The most important question about Sailor Yurameku Itezora ink won’t be “Is it good?” It also won’t be “How does it perform,” “Is it waterproof,” or the impossible “Is it worth it?” The most important question about Sailor Itezora is “What color is it?”
The answer? I have no idea.
That’s a feature of the entirety of the Sailor Yurameku line, not specifically Itezora. From the product description at JetPens:
“Sailor Yurameku inks feature soft, mysterious colors that defy easy description. They can shift between two or three different hues as they dry, leaving behind a dreamlike ribbon of mercurial colors. The amount and color of this shading vary depending on the type of paper and pen used.”
I have to say the description is true. What I see as grey, green, purple, pink, blue you may see as something different. Or at least in a different priority. That’s by design. The nib and paper will make a big difference it what you see on the page.
For example, I want to call this a grey ink. That’s the main color I see on a few standard paper types I initially tested. Then, I switched over to bank paper and all of a sudden the green came out. A switch to original Tomoe River 52 gsm paper brought out the purple on top of the grey and green, with a hint of pink sheen. It’s kind of great.
The Paper Mind Mitsubishi Bank Paper.
My biggest concern when choosing this ink was if it would be dark enough to read on the page with my finer nibs. I’m happy to report it has been a non-issue. It’s obviously not black, but it trounces the readability of an ink link Sailor 123. Now, I’m not rushing out to load this up in a Japanese Extra Fine nib, but this Bock EF? It’s been great.
Yoseka Notebook Paper.
Speaking of the nib, it is in use with the Ensso Japanese Ebonite Pocket Fountain Pen. We got an early preview of both the regular size, which Jeff reviewed last week, and the pocket size, which I’ve been testing out myself. So far, my thoughts mimic Jeff’s in that it is great. The pocket size construction and feel is similar to the regular, with the obvious difference being the barrel length. The short barrel is just that, and is threaded on the back-end for posting, which makes the pen a full-length writer.
I eyedropper-filled the pen with Itezora a little over a week ago, and it has worked perfectly since.
Accidental chromatography.
Ok, back to the ink itself. I recommend it. Even at its $20 for 20 ml price tag. There are eight inks total, and looking at the palette, I can’t say I’m into the full series. That said, picking and choosing an ink or two from the Yurameku lineup is in the cards if you like to experiment with unique fountain pen inks.
(JetPens and Ensso provided these products at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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