Kyoto Tag creates two different series of inks, the Kyo-iro series that contains lighter muted tones and the Kyo-no-oto series ink with more traditional colors. Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro Ink is one of 7 colors in the Kyoto Tag kyo-no-oto ink series. Produced by the Tag Stationary Store in Kyoto Japan, Kyoto Tag fountain pen inks are a collaboration between an ink dye company, Kusakizome and the Tag Stationary Store. Together they have created special ink colors using traditional Japanese techniques dating over 1000 years. This unique partnership has created special ink colors inspired by Japan’s unique history and culture.
Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink is a dark red, burgundy color that is similar to Sailor Jentle Oku-Yama ink. The ink is a nice dark color that can shade and even sheen a bit and shows up well with medium saturation. Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink also has some other great characteristics that we will discuss below.
Continuing reading for a chance to win the bottle of Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink we used for this review.
Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro Ink Review
We found the following characteristics during our review of Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink that you may find useful:
Testing Factors
For our review we used French made J. Herbin glass dip pen on Rhodia dot pad paper. The glass dip pen has a tip that is similar to a fine fountain pen nib.
Bottle Sizes
Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink comes in one standard size, a 40 ml. glass bottle. The bottle is a unique functional shape with a flat front and back with rounded sides. The packaging as well is very elegant and high quality that you would associate with higher end luxury ink brand. Each bottle comes with a simple yet stylish label, with some ink blots tastefully placed on the front of the package.
Cost
Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink is at the higher end of the price spectrum for ink and retails for $28.00 for a 40 ml. glass bottle.
Dry Time
We found a reasonably quick dry time of 6-7 seconds during our review of Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink, which is very functional especially for a medium saturated ink.
Bleed Through
We found absolutely no bleeding during our review of Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink. Even during our cotton swab test we found no bleed through using this ink on Rhodia dot pad paper.
Feathering
During normal use we found no feathering at all during our review of Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink. However during the water test, we did find some slight feathering and line distortion, which is usual for a non-waterproof ink.
Water Test
During our review of Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink we conducted a water test where we ran a wet cotton swab over an ink sample that has dried for about 3 minutes. This test resulted in significant color smearing and some line distortion, which is typical.
Shading and Sheening
Kyoto Tag inks are known for their shading and sheening traits. Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink produced some nice shading traits, with very dark deep red to a light red-purplish-pink color with a lighter, dryer stroke. We also noticed a slight gold sheen during the cotton swab test at its wettest point. Different paper such as Tomoe River will produce additional sheening.
Conclusions about Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink
Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink is a nice functional dark red color. It is dark enough for use daily at the home or office, but would be a wonderful choice for journal and letter writing. Kyoto Tag Adzukiiro ink has a good dry time, can shade great with a hint of sheen but is on the expensive side of the ink spectrum. The packaging and presentation is top notch. Happy writing from Japan!
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