on saleSailor Manyo Shirakashi - 50ml Bottled Ink

Love using this ink. I use it with a Noodler's Konrad rollerball. The ink is really smooth and feeds more on the dry side with this pen. I am still waiting to receive the fountain pen that I plan to use the ink with, but I enjoy seeing the earthy tone of the ink on paper just the same using what I have on hand!

I received this as a surprise me! sample. I was excited when I saw Manyo, as I find them interesting and mysterious. Looking at the sample, it was a dark ink but I thought it looked green at the top. I'm always up for another green. Then I started writing (on Tomoe River, in case I could find a sheen) and my eyes said, Oh, just another gray. But...wait... Is it really gray? On part of the swab I swear it looks like dark, khaki green. So it lives up to my expectations for a Manyo ink. Mysterious.

At first I was a little disappointed that this is pretty much a gentler version of Rikyu Cha, but whereas Ricky is an ink I have barely used once over the initial wow, this has easily taken position as an everyday writing ink (knocking out Rohrer & Klingners Sepia, for a moment, but I think there's room in my pens for both!). Rikyu Cha is a spectacular ink, but it's a little too much going on for me; a (lovely) green that dries brown with a red sheen and a blue wash, how's about some kitchen sink with that!? Shirakasi still has the color change, but it's a much gentler affair, the sheen is mostly absent and the end result is very pleasing to me; the paler strokes appearing bluish-grey (without the hard-edged look I usually associate with grey ink), the more saturated areas greenish-brown. For writing, I find the first impression is grey, for drawing the green comes more to the fore. Hunter would possibly be a good description? Like mixed fallen leaves on the forest floor.Properties are the high standard you would expect from Sailor - top class!

I've said it before, I like the Sailor Manyo inks and have found the Shirakashi very interesting. To begin with, what color is it? The description on the product page calls it grey. I bought it primarily wanting a dark grey ink. When I got it my first reaction was a greyish-greenish-brown. It shows up in the Swab Shop under Sailor Brown so I'm guessing I'm not alone in pondering the color. When I was chatting with Jessica here she mentioned it being lichen-like. Putting color aside this ink behaves very well. In my pen it is neither wet or dry. It flows well and drys fairly fast. There is some shading. It has some water resistance and is still readable after running under water although the remaining color is blue-grey. I recommend giving this ink a try.