Choosing well · EDITORIAL GUIDE
Pilot Juice Ash Color goes on sale in six muted shades: 0.5mm gel ink pens with a touch of gray, plus limited-quantity "parfait" sets
Pilot Corporation has added six new colors to its Juice gel ink ballpoint pen line under the name Juice Ash Color, and they went on sale in Japan on September 16, 2026. Each ink is a softened shade with a light touch of gray mixed in. A single pen is ¥132 and the six-color set is ¥792 (both manufacturer's suggested retail prices including tax, as checked on October 21, 2026). The only ball size is 0.5mm. In Pilot's announcement, the words "limited quantity" apply only to two three-pen sets, the Matcha Parfait Set and the Strawberry Parfait Set; the single pens and the six-color set carry no such label.
What are the six colors?
Ash Gray, Ash Blue, Ash Green, Ash Pink, Ash Burgundy and Ash Brown. Pilot describes the palette as deliberately toned down in vividness, with just a hint of gray added. Juice is a series known for dark, vivid lines and a wide range of colors, so this release moves intentionally in the other direction by pulling back on brightness. Pilot suggests the pens for everyday notes and memos as well as for writing letters and messages.
What are the specs, and how does the barrel look?
All six share the same pale grayish body, and only the knock button and the clip match the ink color, so you can tell the pens apart when they lie side by side. The specifications listed on Pilot's official page are as follows.
Mechanism: Retractable (knock type)
Ink: Water-based pigment gel ink
Ball size: 0.5mm (extra fine)
Size: 143mm long, 10.3mm maximum diameter
Price: ¥132 (¥120 before tax)
Pilot presents 0.5mm as an extra-fine tip that writes neatly even in small lettering. It is the only ball size announced for Ash Color, so there is no option here for anyone who wants a finer or a bolder line.
How many sets are there?
Six-color set: ¥792 (¥720 before tax), all six colors
Matcha Parfait Set: ¥396 (¥360 before tax), limited quantity
Strawberry Parfait Set: ¥396 (¥360 before tax), limited quantity
The parfait sets are three-pen packs that cast the ink colors as items on a "wa cafe" menu, meaning a Japanese-style cafe serving traditional sweets and Japanese tea. The Matcha Parfait Set pairs azuki (sweet red bean) with Ash Burgundy, matcha (powdered green tea) with Ash Green, and goma (sesame) with Ash Gray. The Strawberry Parfait Set pairs chocolate with Ash Brown, strawberry with Ash Pink, and souffle with Ash Blue. Buy both and you get one pen in each of the six colors for ¥792 in total, the same as the six-color set. Six single pens also come to ¥792, and three come to ¥396, so neither kind of set saves money. The choice comes down to packaging and color combinations, not price.
Where are they sold, and are the limited sets still available?
Pilot lists major stationery stores, department stores and mass retailers across Japan as its sales outlets. The announcement names only retailers in Japan and says nothing about sales in other countries. As of October 21, 2026, about a month after launch, we have not checked stock at individual stores. It is possible that the limited-quantity parfait sets have already sold out at some shops (this is our speculation, not a confirmed fact). If you want to be sure of getting one, ask the retailer about stock before you go to buy.
Our take
Black and blue alone can feel monotonous, while primary colors or fluorescents can feel too loud. If that is your dilemma when color-coding notes, memos or a planner, start by trying the one shade that catches your eye as a ¥132 single pen. If you want all six, the six-color set and the two parfait sets cost exactly the same. Choose the parfait sets if you enjoy the cafe-menu packaging or want to give three pens each to friends; choose the six-color set, which is not limited, if you simply want to be sure of getting the full range. If what you are after is dark, vivid color, though, Ash Color goes the opposite way. And if you need a tip size other than 0.5mm, this release is not for you.
Sources and references
https://www.pilot.co.jp/press_release/2026/08/27/post_154.html