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Moonlight Of Higashiyama - Kyo-Iro


visvamitra

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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. 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. Imayouiro
  3. Kokeiro
  4. Nurebairo
  5. Yamabukiiro


Kyo-iro inks are:


  1. Cherry Blossom of Keage
  2. Flaming Red of Fushimi
  3. Moonlight of Higashiyama
  4. Soft Snow of Ohara
  5. Stone Road of Gion


Moonlight of Higashiyama is medium saturated light Terra Cotta ink. It's not the wettest one in the series, I believe this one is driest but you can still use it. I would say it's slightly wetter than Pelikan 4001 inks.



The color looks OK in broader nibs but in drier ones it looks flat. One thing that bothers me about it is the fact it tends to dry out in the nib if you leave the pen uncapped for, say, a minute. All in all it's decent ink but if you enjoy such colors, I would go for Franklin-Christoph Terra Firma or Diamine Terracota if you enjoy saturated inks or some L'Artisan Pastellier sepias if you prefer subtler colors. They're not necessarily better (it's subjective unless we create and have time to really examine inks in standarised way) but are easier and cheaper to get in Europe and Americas.



As for other specs: no feathering, no bleedthrough, no water resistance.



3959_01b.jpg



The ink is dedicated / named after Higashiyama (東山区 Higashiyama-ku, meaning "east mountain") - one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.



Bottle



As all Kyonooto and kyo-ro inks this one comes in elegant box (most aesthetically pleasant boxes in the market IMO and glass bottle)



moonlight_bottle2.jpg



moonlight_bottle3.jpg


moonlight_bottle.jpg


Ink splash



moonlight_is.jpg



Drops of ink on kitchen towel



higashiyama_rk.jpg



Software ID



higashiyama_l_3.jpg



Tomoe River, Kaweco Classic Sport, B



higashiyama_t_1.jpg



higashiyama_t_2.jpg



higashiyama_t_3.jpg



Leuchtturm 1917, Kaweco Classic Sport, B



higashiyama_l_1.jpg



higashiyama_l_2.jpg



higashiyama_l_4.jpg



Lyreco Budget, Lamy Al-Star, medium nib



higashiyama_ly_1.jpg



higashiyama_ly_2.jpg



CIAK, Lamy Al-Star, medium nib




higashiyama_hr_1.jpg



higashiyama_hr_2.jpg




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Thank you for this review. I ordered the ink last week & received it today; I have it in a Conway Stewart with a wet Italic broad nib & have not had a problem with it's dryness. Neither has it failed to start the numerous times I have used it since filling today, BUT this is the first day, after all, who knows what a nite's rest in the pen will offer tomorrow? (I might have to add the Photo Flo for use in the GVFC Intuition, but it looks like the perfect color match for that Terracotta pen!)

 

I do like the color & was happy to find it @ Amazon for $30. shipped to US. I surely agree with you about the bottle, user friendly & elegant @ the same time. I believe someone else commented on the packaging earlier, but I am equally fond of it, in addition to the bottle's design & appearance.

 

I may like Stone Rd of Gion BETTER, but I thank every poster who introduced me to these easily attainable inks for US citizens.

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thanks for the review Vis.

I received a bottle a couple of days ago and I totally agree: the way to enjoy this ink is with a wet nib. The color is nice (not for daily use for me) and unique. Its behavior is similar to JHerbin inks, a bit watery, as Vis pointed in other review.

Edited by ubezahn
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This color appeals to me. I'd want to use it in a wet pen with a broad nib, I think. Pretty color. Thanks for the review!

_________________

etherX in To Miasto

Fleekair <--French accent.

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  • 1 year later...

Of the two Kyo-iro inks that I bought (Flaming Red and Moonlight), this one is much more to my liking.

 

Unfortunately, it appears to be a slightly less saturated version of KWZ Monarch (one of my all-time favorite inks), so I doubt that I will be using this one very much.

 

Thanks for the review, Vis.

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