment, black Lettering, envelopes, illustration
Quick-dry QDLS1-10S Quick-dry pigment, black Dries fast, so hands and paper stay clean
Quick-dry extra fine QDLS4-10S Dye, black Letters, postcards, planners, résumés
Light ink (usuzumi) LS5-10S Dye, pale gray Condolence cards

The US listings we found were almost all for the regular LS1-10S, so expect to import the other three. The extra fine has a harder tip, which Kuretake suggests for small writing.

How does it compare with other brush pens?

It’s in the same firm, beginner-friendly group as the Tombow Fudenosuke hard tip and the Sakura Pigma Brush.

Fudegokochi Tombow Fudenosuke Sakura Pigma Brush
Tip Firm POM, brush-shaped Elastomer, hard or soft Felt brush
Ink Water-based pigment Water-based pigment Archival pigment
Made in Japan Japan Japan
Price band $ $ $

For real bristles, see the Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Real Brush. Our best calligraphy pens for beginners puts it next to chisel-tip pens.

How much does the Fudegokochi cost?

About ¥242 (about US$1.50) in Japan, and under $5 a pen in the US, our $ band. A 3-pen pack on Amazon US worked out to about US$3.75 a pen on October 23, 2026.

The retail-packed LS1-10S had 1,343 Amazon US ratings averaging 4.7 stars the same day.

How do you write with a firm brush pen?

Hold it at a low angle and change pressure, not speed, between strokes. Press on downstrokes for thick lines and lift on upstrokes for thin ones.

Kuretake suggests it for addressing envelopes and gift envelopes, which suits a firm tip: the lines stay even across a whole address. For practice, slow strokes on smooth paper show your pressure changes most clearly.

Where is the Fudegokochi made?

In Japan: Kuretake’s Japanese order site lists 原産国 (country of origin) 日本 for the LS1-10. Kuretake is based in Nara, Japan.

Frequently asked questions

What does Fudegokochi mean?

Roughly "brush feel" in Japanese (筆ごこち). Kuretake sells it as a brush-style sign pen for people who find real brush pens hard to control.

Is the Fudegokochi a hard or soft brush pen?

Firm. The tip is molded POM plastic, not bristles, and Kuretake says it handles like a pen, which suits beginners and small lettering.

Is Fudegokochi ink waterproof?

Kuretake says the black pigment ink resists running in water and has good lightfastness. Let it dry before going over it with watercolor or markers.

Fudegokochi or Tombow Fudenosuke?

Both are firm Japanese brush pens for beginners. The Fudegokochi uses pigment ink; the Fudenosuke is sold in the US as a 2-pack with one hard and one soft tip.

Can you refill the Fudegokochi?

No. Kuretake sells it as a direct-liquid disposable pen that uses its ink to the end; replace it when it runs dry.

Is the Kuretake Fudegokochi made in Japan?

Yes. Kuretake's Japanese order site lists Japan as the country of origin.

Sources (4)

  1. 呉竹 BtoBオンライン注文サイト: 筆ごこち 黒 (LS1-10; ¥220 / ¥242; JAN 4901427104288; 138 × 11 mm; 11 g; 300–400 m; PP, SUS clip, POM tip; water-based pigment ink; origin Japan; read October 23, 2026)
  2. 呉竹: 筆ごこち (Kuretake Japan product page: LS1-10S, quick-dry QDLS1-10S, quick-dry extra fine QDLS4-10S, light-ink LS5-10S; pigment ink resists water and light)
  3. Amazon US: Kuretake Fude Brush Pen in Retail Package, Fudegokochi (LS1-10S; 1,343 ratings, 4.7 stars, read October 23, 2026)
  4. Amazon US: Kuretake ZIG Fudegokochi, 3 pens (price per pen, read October 23, 2026)

Plain-text version for AI agents: kuretake-zig-fudegokochi.md · Spotted an error? See how we check facts.