Pilot Kakuno: The Smiley-Nib Beginner Fountain Pen
The Pilot Kakuno is a lightweight resin fountain pen that Pilot launched in Japan in October 2013 for children and first-time users. It has a hexagonal body, a triangular grip, a snap-on cap and a steel nib with a smiling face, in EF, F or M. It takes Pilot cartridges or a CON-40 or CON-70 converter.
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Product facts
- Product
- Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pen
- Brand
- Pilot
- Brand origin
- Japan
- Made in
- Japan*
- Material
- Resin body and cap (recycled PC; recycled AS section, per Pilot Japan), steel nib
- Released
- October 2013
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Notes on these facts
- Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan). Made in Japan: Unsharpen gives Japan as the country of origin, and Mynavi News calls the Kakuno a domestic (kokusan) fountain pen. Pilot's Japanese catalog page for FKA-1SR (read in full on October 20, 2026) doesn't state a country. LarryPost, cited earlier, no longer loads. Source. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Pilot's Japanese catalog lists the Kakuno at 131 mm (5.2 in) long, 16 mm at the widest and 11 g; Goulet Pens measures 130.9 mm capped and 159.7 mm (6.3 in) posted.
- Mynavi News reports the Kakuno launched in October 2013 and passed 1 million pens sold within 3 months.
- Its brief was a fountain pen you could buy for ¥1,000 (about US$6.30); Pilot Japan still lists it at ¥1,100 (about US$7.00) including tax.
- The steel nib comes in EF, F and M, with a smiling face that faces up when the pen is held correctly.
- Unsharpen lists Japan as the country of origin, and Mynavi News calls it a domestic (kokusan) fountain pen.
What is the Pilot Kakuno?
The Pilot Kakuno is a light resin fountain pen with a steel nib, designed by Pilot for children and people trying a fountain pen for the first time. Pilot’s Japanese catalog calls it a simple, easy-to-use fountain pen meant to make a first fountain pen one you grow attached to, for children and adults alike.
Mynavi News reports that Pilot launched it in Japan in October 2013 and that it passed 1 million pens sold within three months, the first million-seller fountain pen in more than 40 years. Pilot’s Japanese catalog says it has won a Good Design Award and a Kids Design Award.
It’s the lightest of the four starter fountain pens we cover, with the LAMY safari, the Pilot Metropolitan and the TWSBI ECO. Our best fountain pens for beginners roundup picks it as the best pen for kids.
Pilot Kakuno specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | Pilot Corporation, Japan |
| Type | Cartridge/converter fountain pen with cap |
| Model | FKA-1SR (e.g. FKA-1SR-GYF, gray, F nib; JAN 4902505470608) |
| Body | Resin, hexagonal; Pilot lists recycled PC barrel and cap |
| Cap | Snap-on, postable |
| Nib | Steel with smiling face: EF, F, M |
| Ink | Pilot cartridge or converter |
| Converter | CON-40 or CON-70N, sold separately (per Pilot Japan) |
| Length | 131 mm (5.2 in), per Pilot; Goulet: 130.9 mm capped |
| Length uncapped | 127.4 mm (5.0 in), per Goulet |
| Length posted | 159.7 mm (6.3 in), per Goulet |
| Max diameter | 16 mm, per Pilot |
| Weight | 11 g, per Pilot; 11.0 g (7 g body, 4 g cap), per Goulet |
| Japan list price | ¥1,100 (about US$7.00) including tax |
| Made in | Japan (per Unsharpen) |
Lengths and weight are Goulet Pens’ measurements. Unsharpen’s figures agree: 13.1 cm capped, 15.9 cm posted and 11.0 g. Unsharpen notes the cap snaps on.
What makes the Kakuno good for beginners and kids?
Pilot designed it so a beginner can hold it correctly without being told: the smiley nib shows which way is up, and the grip guides the fingers.
- Smiley-face nib: Mynavi News says the smile doubles as a guide to the nib’s correct orientation, and Yoseka Stationery says it faces you when the pen is held correctly. Family Series pens carry different faces, per Yoseka.
- Triangular grip: Mynavi News says it was shaped to fit three fingers so the pen is easy to hold.
- Hexagonal body and cap: keeps the pen from rolling off a desk.
- Cap details: Mynavi News reports an air hole in the cap in case a child swallows it, and an indentation that makes the cap easier to pull off.
Pilot’s Japanese catalog pitches it to everyone “from children to adults”, not only children.
What cartridges and converters does the Kakuno use?
The Kakuno takes Pilot cartridges or a Pilot CON-40 or CON-70 converter, the same system as the Metropolitan. Pilot’s Japanese catalog lists the CON-40 and CON-70N as its converters, sold separately, and Goulet Pens offers the CON-40 as an add-on. Goulet lists a maximum ink capacity of 1.10 ml by cartridge and 1.30 ml by converter.
Unsharpen lists the CON-40 at 0.4 ml. Pilot doesn’t publish the Kakuno’s ink capacity in the sources we found.
With a converter you can use Pilot’s own bottled inks, such as Iroshizuku Kon-peki, a deep cerulean blue sold in 50 ml bottles.
How does the Kakuno compare to other starter fountain pens?
The Kakuno is the shortest and lightest of the four, and shares refills with the Metropolitan.
| Pilot Kakuno | LAMY safari | Pilot Metropolitan | TWSBI ECO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body | Resin, hexagonal | ASA plastic | Brass | Plastic, clear options |
| Filling | Pilot cartridge or converter | T10 cartridge or Z28 converter | Pilot cartridge or converter | Piston, bottled ink only |
| Steel nibs | EF, F, M | EF, F, M, B, LH, italics | F, M, 1.0 stub | EF, F, M, B, 1.1 stub |
| Capped | 130.9 mm | 139.5 mm | 138 mm | 138.8 mm |
| Weight | 11.0 g | 17.0 g | 26.0 g | 21.0 g |
| Made in | Japan | Germany | Japan | Taiwan |
| Price band | $$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ |
Figures come from each pen’s guide. For an even cheaper start, the Platinum Preppy is a clear plastic cartridge pen with a sealed cap that Platinum says stops the ink drying out for a year.
Who is the Pilot Kakuno for?
It suits children learning to write, and adults who want a light, inexpensive way to try a fountain pen. For the very cheapest start, see the Platinum Preppy. If you want a heavier pen with a metal body, the Metropolitan uses the same cartridges.
Where is the Pilot Kakuno made?
Unsharpen lists Japan as the country of origin, and Mynavi News calls the Kakuno a domestic (kokusan) fountain pen. Pilot’s Japanese catalog page doesn’t state the country.
How much does a Pilot Kakuno cost?
In the US it’s in our $$ price band, $5–20 per pen, below the LAMY safari, Pilot Metropolitan and TWSBI ECO. In Japan, Pilot’s catalog lists it at ¥1,100 (about US$7.00) including tax, or ¥1,000 (about US$6.30) before tax, the target Pilot set when developing it.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the Pilot Kakuno nib have a smiley face?
The face shows you're holding the pen the right way up. Mynavi News, interviewing Pilot's planners, says the smile also guides the nib's correct orientation, and Yoseka Stationery says it faces you when the pen is held correctly, which matters because a fountain pen nib only writes well one way up.
Is the Pilot Kakuno good for kids?
Pilot designed it for children and beginners. It has a hexagonal body that doesn't roll, a triangular grip to guide the fingers, and, per Mynavi News, an air hole in the cap in case a child swallows it.
What nib sizes does the Pilot Kakuno come in?
Goulet Pens sells it with Extra Fine, Fine and Medium steel nibs. Like other Pilot nibs, they run finer than Western sizes of the same name.
What converter fits the Pilot Kakuno?
Pilot's Japanese catalog lists the CON-40 and CON-70N converters for it, sold separately. It also takes Pilot's proprietary cartridges.
How long is the Pilot Kakuno?
Pilot's Japanese catalog lists 131 mm (5.2 in) and 11 g. Goulet Pens measures it at 130.9 mm capped, 127.4 mm uncapped and 159.7 mm (6.3 in) with the cap posted, weighing 11.0 g.
Where is the Pilot Kakuno made?
In Japan, according to Unsharpen's spec sheet, and Mynavi News calls it a domestic (kokusan) pen. Pilot's catalog page doesn't state the country.
How much did the Pilot Kakuno cost in Japan?
Pilot's development brief was a fountain pen for ¥1,000 (about US$6.30), according to Mynavi News. Pilot's Japanese catalog lists it at ¥1,100 (about US$7.00) including tax.
Sources
- パイロット ウェブカタログ「カクノ」FKA-1SR (Pilot Japan catalog: 131 mm, 16 mm, 11 g, CON-40/CON-70N, ¥1,100, Good Design and Kids Design awards, JAN)
- Goulet Pens: Pilot Kakuno fountain pen, Clear (measurements, nibs, converters)
- Unsharpen: Pilot Kakuno (lengths, weight, snap cap, country of origin)
- マイナビニュース: カクノのデザイン (Mynavi News: October 2013 launch, 1 million in 3 months, ¥1,000 brief, cap air holes, smiley nib)
- 日刊ゲンダイ「1000円とは思えない 万年筆「カクノ」は文房具界の革命児」(Nikkan Gendai, March 4, 2017: ¥1,000 before tax)
- Blesket: Pilot Kakuno, a pen that makes you smile
- Yoseka Stationery: Pilot Kakuno Family Series, Mama Red (smile faces you when held correctly; different faces)