When I saw that #50 big nibs were available, I immediately grabbed it and made a big pen for a new collection, Yokozuna (Sumo Champion). I made this big pen in order that we can have broader space for Maki-e, and the Maki-e actually came out as I expected, as if there were two little Natsume (tea container for Tea Ceremony) made together. The space for Maki-e on Yokozuna has 33% more space than that of Genkai.

YOK-1 Urashima Taro by Rakkan (Minoru Oohata)

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I learnt this Japanese popular fable, I believe, when I was at Kindergarten. The story tells about a good natured Urashima Taro, a fisherman, who saw some kids bully a turtle and he persuaded the kids to let it go free. One day the fisherman met the rescued turtle again, the turtle wanted to take him some place to repay to his favor. The turtle took him to a Dragon Palace (Ryugoojo) under the sea and receive by a prince. The prince welcomed him and told him that he could stay at the palace as long as he liked. He was so happy to stay there and completely forgot how long he was there before he began to recall his home and his old mother. One day he finally told the price that he had to go home to see his mother. The prince gave him a very mysterious box, called Tamatebako, and explained to him “The box can make you happy as long as you hold the box closed, but never try to open it. But you can open it only when you have a trouble.”

When Urashima Taro came back the place where his home was supposed to be there, but everything changed and he could not recognize. None of the people he saw he knew and nobody knew him either. He thought he had a trouble and recalled what the prince told him about the box and opened it. Then, the mysterious smoke came out of the box and Urashima Taro suddenly became hundred year old man. The fact was that he actually lived in the Dragon Palace for many hundred years and his mother and all other people were long gond and the village was entirely changed. The story is ended simply like this, but it is very popular among children. When I was a kid and heard the end of the story I felt so sorry about Urashima Taro and regretfully wonder why he wanted to open the box. There is a Japanese saying “Akete Kuyashii Tamatebako” means how vexing to open the Tamatebako or just “the apple of Sodom”.

YOK-2 Sarasa by Mayumi (Mayumi Kumano)

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YOK-3 Juronin by Kosetsu (Tatsuya Todo)

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The original painting was made by Soga Shohaku (1730-1781), a picture of happiness. Juronin himself is the god of longevity, trying to lift the turtle from the water. A white deer sit beside him and a crane was flying in the sky. Then, a pine tree at bank, bamboo and apricot are also shown there. The theme is just a matter of happiness with Shochikubai (pine-bamboo-apricot) symbols of best 1-2-3, and the crane for 1,000 years, turtle for 10,000 years with white deer, all loved to display on New Year by Japanese, the most important holidays of the year. I asked Kosetsu san to draw this masterpiece on our Yokozuna pen, and I’m very glad I gave him the right theme.

YOK-4 Goyu by Masanori (Masanori Omote)

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Goyu was 36th station of Tokaido 53 Stations, actually 56 along the old highway running from Edo (Tokyo to Kyoto, around 350 miles during the Edo period. Every station was known with the street of inns and the painting was done humorously with waitress from different inns fighting for customers there. Our artist Masanori Omote faithfully painted with his top skills as he already did so many Tokaido for us in the past.

YOK-5 Kiritake ni Hooh by Masanori

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YOK-6 God Animals by Yuji (Yuji Ookado)

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YOK-7 Dragon vs. Tiger by Katsuhiro (Katsuhiro Nishi)

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YOK-8 A Beauty Dancing in Snow by Mayumi

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YOK-9 Yusokumon (ancient pattern) by Kosetsu

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YOK-10 Rikyu by Masanori

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YOK-11 Spring of Four Seasons by Katsuhiro

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YOK-12 Sumiyoshi by Masanori

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YOK-13 Hienso (Larkspur) by Masanori

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