--- title: "Pilot iro-utsushi Dip Pen: Fountain Nib, Any Ink" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-iro-utsushi-dip-pen/" description: "Pilot iro-utsushi dip pen explained: a fountain-style nib you dip in any ink, F and M sizes, resin and wood holders, launched June 20, 2022, with Japanese prices." category: "Pens" type: "Dip pen" published: 2026-11-01 updated: 2026-11-01 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 2 products: - name: "Pilot iro-utsushi dip pen" brand: "Pilot" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Not stated" material: "Resin holder, steel alloy nib (Yoseka); a wood-holder version also launched in Japan (BCN+R)" released: "2022-06-20" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Pilot Corporation (Japan)" model: "iro-utsushi" url: "https://yosekastationery.com/products/pilot-iro-utsushi-dip-pen" --- # Pilot iro-utsushi Dip Pen: Fountain Nib, Any Ink > The Pilot iro-utsushi is a dip pen with a fixed fountain-pen-style nib, so you can try many inks without filling a pen. Pilot launched it on June 20, 2022 in fine and medium, with a resin holder at ¥770 (about US$4.90) and a wood holder at ¥1,980 (about US$13). Yoseka lists the resin pen at 144 mm. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-iro-utsushi-dip-pen/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-11-01 - Updated: 2026-11-01 ![Pilot iro-utsushi dip pen drawn to scale at 144 mm with a clear resin holder and a steel nib](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/pilot-iro-utsushi-dip-pen-illustration-16x9.png?v=1cb616e1) *The iro-utsushi at Yoseka's 144 mm (drawn at 1 mm = 4.5 px; nib shape by eye).* Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times. Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Pilot iro-utsushi dip pen | Pilot (by Pilot Corporation (Japan)) | Japan | Not stated | Resin holder, steel alloy nib (Yoseka); a wood-holder version also launched in Japan (BCN+R) | 2022-06-20 | $$: $5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Pilot iro-utsushi dip pen): Not stated. BCN+R's report on Pilot's launch and Yoseka's page give no country of manufacture, and Pilot's own pages for this pen weren't readable by us. Source: https://www.bcnretail.com/news/detail/20220608_282796.html - Good for: Calligraphy and lettering. ### Pilot iro-utsushi dip pen colors - Body colors (3 standard, 0 special edition): Clear; Clear Blue; Clear Black. - Per Yoseka Stationery (https://yosekastationery.com/products/pilot-iro-utsushi-dip-pen), checked 2026-11-01. Holder colors as Yoseka lists them for the resin pen; the wood-holder version isn't listed there. We have no color chips, so no swatches are shown. Shops stock different colors; check the listing. ## Key takeaways - Pilot launched the iro-utsushi on June 20, 2022, in fine (F) and medium (M) nib sizes. - Japanese list prices were ¥770 (about US$4.90) for the resin holder and ¥1,980 (about US$13) for the wood holder. - Yoseka lists the resin pen at 144 mm (5.7 in) long and 10.7 mm across, with a non-removable stainless steel nib. - The nib has an engraved line that shows how deep to dip it in ink. - To change ink, rinse the nib in water and wipe it with a cloth, per Pilot's launch notes. ## What is the Pilot iro-utsushi? **It is a dip pen with a nib shaped like a fountain pen's, so it writes smoothly and lets you use any ink.** BCN+R, reporting on Pilot's launch, says the nib has a rounded pen point, unlike the pointed nibs of an ordinary dip pen, so it touches the paper softly and handles small text and illustrations. The name is Japanese for roughly "color transfer". Pilot launched it on June 20, 2022. We read BCN+R's report and Yoseka's page on November 1, 2026, and we couldn't read Pilot's own pages. ## Pilot iro-utsushi specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Pilot Corporation, Japan | | Type | Dip pen; the nib can't be removed or filled (Yoseka) | | Nib | Stainless steel alloy, rounded point; fine (F) or medium (M) | | Holder | Resin, or wood in Japan (BCN+R) | | Length | 144 mm (5.7 in) (Yoseka, resin pen) | | Diameter | 10.7 mm (0.42 in) | | Launch | June 20, 2022 | | Japanese list price | ¥770 (about US$4.90) resin; ¥1,980 (about US$13) wood | | Price band | $$ ($5–20); Yoseka listed the resin pen at US$11 on November 1, 2026 | ## How do you use a dip pen with a fountain nib? **Wet the nib in water, wipe it, dip it in ink up to the engraved line, and write.** Yoseka says to dip the nib in water first and wipe it clean, then dip it in your ink up to the wavy line on the nib. BCN+R adds that Pilot engraved that line on the nib to show where to dip. Before changing colors, rinse the nib in water and wipe it dry. Pilot says that is all it takes to try many inks, which is what the pen is for. ![Pilot iro-utsushi nib dipped into an ink pot up to the engraved line on the nib](https://stationerytimes.com/images/pilot-iro-utsushi-dip-pen-dipping-line.svg?v=f45db766) *Our sketch of the dip depth; the engraved line is Pilot's, the drawing is by eye. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.* ## What sizes and colors does it come in? **Fine and medium, with resin holders in clear, clear blue and clear black at Yoseka.** Yoseka lists clear in F and M, clear blue in M and clear black in F. BCN+R says Pilot launched five holder colors in Japan, three resin and two wood. The nib width isn't published in millimeters in the sources we read. We haven't measured this pen. ## How does it differ from a glass pen? **A glass pen has a grooved tip that holds ink; the iro-utsushi has a steel fountain nib that you dip.** Yoseka positions it for fountain pen users who want more ink colors, or for people who want a finer tip than glass pens usually give. Our [best dip pens for beginners](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-dip-pens-for-beginners/) roundup compares glass and steel options, and our [Sailor Hocoro](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sailor-hocoro-dip-pen/) guide covers another Japanese dip pen. For a plastic-bodied glass dip pen sold in five tip colors, see the [Fonte Glass Pen](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/fonte-glass-pen/). ## Who is the iro-utsushi for? **Fountain pen users who want to sample many inks without cleaning a pen each time.** Yoseka lists F and M nibs and a rounded fountain-pen-style point. - **Calligraphy and lettering:** fine and medium nib sizes with a smooth rounded point, for small letters and notes. Skip it if you want to write a full page between dips: you need to redip often. ## Where is it made, and what does it cost? **Pilot doesn't say in the pages we read.** BCN+R and Yoseka name no country, so we list it as not stated. Pilot's Japanese list prices were ¥770 (about US$4.90) for the resin pen and ¥1,980 (about US$13) for the wood one at launch. Yoseka listed the resin pen at US$11 on November 1, 2026, in our $$ band. We haven't checked whether Pilot's Japanese prices changed since 2022. ## Frequently asked questions ### How is the iro-utsushi different from an ordinary dip pen? Pilot says it has a fountain-pen-style nib with a rounded point instead of the pointed nib of a classic dip pen, so it feels softer and writes fine text smoothly. ### Can it be filled with ink like a fountain pen? No. Yoseka says it is a dip pen only and can't be filled; you dip the nib each time. ### Does the nib rust? Yoseka says the tip won't rust and needs minimal prep before you write. ### Can you change the nib? No: Yoseka says the nib is not removable. ### Which nib sizes does it come in? Fine (F) and medium (M). Yoseka lists clear in both, clear blue in medium and clear black in fine. ### How do you switch to another ink? Pilot says to rinse the nib in water and wipe it with a cloth. Yoseka says to clean it in water and dry it before changing colors. ### Is there a wood version? Pilot launched a wood-holder version in Japan at ¥1,980 (about US$13). Yoseka's listing shows only the resin pen. ## Sources - [BCN+R: Pilot iro-utsushi dip pen announcement, June 8, 2022 (launch June 20, 2022; fountain-style nib; F and M; resin ¥770, wood ¥1,980; five colors; engraved dip line; read November 1, 2026)](https://www.bcnretail.com/news/detail/20220608_282796.html) - [Yoseka Stationery: Pilot iro-utsushi Dip Pen (F and M, resin holder, steel alloy nib, 14.4 cm, 1.07 cm, non-removable nib, how to use; listed July 21, 2022; read November 1, 2026)](https://yosekastationery.com/products/pilot-iro-utsushi-dip-pen)