Sailor is bringing back to life yet another work by Utagawa Kuniyoshi – one of the last great masters of the Edo-period Ukiyo-e style – through a very limited 30-piece edition produced exclusively for the overseas market.
Debuting in 2025, the series is already on its second edition; the first featured Tominomori Sukeemon-Masakata, one of the legendary 47 Ako-Roshi samurai immortalized in the famous Ukiyo-e prints. This time, the spotlight falls on another figure portrayed by the Japanese artist in his woodblock works: Horibe Yahei Kanemaru, an elderly and courageous samurai honored for his unwavering loyalty.
The Man Behind the Legend
Also known as the revenge of the Forty-seven Rōnin, the Ako Incident of 1703 is one of the most celebrated, and most debated, events in Japanese history. It teaches us that honor, loyalty, and courage are virtues that know no limits – even if they are sometimes paid for with the ultimate price: life.
When the feudal lord Asano Naganori was forced to commit ritual suicide after an altercation with a court official, his samurai retainers were dissolved, becoming ronin: masterless men, stripped of purpose and honour. For most, that would have been the end. For forty-seven of them, it was only the beginning.
Over the course of nearly two years, these men – the Ako Ronin – concealed their intentions, endured public disgrace, and waited. Then, on a winter night in January 1703, they stormed the compound of Kira Yoshinaka, the man they held responsible for their lord’s death, and avenged him. The raid is known as Chushingura, or The Treasury of Loyal Retainers, and it became the defining story of bushido: loyalty above self, honour above life.
Among those forty-seven samurai, Horibe Yahei Kanemaru stands apart. He was the eldest of the group – seventy-seven years old on the night of the raid. While younger men might have been excused, or even expected to stand aside, Horibe Yahei refused. He took up his weapons, joined his brothers, and fought. His presence that night showed that loyalty is not a virtue many simply claim, even in the absence of any action, but a deliberate act carried out with courage regardless of the cost.
Inspired by his bravery and commitment, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, the renowned ukiyo-e master, immortalised Horibe in his celebrated woodblock print series. Kuniyoshi portrays Horibe Yahei as a warrior who carries both the weight of age and the fire of conviction.
The Edition
Editions like this one invite a contemplative state of mind. Every time I pause to admire the incredibly fine details the artist manages to render across the pen’s modest surface, I’m reminded that patience and precision are themselves two art forms we so easily take for granted.
Starting from an ebonite base – a material with a storied history, valued among enthusiasts for its characteristics, especially the warm, tactile feel – the edition is slowly transformed through the lacquering and decorative stages of the Maki-e tradition, becoming something genuinely worthy of being considered a bona fide objet d’art.
Since we’re talking about Japanese craftsmanship, it’s worth noting that every piece is made by hand, and the fact that no two will ever look exactly alike isn’t something to worry about – quite the opposite. Each piece comes fitted with Sailor’s renowned 21k King of Pen nib, made in-house at the Hiroshima factory, which has earned a devoted following among pen lovers and been nominated four years in a row for the Pen World Readers’ Choice Award for Best Writing Experience.
With only 30 pieces available worldwide, I expect the competition among collectors to be fierce, especially considering that the price point of around €3,800 is quite fair for a piece of this caliber. The edition is presented in a special Paulownia wood box and will be available through authorized retailers in Europe.
Specifications:
Model: King of Pen Maki-e Ukiyo-e ‘Horibe Yahei Kanemaru’
Item Codes: 10-9891-442 (M) / 10-9891-642 (B)
Material: Ebonite
Nib: 21K Gold with Bicolor Plating — Medium (M) or Broad (B)
Dimensions: φ20mm × 153.5mm
Edition Size: 30 pieces (overseas allocation)
Presentation: Paulownia wood box
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