Tomoe River S Paper is the best fountain pen paper. It’s the go-to choice for fountain pen users thanks to its ability to bring out the best of every fountain pen ink. The paper is silky smooth, lightweight, and resistant to feathering and bleedthrough.

Although the original Tomoe River paper produced by Tomoegawa was discontinued in 2019, paper manufacturer Sanzen created a worthy replacement in Tomoe River S. Inks dry quicker on Tomoe River S, and it’s even more resistant to bleedthrough than the original!

Because Tomoe River S is so thin, it does exhibit a lot of showthrough. Writers who find this distracting can read our guide for similar paper alternatives. At JetPens, we recommend Rhodia DotPad Paper to those who prefer less showthrough and don’t mind using a thicker paper.

Students who have browsed the JetPens website may already be familiar with the Kokuyo Campus series. Kokuyo Campus Notebooks and Loose Leaf Papers offer fountain pen friendliness at budget prices. Our favorites have to be the Campus Dotted Line Notebooks thanks to their innovative sheet styles. They combine dot grid with horizontal lines so you can take notes and draw function graphs on the same paper.

The Kokuyo Campus lineup offers plenty of stationery items geared towards students that anyone can use. Read more about them in our guide.

Those who would benefit from rearranging notes can consider Kokuyo Campus Sarasara Loose Leaf Paper. The B5 sheets are similar in size to U.S. standard filler paper, though they can only be used with 26-hole binders.

Tsubame Fools E-Style Notebooks feature horizontal layouts that are excellent for remote workers. They tuck neatly in front of computers or laptop keyboards without taking up much desk space. The JetPens team recommends sticking with the B5 size, which is similar to a composition notebook, but a larger A4 size is also available.

Tsubame Fools Notebooks are well-known for their charming covers. They’re filled with smooth, high-quality paper in your choice of white or cream. The sheets are lightly textured, so you have full control over your fountain pen. Inks take longer to dry and there is some showthrough, but it won't get in the way of using the back side of the paper.

Kobeha Graphilo Style Notebooks are elegant choices for professionals because they fit nicely in any office setting. Their neutral-colored covers won’t draw attention when taking meeting notes. These notebooks come in graph, lined, and blank sheet styles. Their smooth, off-white papers have just a hint of tooth and are ideal for use with fountain pens.

Kobeha Graphilo paper resists feathering and bleedthrough, even when combined with the wettest inks. This means that fountain pen ink effects like sheening and shading reveal their true potentials on this paper. However, as a trade-off, writing does take a while to dry. The Style Notebooks include sheets of SUITO blotting paper that can be used to absorb slow-drying inks.

Kobeha Graphilo also comes in packs of loose leaf paper.

Mark’s Log Diaries are not only cute, they’re functional, too. Choose from horizontal weekly or daily formats, both of which include monthly spreads for keeping track of appointments, plain paper for memos, and handy extra trackers like wishlists. No matter which planner you use, you’ll have plenty of space for tasks, doodles, and notes.

The paper in Mark’s Log Diaries smooth with just a hint of texture. Inks take some time to fully dry. There is some showthrough, but it wasn’t so bad that we couldn’t use the other side of the paper. The JetPens team also appreciates that the papers’ print colors match the cover colors.

These minimalist Stalogy Notebooks were created to give editors ample space for keeping track of appointments, to do lists, and sketching ideas. Each page has a header for noting the current day and a graph sheet style printed in a light gray. Inks dry quickly on this smooth paper, although it does display significant showthrough. Wetter inks or pens may also experience some bleedthrough.

Stalogy Editor’s Series Notebooks are available in a number of sizes, including compact A6 and larger A5 and B5 sizes. The 365Days Stalogy Notebooks have enough pages for planning throughout a calendar year, while slimmer 1/2 Year Notebooks are more portable.

Bullet journaling relies on a system of writing down tasks, marking them complete, and “migrating” incomplete tasks to a different day. Since its inception, it’s expanded to include features like habit trackers, reading lists, and long term goal plans.

Leuchtturm1917 worked directly with the founder of the Bullet Journal, Ryder Carroll, to develop official Bullet Journals. They have everything you need to get started, including stickers to help you set up calendars. If you’re new to the bullet journal method, a guide booklet is included, or you can visit the official website for more information.

The Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journals feature thick 120 gsm paper. It’s smooth and inks dry relatively quickly. Although there’s very little showthrough, the heavyweight paper makes this planner more bulky and better for keeping at home or the office.

Clairefontaine Collection 1951 Notebooks have covers reminiscent of typical composition notebook designs, but the paper inside is definitely an upgrade. The bright white paper weighs in at 90 gsm and resists feathering, bleedthrough, and showthrough without requiring exceptionally long dry times.

The Collection 1951 Notebooks come in two versions: the glue-bound notebooks have ninety-six sheets, while the staple-bound notebooks have forty-eight sheets. Both versions feature charming cover colors for showing off your personality.

Learn more about the fountain pen friendly Clairefontaine lineup by reading our comprehensive guide.

Our Kanso Noto Notebooks are packed with exquisite Tomoe River S Paper. At just 52 gsm, it’s incredibly thin yet resistant to feathering and bleedthrough, so writers can journal with all of their fountain pens and inks. However, there is a high amount of showthrough, which may render the back side of the paper unusable depending on your tolerance.

For the JetPens team, the amount of showthrough is an acceptable trade-off for paper that handles fountain pen inks this well. The Kanso Noto includes 160 sheets of paper yet is only half an inch thick, making it wonderfully portable.

Minimalist Midori MD Notebooks are carefully designed to give users a pleasant writing experience. MD paper was originally developed in 1960 and has been continuously improved ever since. It has a fairly short drying time and soft, smooth texture that makes it ideal for everyday writing. However, there is a significant amount of showthrough, which may be inconvenient if you want to use the back side of the paper.

These notebooks have simple cardstock covers with cloth tape binding. The paper inside is more yellow in tone than other papers in this guide, which can make your colored fountain pen inks look slightly different.

Read our Midori MD comprehensive guide for more details about these minimalist notebooks.

With a name that references the mother of the nine muses in Greek mythology, Maruman’s Mnemosyne Notepads are sure to inspire your creativity. The semi-matte black covers are tastefully accented with gold foil stamping on the front for a sleek and professional look.

Mnemosyne paper is silky smooth with a relatively fast dry time and minimal showthrough. With an impressive array of sizes and styles to choose from, you can select the notepad that fits your needs. We especially love the lined memo pads that have bold dividing lines for organizing notes.

Read more about Maruman Mnemosyne notepads in our comprehensive guide.

It should come as no surprise that Rhodia DotPad Notepads are very popular in the fountain pen community. The luxuriously smooth paper inside has a dot grid sheet style that is noticeable enough to provide guidelines, yet its subtle gray color ensures it isn’t distracting. Inks dry quickly with minimal showthrough or bleedthrough. Since it’s so well-known and reliable, we use Rhodia DotPad paper for our fountain pen writing samples!

Rhodia Notepads are available in two binding styles. The twin ring version makes it easy to use the back side of the sheet without tearing it out of the notepad. The staplebound version features covers that are scored near the staples, allowing them to be folded back neatly.

Learn more about the entire Rhodia lineup in our dedicated guide.

Small, pocket-sized notepads like the Leuchtturm1917 Reporter are handy for writing down tasks or ideas as they pop up. Each notebook has many thoughtful details such as a table of contents, numbered pages, back cover pocket, and elastic band closure that protects the paper from becoming crumpled in a bag.

Leuchtturm1917’s 80 gsm paper has some texture that provides satisfying feedback. It’s absorbent so inks dry fairly quickly, but it also exhibits significant showthrough. If you prefer wetter inks or pens that put down a lot of ink, you may also experience bleedthrough.

Read our Leuchtturm1917 comprehensive guide for more information.

Clairefontaine Triomphe stationery is a favorite among letter writers who use fountain pens. With little to no showthrough and a downright silky texture, this bright white paper is a joy to write on.

The blank notepads include guide sheets which can be tucked under the pages and help you write in a straight line. Clairefontaine also offers matching envelopes with self-adhesive flaps that can fit A4 sheets folded into thirds and letter-size sheets folded in thirds.

Incredibly lightweight yet durable, Life Airmail Letter Pads and Envelopes embrace the nostalgia of crinkly onionskin pages and envelopes striped with red and blue details. During the early days of airmail, this kind of paper was a necessity because the cost of each letter was determined by its weight. Such cost-cutting measures are no longer necessary, but letter writers can still enjoy this translucent paper.

Inks dry quickly on the letter pad, and some colors may even appear differently on Airmail paper than on more opaque paper. However, because the paper is so thin, using the back side of the sheet is practically impossible.

Original Crown Mill Pure Cotton stationery is made from 100% pure cotton. It has a soft, plush texture that is smooth yet tactile. The paper is on the more absorbent side, so ink dries relatively quickly without excessive feathering. However, there is moderate showthrough on the back of the paper. A guide sheet is included with every pad of blank paper. Matching envelopes are also available. The C6 envelopes perfectly fit an A5 sheet folded in half, while the C6/5 envelopes are made for A4 sheets folded into thirds.

For short correspondence that is no less elegant, Original Crown Mill also creates note cards.

Kleid Loose Leaf Paper has a 2 mm graph sheet style that’s great for precise note-taking and diagrams. It’s made with OK Fools Paper, a high-end Japanese writing paper that’s inspired by British foolscap paper. Writing feels smooth but not glassy, and inks dry fairly quickly. Wetter pens and inks may cause more showthrough. One thing to note is that when the ink is dry, the paper’s light blue grid does peek through the writing, which can be distracting.

Add Kleid Loose Leaf Paper to stylish Kleid Fleek Binders or other compatible Japanese binders.

Tired of planning with the same old white and cream paper? Try Raymay Decona Paper Refills. Their soft pink papers are great for adding color to Raymay Decona System Binders. Choose from dot grid or ruled sheet styles for note-taking and everyday writing, and undated monthly and weekly refills for keeping track of due dates and appointments. Combine the refills with Raymay Decona Accessories to create a binder customized to your needs.

The Decona Refills are made with Tant paper that is quite textured but still pleasant to write on. Inks dry fairly quickly although there is some showthrough. We noticed that ink does not feather, but lines can be affected by the paper’s texture. If you need your writing to be as crisp as possible, ivory Tomoe River Paper refills are also available.

Manufactured with a special surface treatment to show off inks, SAKAE TP Iroful Loose Leaf Paper is perfect for calligraphers. Writing is exceptionally crisp, and the paper’s slight texture helps you maintain control over your pen. We find that the paper is perfect for demonstrating shading and sheening effects. Darker inks will be more prone to exhibiting showthrough, though.

Iroful Loose Leaf Paper is available in blank and dot grid styles. Please note that the dot grid is only on the front side of each sheet.

Portable Iroful Notebooks are also available and include a graph sheet style.

Fountain pen users can catalog their ink collections with Col-o-ring Ink Testing Books. Their sheets are thick with some texture and can handle swatches made with cotton swabs, paintbrushes, fountain pens, and dip pens. Showthrough is essentially nonexistent, but we still suggest swatching ink on just one side to make flipping through the cards easier.

The standard version has sheets with enough space for swatching the ink and writing its name. The smaller Mini version can be dipped into ink bottles with wider mouths. The sheets are held together on a binder ring and ball chain, respectively, which is helpful when rearranging sheets. The Oversize version is larger and similar in size to a memo pad. This makes it ideal for swatching inks side by side to compare them.

Many artists use fountain pens for drawing for their convenience and ability to produce precise linework. Pair these pens with reliable Stillman & Birn Sketchbooks. There are six different paper types to choose from, all of which handle ink well and produce little to no showthrough.

If you’re not sure which Stillman & Birn Sketchbook to pick up, the JetPens team recommends the Zeta series. It has smooth, heavyweight 270 gsm paper that’s best for wet and dry media, watercolors, and ink. Plus, its white paper shows off colors faithfully.

Check out our other favorite sketchbooks here if you like using media other than ink.

If you’ve ever wanted to try a sampling of different papers to develop your tastes, check out the Yamamoto Fountain Pen Friendly Paper Collection. It includes several different types of premium paper that are sourced from various manufacturers in Japan. Each paper type includes a handy preface with details about the paper’s history and noteworthy characteristics, including information about dry times and showthrough.

Yamamoto frequently changes the papers that are included in this pad, but we think it’s a good trade-off for trying various A4 size fountain pen friendly papers in one convenient pack.

Looking to try fountain pen paper but not sure where to start? Pick up a JetPens Paper Sampler Pack! It includes five A5 size sheets of our most popular fountain pen friendly papers. You’ll have plenty of room to test out your favorite pens and inks and see which paper suits your preferences.