Historic American penmaker Sheaffer went looking for inspiration in Japan, skipped the cherry blossom cliches, zeroing in instead on the meditative rituals of the tea ceremony. But it seems we've gone full circle. They're also launching this matcha-inspired fountain pen and ballpoint exclusively in the Japanese domestic market.
Distributed in Japan via Osaka-based Diamond Co., Ltd., the Sheaffer MATCHA Collection made its official debut on October 23, 2026. Built on Sheaffer’s modern, teardrop-profile "VFM" platform, the capsule pairs matte stone-ground tea hues with custom Japanese tea iconography across both a cartridge/converter fountain pen and a matching click ballpoint pen.
In terms of matcha itself, the premise is pretty straightforward in the west: you whisk a bowl of frothy matcha and have a warm strong earthy tea to drink or to add to your beverage. But traditionally in Japan, it’s an ritual designed to slow your heart rate, quiet outside noise, and focus your thoughts inward. Sheaffer is pitching the exact same mental discipline for handwriting.
Matte Earthen Greens and Matcha Design
The VFM silhouette, short for "Vibrant, Fun, Modern," has long been Sheaffer’s sleek, tapered everyday carry shape. For the MATCHA edition, the pen’s lacquered brass body swaps the high-gloss corporate finishes for a velvety, muted moss-and-olive tea palette that echoes the surface of freshly prepared tea foam.
Turned Brass Construction: Underneath the lacquer coats, both their fountain pen and ballpoint pen feature solid brass barrels, lending the fountain pen (18 g) and ballpoint (24 g) substantial balance in hand without feeling bulky or front-heavy.
Tea Whisk & Bowl Engravings: Setting the release apart from standard VFM catalog colors, each pen body is stamped with minimalist line icons depicting a traditional bamboo whisk and tea bown known as a chasen (茶筅) and chawan (茶碗) respectively in Japanese.
The Historic White Dot: Of course, it wouldn't be a Scheaffee without the white dot. Sheaffer’s signature White Dot emblem, first introduced in 1924 as a symbol of lifetime mechanical reliability, sits prominently atop the rounded spring pocket clip.
Nib Tuning and Everyday Specs
Rather than locking users into proprietary hurdles, Sheaffer keeps the writing mechanics clean, dependable, and accessible:
The Fountain Pen: Sheaffer's is fitted with an extra-smooth, stiff stainless steel Fine (F) nib calibrated for small Japanese journal grids and a Medium (M) which is perfect for daily planner margins. Unlike many entry pens that make you pay extra for ink filling mechanisms, the MATCHA fountain pen ships with its dedicated screw-in/push-in piston converter included in the box, alongside international standard cartridge compatibility.
The Ballpoint Pen: is a clean, tactile top-knock ballpoint loaded with a smooth hybrid oil ink refill, designed for rapid-fire meeting notes, desk work, and reliable start-up on carbon forms and standard copy paper. The pen uses a Parker Type G2 refill, so you can change out the ink/tip of the pen with popular choices like the .
Commemorative Matcha Presentation: Each instrument is presented in a custom deep forest-green collector sleeve box featuring minimalist white tea iconography, making it an easy gift for tea aficionados and analog journalers alike.
Product Specifications & Japanese Retail Availability
Product Name: Sheaffer MATCHA Collection VFM (シェーファー MATCHA 抹茶 VFM)
Brand / Origin: Sheaffer (Founded in Fort Madison, Iowa, USA, 1913)
Japanese Importer / Distributor: Diamond Co., Ltd. (Osaka, Japan)
Release Date: October 23, 2026
Body Material: Lacquered turned brass with custom matcha motif iconography
Lineup & Domestic Pricing:
Sheaffer MATCHA VFM Fountain Pen:
Price: ¥8,800 (tax included)
Nib: Stainless Steel Fine (F/M)
Dimensions & Weight: 11 mm diameter × 136 mm capped; Weight: 18 g
Filling: Cartridge / Converter dual-use (International standard)
Sheaffer MATCHA VFM Ballpoint Pen:
Price: ¥7,700 (tax included)
Mechanism: Retractable push-knock mechanism
Dimensions & Weight: 11 mm diameter × 137 mm; Weight: 24 g
Packaging: Limited-edition green matcha-themed gift box
Where to Buy: In Japan: Major Japanese department store stationery counters, Loft, Hands, specialized fountain pen boutiques, and authorized Diamond Co. online retailers. In the U.S. we have them here too:
