Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-guri
Ink Review #148
*Please note that the scan is the accurate representation of this color.
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Overview
The color/properties:
Yama-guri is a dark grey-brown that also has some minor purple and even green undertones. The way this ink looks can change drastically based on the lighting and how much is laid down. In swatches and splats, etc, Yama-guri will look more brown; however, in writing (especially on white paper), the grey tones come forward. In cursive writing, the ink mostly shades as a soft gradient through the letters, and in print, there’s a soft cut between light and darker tones where the ink pools the most, as well as dark edges around the letters and shaded areas.
Ink splat
Ink droplets
Performance on paper:
Yama-guri had excellent performance. There weren’t any traces of bleeding or feathering on any of my test pages, but you may have noticed that there was some very slight feathering in the ink droplets above. Yama-guri should be fine on most fountain pen-friendly papers; however, using wetter nibs may push some less ink-resistant papers to their limit and cause light feathering.
The dry times were surprisingly quick with the nib sizes up to medium, often taking no more than 10 seconds to dry. The broad nib sizes took a more average 15-20 seconds to dry, but overall, the dry times are great.
When exposed to water, the ink quickly clouds over. It’s messy but the remains are still dark enough to be easily legible.
Water resistance
Chromatography
Performance in the pen:
Yama-guri has a medium flow and average lubrication. It’s not particularly slick, but it doesn’t feel draggy or sandy either. It’s a comfortable but run-of-the-mill writing experience. I didn’t have any hard starts, skipping, or stops during my tests, and the ink was easily able to keep up with my extended writing sessions without any drops in flow.
The ink cleaned out of my test pens easily enough, but surprisingly, it needed a second round of soaking and flushing to rinse out completely. Still, there weren’t any stains or visible residue left over in the pen or nib units.
Written on 52 gsm Tomoe River paper (white, 5mm ruling) with a medium nib.
Written on Midori MD paper (cream, 7mm ruling) with a Japanese medium nib (writes like a fine).
Written on Midori MD paper (cream, 7mm ruling) with a medium nib.
Performance in a pen: 10/10
Performance on paper: 9/10
Color saturation: 6.5/10
Sheening: 1/10
Shading: 4/10
Dry time: 8.5/10
Water resistance: 3/10
Ease of cleaning: 8/10
Shimmer: None
My personal thoughts…
I once had a friend tell me that Yama-guri is “whatever color it feels at any given moment,” and while comical, that’s honestly not a bad way to describe it. With so many layers that make up the final ink (easy to see in the chromatography), it’s no question that Yama-guri is far more than initially meets the eye, and I think that makes it one of, if not the most unique color in Iroshizuku’s lineup. It’s fantastic! I think it would make a great daily ink too — it’s dark enough for easy legibility, dries fast, and despite the unique color, it’s tempered and overall understated. I suppose that’s why I never hear it talked about: it simply doesn’t bring too much attention to itself, which is tragic because it deserves far more of it, especially amongst people who love brown inks. Don’t sleep on this one.
Written on 52 gsm Tomoe River paper with a Pilot Vanishing Point (broad nib).
More images/info:
Featured in the photography and writing samples:
Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-guri (Amazon)
Pelikan m400 Tortoiseshell Brown, medium nib
Tiffany & Co. Briarwood fountain pen, medium nib
GoodINKPressions A5 52gsm Tomoe River notebook
Midori A6 lined notebook (Amazon)
Traveler’s Company brass clip (Amazon)
Pen holder by Fountain PENdulum
Current text: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (Amazon)
Tools and materials used in the writing samples:
A TWSBI Diamond 580 AL with 7 nib units including a Needlepoint grind, EF, F, M, B, 1.1mm stub, and an Architect grind. All nibs are tuned to perform at the same medium wetness.
A Rhodia No16 A5 DotPad
A Leuchtturm1917 A5 Notebook
A Midori MD A5 Notebook
A 52 gsm A5 Tomoe River Notebook
A Maruman Mnemosyne A5 Spiral Notebook
A Kokuyo Campus A5 Notebook