Ink Review - Pilot Iroshizuku yu-yake

Today I’m reviewing Pilot Iroshizuku yu-yake ink.

“The name "iroshizuku" is a combination of the Japanese words "iro" (colouring) expressing high standards and variation of colours, and "shizuku" (droplet), which embodies the very image of dripping water. Each ink name derives from the expressions of beautiful Japanese natural landscapes and plants, all of which contribute to the depth of each individual hue. Enjoy Japan's rich and subtle colour aesthetic as you write. Pilot has always manufactured its own inks, which are renowned throughout the world.” Source: Pilot.

From Japanese yu yake translates to Sunset and it looks like a true Japanese sunset colour.

Yu-yake is an orange ink that leans more red than yellow and is easily readable through unsaturated. I really like this shade of orange and found yu yake a very well behaved ink.

It didn’t suffer from any hard starts or non-starts when I put the uncapped pen down to do swab tests, dry times and water resistance.

It dried within 20 seconds on the Clairefontaine Triomphe paper and didn’t smear after it was dry.

Available in attractive Pilot Iroshizuku 50ml glass bottles from The Writing Desk.

• Flow Rate: Very good - wet.
• Lubrication: Very smooth - felt nicely lubricated.
• Nib Dry-out: Not noticed.
• Start-up: Immediate.
• Saturation: Not saturated
• Shading Potential: Some nice shading seen.
• Show-Through: Some seen on papers I used but nothing particularly bad.
• Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: None seen.
• Nib Creep / “Crud”: Not seen, even after several days in the pen.
• Staining (pen): Not seen after several days - easy clean-up.
• Staining (hands): Washed off of my hands easily.
• Clogging: Not seen.
• Water resistance: Not sold as waterproof, and shows no water resistance.