uni 9800 Pencil: Mitsubishi's Green Office Pencil
The uni 9800 is Mitsubishi Pencil's everyday office pencil, a green-lacquered hexagonal cedar pencil without an eraser that has been on sale since September 1946. It comes in six grades from 2H to 2B, is about 176 mm long, and lists at ¥660 (about US$4.20) a dozen in Japan.
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Product facts
- Product
- uni 9800 office pencil, HB (K9800HB), dozen
- Brand
- uni
- Brand origin
- Japan
- Made in
- Japan*
- Material
- Cedar wood, green lacquer with gold lettering, graphite core (Bungu)
- Released
- September 1946*
- Price range
- $under $5 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count)
- Rate it
Notes on these facts
- Made by Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: Bungu, a Japanese stationery retailer, lists the 9800 as made in Japan. Mitsubishi Pencil's product page doesn't state the country of manufacture. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Mitsubishi Pencil's price-history page marks the #9800 at September 1946 (Showa 21); its 2014 release says the 9800 was launched in 1946.
- 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
- Mitsubishi Pencil dates the 9800 to September 1946 and says it is still a standard office pencil.
- It comes in six grades: 2H, H, F, HB, B and 2B (order codes K98002H to K98002B).
- Mitsubishi lists it at ¥660 (about US$4.20) a dozen including tax, about ¥55 (about US$0.30) a pencil.
- Bungu lists it at about 176 mm (6.9 in) long with a cedar body; The Journal Shop gives 17.5 cm.
- The HB dozen had 1,001 Amazon US ratings on October 22, 2026; per pencil it sits in our $ band, under $5.
What is the uni 9800?
It is Mitsubishi Pencil’s standard office pencil: a green hexagonal wood pencil with gold lettering and no eraser. Mitsubishi files it under 事務用鉛筆, office pencils, and calls it one of its signature products, loved for a long time since launch.
That launch was in September 1946, according to the company’s own price-history page, which makes the 9800 older than the uni (1958) and the Hi-Uni (1966). Mitsubishi’s 2014 release calls it a long-seller still used as the standard office pencil.
uni 9800 specs
| Spec | uni 9800 |
|---|---|
| Grades | 2H, H, F, HB, B, 2B |
| Length | About 176 mm (6.9 in) (Bungu); 17.5 cm (The Journal Shop) |
| Shape | Hexagonal (The Journal Shop) |
| Body | Cedar, green lacquer, gold lettering (Bungu) |
| Eraser | None |
| Sold as | Dozen per grade |
| Japanese list price | ¥660 (about US$4.20) a dozen, tax included |
| HB order code / JAN | K9800HB / 4902778002629 |
Mitsubishi doesn’t publish the length or diameter, so the size comes from retailers. Its price-history page gives ¥50 (about US$0.30) a pencil for 2022, which matches ¥660 (about US$4.20) a dozen with tax.
Which grade should you choose?
HB for everyday writing, B or 2B for a darker, softer line, and H or 2H for fine, light lines that don’t smudge. F sits between HB and H.
Our pencil grades explained guide shows how the letters map to US numbers: HB is roughly a US #2.
Why do people like the 9800?
It is an inexpensive, no-frills Japanese pencil with a classic look. Retailers describe smooth graphite and a retro green finish with gold lettering, and Bungu adds that the cedar body is light and well balanced.
The box design is a draw too: Mitsubishi’s 2014 long-seller release brought back the 9800’s unchanged package design in a limited 3-pencil set. The 9800 box carries the old “Matured Micro Graphite Lead” line, visible in Amazon’s product photo.
How does the 9800 compare with other wood pencils?
It’s the plain Japanese office pencil; the others add an eraser, more grades or a premium finish.
| uni 9800 | Ticonderoga #2 | Staedtler Noris | Tombow 8900 | uni Hi-Uni | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eraser | No | Yes | Yes (with-eraser model) | No | No |
| Grades | 6, 2H–2B | See guide | 5, 2H–2B | 6, 2H–2B | 22, 10B–10H |
| Color | Green | Yellow | Yellow and black stripes | Olive green | Maroon |
Figures for the other pencils come from their guides. If you want an eraser on top, Mitsubishi’s own 9852 is the eraser-tipped office pencil.
uni 9800 or Tombow 8900?
They are near twins: green, eraserless, six grades from 2H to 2B, and the same ¥660 (about US$4.20) list price for a dozen in Japan. Both date from just after the war, the Tombow 8900 from November 1945 and the 9800 from September 1946.
The differences are small. Tombow’s guide notes US retailers list the 8900 as made in Vietnam, while Bungu lists the 9800 as made in Japan, and the 9800 is a deeper green with gold lettering where the 8900 is olive. Pick by color, or by whichever your shop stocks; we’ll compare darkness and point retention in our test.
Is the 9800 a good everyday pencil outside Japan?
Yes, if you like plain, eraserless pencils and buy by the dozen. Amazon US sells dozens by grade from importers, so you can stock HB for writing and a 2B for sketching.
Because it has no eraser, pair it with a block eraser such as a Mono or a Staedtler Mars Plastic. And because it is sold by the dozen, it is a cheap way to try a Japanese pencil before spending more on a Hi-Uni.
Where is the uni 9800 made?
In Japan, according to Japanese retailer Bungu. Mitsubishi Pencil, based in Tokyo, doesn’t state the country of manufacture on its product page; for the company’s story, see our Mitsubishi Pencil history.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Mitsubishi 9800 the same as the uni 9800?
Yes. Mitsubishi Pencil makes it and sells it under its uni brand; importers often list it as the Mitsubishi 9800 or uni Mitsubishi 9800.
Does the uni 9800 have an eraser?
No. The eraser-tipped versions are separate models, the 9850 and 9852, in the same office pencil range.
Is the 9800 good for drawing?
Its six grades, 2H to 2B, cover writing and light sketching. For a wider range, Mitsubishi's Hi-Uni goes from 10B to 10H.
Is there a recycled 9800?
Yes. Mitsubishi Pencil sells the 9800EW, a recycled-material version, at the same ¥660 (about US$4.20) list price.
How do I buy a 9800 in the US?
Through importers: Amazon US sells dozens by grade, such as K9800HB, and Japanese stationery shops ship it abroad.
Is the uni 9800 made in Japan?
Yes, according to Japanese retailer Bungu. Mitsubishi Pencil doesn't state it on its product page.
Sources
- Mitsubishi Pencil (Japanese): 事務用鉛筆 9800 (grades 2H–2B, ¥660, order codes K9800, JAN codes; read October 22, 2026)
- Mitsubishi Pencil (Japanese): 鉛筆の値段はどう変わったか (price history; #9800 at September 1946; ¥50 a pencil in 2022)
- Mitsubishi Pencil press release (Japanese): 『ロングセラー鉛筆』 (9800 launched in 1946, normally sold by the dozen), January 24, 2014
- Mitsubishi Pencil (Japanese): 事務用鉛筆 lineup (9000, 9800, 9850, 9852)
- Mitsubishi Pencil (Japanese): リサイクル鉛筆 9800EW
- Bungu: 9800 Pencil Wooden 1 Dozen Pack (cedarwood, green lacquer, about 176 mm, Japan)
- The Journal Shop: Uni Mitsubishi 9800 Pencil (17.5 cm, hexagonal)
- Amazon US: Mitsubishi Pencil 9800 pencil dozen, HB, K9800HB (1,001 ratings on October 22, 2026)