Iroshizuku Tsuyu-Kusa Ink Review

Once I saw one, I had to purchase a bottle of Iroshizuku ink, if only for the bottle. The bottle I found was being sold half price on eBay, half filled with tsuyu-kusa ink (Japanese for spiderwort, as in the bloom). As it happens, I very much like it.

In addition to being very attractive, the 50 mL bottle is also practical - it has a small well at the bottom of the bottle, allowing you to get every last drop of ink into your fountain pen.


To view the full review in the highest quality, click on the images to open them in a new window.

This is the full ink review with no flash:


With flash:


I wrote the review on 20 lb, 92 whiteness copy paper. It just happens to be the paper I use in my office printer. The review was written with an Esterbrook 2668 nib.



The ink dried within a reasonable amount of time, fully dry in fewer than 10 seconds.


As you can see by the chromotography sample, tsuyu-kusa is a very pure blue ink. It is mostly cyan dye, with a darkening dye and a touch of cyan - but not enough to make the ink look purple.


I purchased this bottle on eBay, but you may purchase the entire line of Iroshizuku inks at JetPens, with whom I have zero affiliation. Although they charge 22.50 for the 50 mL bottles of ink, JetPens offers free shipping on orders of $25 or more.