NAMIKI
Paying homage to spiral galaxies, Namiki translates the Milky Way onto the fountain pen using the Fuse-zai-shiki in Togidashi (burnished) Maki-e technique. The Milky Way, home to planet Earth, had its name “milky” derived from its appearance as seen from Earth as a band due to its disk-shaped structure with a bulging center and surrounding spiral arms. In Japan, Tanabata, also known as the Star Festival, is a popular festival that celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi. According to a Chinese legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers and they are only allowed to meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar as seven was regarded to be a lucky number. People celebrate this day by writing their wishes on small strips of paper, called tanzaku, and hang it on bamboo trees, along with other decorations – all while praying for their wishes to come true. Originating from China, the festival found its way to Japan during the feudal period and combined it with traditional local customs, making Tanabata a festival widely-celebrated across Japan.