Pilot Iroshizuku Bottled Ink(50ml) Fountain Pen Ink Reviews

One of my favorite inks! It looks pink...then it looks purple...I can't decide which because this lovely magenta type ink has excellent shading and can be slightly different looking depending on the paper. Always need to keep a bottle of this on hand.

Simply the best ink for any pen in my ever-growing collection.

Gorgeous color! Well performing ink.

This is always a great ink!

Love it. The color is beautiful. Also the way ink is bottled makes it a statement on the shelf.

Although a bit pricey, I love Iroshizuku inks! They make any pen feel/write better. One of my favorite colors so far is Yama-budo. It is dark and rich enough to be easily legible in fine nibs, yet it isn't a boring color. It shows a tiny little bit of shading when I put it in my Pilot Custom Heritage '92 pen (nib MF).

I currently own 30 colors of Pilot Iroshizuku ink (the 24 core shades as of mid-2025 plus the three that were discontinued in 2022 and the three discontinued in 2024. With a couple of exceptions, I love them all. Each is well behaved, and performs well in every pen I've used them in. Kon-peki is my favorite blue of any ink on the market, and yama-budo is a stunning magenta. Other personal favorites are ama-iro, shin-kai, shin-ryoku, and murasaki-shikibu. I colors I like least are hotaru-bi, hana-ikada, and to-ro, three faded pastels that are less suitable for writing and probably more popular with artists who use them for shading. My one real complaint surrounds an incredible color that Pilot inexplicably discontinued in 2022. Tsukushi was my favorite brown, rich and very appealing on the page. Pen Chalet is my main source for Iroshizuku inks because they're sold at a discounted price, and my shipments always arrive in a sturdy box.

Yu-Yake, meaning “sunset” in Japanese, is a perfect name for this vibrant ink from Pilot’s Iroshizuku line. It’s a warm, golden orange that somehow manages to feel both bold and gentle—like the last glow of sunlight before dusk settles in. I tested it in my Monteverde MP1 OmniFlex fountain pen, and the experience was nice and smooth. The ink flows easily and consistently, which really brought out the flex nib’s expressive qualities. I got some beautiful natural line variation, and even a bit of subtle shading—especially on higher-quality paper like Tomoe River. The color itself is rich and lively without being overly bright. It's not a neon or fire-orange—it’s deeper, almost like roasted pumpkin or a glowing ember. It makes a statement, but it’s not aggressive. I’ve used it for journaling, art journaling accents, and even personal notes. It adds warmth and personality without compromising readability. Dry time was quick—around 10 seconds on most papers I tested. No feathering, no bleed-through, and just a hint of ghosting on very thin paper. It’s well-behaved, as you’d expect from Iroshizuku. The bottle is also worth mentioning—beautifully designed, easy to fill from, and it feels like a luxury item in the best way. Pilot really nailed the entire experience, from color to packaging. Final thoughts: If you’re looking for an orange ink that captures the beauty of a fading sunset—something warm, expressive, and surprisingly versatile—Yu-Yake is a must-try. It’s a color that feels good to write with. I always find myself reaching for it when I want to feel a little more present, grounded, and creative.

Love the entire range of these fantastic inks. Highly recommended!

Love this colour and will keep it as regular ink for my pens.