Azukiiro - Kyo-No-Oto

[visvamitra]

To be honest I don't know much about the company. Some time ago Algester posted topic about Tag Kyoto branch inks. The bottles and colors presented on their site looked nice so I've decided to try some of these inks. I've managed to buy two on Rakuten and I'll review them. The inks are made by or for Takeda Jimuki company and are available in two lines: Kyo No Oto and Kyo-Iro. Kyo no Oto inks are said to be traditional japanese colors that has been used since heian era (roughly 1000 years ago),and expressing a tinges that have been nurtured in long history and profound culture for long time.

Kyonooto inks are:

1. Aonibi
   
2. Azukiiro (new ink)
   
3. Imayouiro
   
4. Kokeiro
   
5. Nurebairo
   
6. Yamabukiiro
   

Kyo-iro inks are:

1. Cherry Blossom of Keage
   
2. Flaming Red of Fushimi
   
3. Frosting of Arashiyama (new ink)
   
4. Moonlight of Higashiyama
   
5. Soft Snow of Ohara
   
6. Stone Road of Gion
   

As soon as I discovered that two new inks were produced I ordered them. Sadly the package went missing. When I lost hope that I would ever receive it, it appeared suddenly and from nowhere after almost three months of delay. Crazy.

Anyway as some of you may know I've become huge fan of these two line opf inks. The colors aren't generic. We've seen most of them elsewhere but they offer some unexpected twist I enjoy a lot. I even like their black ink - Nurebairo (it's one of three black inks I have at home, the other two being Octopus Schwarz and J. Herbin Perle Noire). I was really curious about new colors. I hope that some of you were interested in them as well because there'll be plenty of photos.

Azukiiro can be described as nice mix of red, purple and, maybe, reddish brown in places. It seems azuki-iro is one of traditional japanese colors:

The ink doesn't look similar to what you see above. As I don't know japanese language I would gladly ask some of our japanese friends to help with the word meaning but I would venture to say the color might be reminiscent of Adzuki beans color (but I may be wrong). When you enter japanese name of the ink 小豆色 in google you'll receive a lot of pictures with hues between red, purplish red and others. Check here.

In wet pens the color may be close to black in some places and it looks reach. I enjoy it and I would say that characterictics are mostly good. No feathering, no bleedthrough, no cloggiing, skipping, hard-starts.

But there's an issue - this ink takes ages to dry. Not in all pens and not on all papers but when I used it in Yard-o-Led medium nib on Tomoe it took 70 seconds to dry. It's not good choice for lefties.

Drops of ink on kitchen towel

Software ID

Color range

Tomoe River, Yard-o-Led Viceroy, medium nib

Leuchtturm 1917, Kaweco Classic Sport, B

Rhodia, Yard-o-Led Videroy, Medium

Fantastic Paper, Yard-o-Led Videroy, Medium

CIAK, Kaweco Classic Sport, broad nib

Oxford Optic, Yard-o-Led Viceroy, medium nib

Water resistance

Edited January 21, 2017 by visvamitra

[da vinci]

Nice review of a nice colour

[white_lotus]

Thanks for the review. I'll definitely be on the lookout for this one.

[Old_Inkyhand]

I like this one. Great review, as always!

Kokeiro is also nice, but not unique. I find Yamabukiiro and Soft Snow of Ohara interesting.

[Uncial]

What a lovely colour

[ENewton]

Very nice.

[migo984]

I'm pleased for you that your inks turned up & thanks for the review.

 

I'm enjoying using this ink very much.

[lgsoltek]

Quite nice. Much better than the colour shown in the image with the hex code.

[FPRebel]

 

 

Leuchtturm 1917, Kaweco Classic Sport, B

Rhodia, Yard-o-Led Videroy, Medium

Fantastic Paper, Yard-o-Led Videroy, Medium

 

 

Is this beautiful ink still available, and is there anywhere in the US can I buy it? I'm not a fan of maroon inks...or maroon anything....but these images absolutely stop my heart!! PLEASE tell me where I can get some!

and thank you, Vis, for your always fantastic reviews.

Edited September 1, 2017 by FPRebel

[white_lotus]

This ink has never been available in the US. It's listed on the Japanese website under the "Buy Now" link. vis gave the link above.

[inkstainedruth]

A couple of US dealers are now carrying the Kyo-No-Oto inks, but I don't know if this one is being offered. It really is an interesting color, but the dry time would make it a "thanks but no thanks" ink for me. Plus, it looks somewhat similar to De Atramentis Red Roses, an ink I'm already on my second bottle of....

Thanks for the review, though.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[white_lotus]

Neither Vanness nor Anderson has this particular Kyo-no-oto ink. I checked before posting.

[FPRebel]

Plus, it looks somewhat similar to De Atramentis Red Roses, an ink I'm already on my second bottle of....

Typically, an extensive dry-time would be off putting to me as well, and it looks somewhat similar to a few inks, but THIS is calling my name. I've never felt the urge to go far lengths for an ink since there's usually a close enough. I'm about to change that.

 

This ink has never been available in the US. It's listed on the Japanese website under the "Buy Now" link. vis gave the link above.

Thank you White Lotus. I hoped that the US situation on this ink had changed since Vis' review. I, too, had checked Andersons and Vanness before posting, remembering each of them have some Kyo-no-ototo inks. Not this one. Looks like I'm about to have my first foray into White Rabbit Express and Rakuten.

Google and YouTube here I come!

[white_lotus]

You might want to contact Vanness and/or Anderson directly to see if they can get the ink. Since they'll reorder the Kyoto TAG inks, you might be able to get the ink perhaps cheaper than going direct to Japan.

 

But of course, if you must have it now, then price may not be a consideration.

[inkstainedruth]

Neither Vanness nor Anderson has this particular Kyo-no-oto ink. I checked before posting.

 

Bummer.

Hopefully that doesn't mean it's an LE or exclusive ink, the way a lot of Sailor inks are.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: I don't have experience with either What Rabbit Express or Rakuten, so if you go that route let folks here know how your experience goes (I know people here have used White Rabbit Express; a non-pen friend had recommended Rakuten to me awhile back but it didn't seem to have the pen I wanted).

Edited September 1, 2017 by inkstainedruth

[amberleadavis]

Another great review. I wonder how it compares to the new MB LE ink.

[FPRebel]

Another great review. I wonder how it compares to the new MB LE ink.

The new MB LE ink? AdSE?

Good question! Maybe we can get a comparison :-)

 

Edit: might make for a lovely CRV

Edited September 2, 2017 by FPRebel

[lgsoltek]

Another great review. I wonder how it compares to the new MB LE ink.

This one (reviewed here) reminds me of R&K's Alt-Bordeaux.

[Tas]

Oh those labels . . .

[Intensity]

What a beautiful ink color. I love it, including its subdued quality. Thank you for the detailed review. Checked Rakuten, and shipping from Japan is quite high

Edited September 4, 2017 by Intensity