Kingdom Note is a store in Tokyo which specializes in the buying and selling of writing utensils, as well as repair services. This collection is inspired by seven female characters from The Tale of Genji. Post last updated on November 11th, 2018.
SAILOR セーラー 万年筆 キングダムノート別注 源氏物語シリーズ 第一弾 玉鬘(たまかずら)
Tamakazura “Jeweled Chaplet”
Inks: 山吹の細長、瑠璃君
Price: ￥42,120 including tax
Release date: April 2017
Material: Resin
Nib: 21k gold
Size: 150mm × 16mm (not including the clip)
Weight: 21g
Character Description: Tamakazura – A daughter of Tō No Chūjō and a lady called Yugao, who was later a concubine of Genji. Tamakazura is adopted by Genji. She wants to meet her real father, who doesn’t know she is still alive. Genji forms a salon for her admirers. He takes pleasure in watching young men compete for Tamakazura’s favor. Her brothers, sons of Tō No Chūjō, are involved, not knowing that she is their sister. Genji himself flirts with her, just to see her reaction. Later, she and Tō No Chūjō meet again by the courtesy of Genji. Genji plans to marry her well, but she is raped by a middle-aged courtier and becomes his wife instead. (Wikpedia)
キングダムノート×セーラー 別注万年筆＆ボトルインク 「源氏物語シリーズ」 第2弾 花散里
Hanachirusato “The Village of Falling Flowers”
Inks: 浅縹の織物、橘
Price: ￥42,120 including tax
Release date: April 2017
Material: Resin
Nib: 21k gold
Size: 150mm × 16mm (not including the clip)
Weight: 21g
Character Description: a young lady, sister of the concubine of Emperor Suzaku. One of Genji’s loves. Not so beautiful, but warm-hearted lady. (Wikipedia)
キングダムノート×セーラー 別注万年筆＆ボトルインク 「源氏物語シリーズ」 第3弾 空蝉
Utsusemi “Cicada Shell”
Inks: 青鈍の織物、帚木
Price: ￥42,120 including tax
Release date: August 2017
Material: Resin
Nib: 21k gold
Size: 150mm × 16mm (not including the clip)
Weight: 21g
Character Description: Utsusemi (空蝉/Cicada Shell/ Lady of the Locust Shell) – She is the wife of the Iyo Deputy and stepmother of the Governor of Kii. She attracts Genji’s attention, but resists his courtship despite his repeated attempts to win her over. Although she will not become a central character in the tale, Utsusemi is memorable as the first woman Genji courts in the tale and whose courtship the readers actually witness and also, arguably, as the first to resist him (chapters 2,3,4; reenters the tale in chapter 16; is mentioned again in chapter 23). (Wikpedia)
キングダムノート×セーラー 別注万年筆＆ボトルインク 「源氏物語シリーズ」 第4弾 末摘花
Suetsumuhana “Safflower”
Limited to 35
Inks: 柳の織物、紅花
Price: ￥42,120 including tax
Release date: October 2017
Material: Resin
Nib: 21k gold
Size: 150mm × 16mm (not including the clip)
Weight: 21g
Character Description: Suetsumuhana (末摘花) is the archaic Japanese word for the safflower. It is known now as Benibana (紅花). It is also the name of a female character in Murasaki Shikibu’s epic novel The Tale of Genji. The sixth chapter of it is named after her. She is also known as the Safflower Princess. In some English translations she appears as Princess Hitachi. Prince Genji was briefly attracted to her, until she lowered her fan to reveal her nose. However, he eventually felt sorry for her and helped support her. (Wikpedia)
キングダムノート×セーラー 別注万年筆・ボトルインク 「源氏物語シリーズ」 第5弾 明石の御方
Akashi no Onkata
Limited to 35
Inks: 冬の御型、濃き織物
Price: ￥42,120 including tax
Release date: December 2017
Material: Resin
Nib: 21k gold
Size: 150mm × 16mm (not including the clip)
Weight: 21g
Character Description: Akashi-no-okata – daughter of Priest Akashi. A beautiful, elegant, young lady. Genji and his followers met with disaster by typhoon at Suma. They moved to Akashi according to invitation by Priest Akashi. Genji, then, made love with her and begot a girl baby (later, Akashi-no-nyougo). (Wikpedia)
セーラー×キングダムノート別注万年筆 源氏物語シリーズ 第六弾 明石の姫君
Akashi no kimi
Limited to 35
Inks: 鶯、桜の細長
Price: ￥42,120 including tax
Release date: February 2018
Material: Resin
Nib: 21k gold
Size: 150mm × 16mm (not including the clip)
Weight: 21g
Character Description: Lady Akashi – Born as a middle-ranked noble, a love affair with Genji was not her own plan, but her father was insistent in getting them involved in a relationship. She gives a birth to a girl, the only daughter of Genji. She brings up her daughter (called Little Lady Akashi, later Empress Akashi) until the age of four, when Genji decides that Lady Murasaki should adopt the little girl. Lady Akashi is saddened, but gradually accepts the situation. Later, she meets her daughter again, now a court lady of the crown prince, and receives many honors as the birth mother of little Lady Akashi. She then receives a letter from her father about his fortune-telling dream. He writes the dream gave him a prediction that his granddaughter by Lady Akashi would become the empress, and he turned all his efforts to realize that prediction. (Wikpedia)
Note: Couldn’t find more pictures… I tried!
セーラー×キングダムノート別注万年筆 源氏物語シリーズ 第七弾 紫の上
Murasaki no Ue
Limited to 35
Inks: 若紫、葡萄の小袿
Price: ￥42,120 including tax
Release date: April 2018
Material: Resin
Nib: 21k gold
Size: 150mm × 16mm (not including the clip)
Weight: 21g
Character Description: Lady Murasaki (Murasaki no Ue) – She is the daughter of Prince Hyōbu by a minor consort and related to Fujitsubo on her father’s side (Hyōbu is Fujitsubo’s brother, hence Murasaki is Fujitsubo’s niece). She makes her debut into the tale as a substitute for her unattainable aunt, but she gradually outshines Fujitsubo in Genji’s and the readers’ eyes, turning into “a substitute for all seasons.”[2]:160 In fact, her very name, “Murasaki” translated as “Lavender,” plays on the similarity of two colors (the color “murasaki” is purple of a darker hue than “fuji”, wisteria, of Fujitsubo’s name). Discovered by Genji in the Northern Hills when she is only ten, she is taken into his Nijō residence after the death of her grandmother (the episode of her kidnapping has definite violent undertones) where she is molded into Genji’s ideal woman, not unlike the myth of Galatea, with whom she is often compared.[8] She remains Genji’s most important lover throughout the tale, but, because of her imperfect social status (she is of royal blood on her father’s side, but her mother was a commoner), she can never be acknowledged as Genji’s main wife (kita no kata). For that reason, her position is perpetually insecure, especially when Genji’s attention shifts to other women including Akashi, Asagao, but most importantly, the Third Princess. Childless her entire life, Murasaki can only adopt Genji’s daughter by the Akashi Lady and raise her to become an empress. Towards the end of her life, she repeatedly expresses her desire to become a nun, but meets Genji’s resolute opposition. She becomes the victim of spirit possession in chapter 35 (the aggressor is once more identified as Rokujō, though this interpretation has been debated [5]) and dies in chapter 40 without having realized her wish. Murasaki as a character of the Genji has triggered much debate among scholars. Some see her as an utterly miserable character,[8] while others claim that her relationship with Genji is the best things that could have happened to a woman of Murasaki’s status. The beauty of this character resides precisely in its complexity. (Wikpedia)
LEPENS 