When you open your Kakimori Pigment Ink, the first thing you’ll notice is the bottle. It’s droplet-shaped, like the molten glass has just solidified. The shape is an homage to potari,a word for falling raindrops from the extensive Japanese lexicon of onomatopoeia. Each Pigment Ink color is also named for a different Japanese onomatopoeia, which are much more central to Japanese culture than they are in the English-speaking world. Rather than just mimicking sounds (although some Japanese onomatopoeia do that, too) these evocative words can express how a particular feeling or sensation would sound.

In use, Kakimori Pigment Ink is just as beautiful as it is in appearance and concept. Developed in partnership with Turner Colour Works, a leading Japanese paint and pigment manufacturer, this special ink is thick and saturated enough for dip pens and brushes, but smooth and fine-textured enough for use in fountain pens. Because it’s pigmented, this ink is water-resistant and fadeproof when dry, but it has a slow drying time that allows lifting, blending, and reworking when used on watercolor paper.

The lovely, off-kilter Kakimori bottle is custom-made in Japan with a unique 8 tilt and a large, 20 mm opening. Those are the perfect specs for filling fountain pen converters and dipping brushes and nibs without wasting ink. The wide, heavy base prevents your bottle from tipping over, and the cap provides a trustworthy seal for storage.

In our studio tests, we tried Kakimori Pigment Ink with fountain pens, brushes, liquid ink rollerballs, empty liner and brush markers, and Kakimori’s unique dip pens. It worked perfectly in each application, creating deep, complex tones when used in thick layers and subtle, transparent tones when used with more restraint. In fountain pens, there’s a pronounced shading effect, with deeper colors at the inkier end of your line.

This is definitely a bottle you’ll want to keep when it’s empty (try using it as a portable water reservoir, e.g.) but the 35 mL of ink will last quite some time when used for writing or drawing.

Designed by Kakimori and 100% made in Japan.

About Kakimori:

Kakimori began as a stationery shop in east Tokyo, and they’ve quickly become one of the most creative and thoughtful product design firms in our industry. Drawing on a tight-knit network of Japanese artisans and manufacturers, Kakimori offers playful and poetic supplies that bring traditional media into the contemporary world.

Browse our full Kakimori collection.