Pilot Fountain Pen Ink Iroshizuku "Syun-Gyo" (15ml)

Syun-Gyo – 春暁 in Japanese, meaning 'Spring Dawn' – is a water-based fountain pen ink from Pilot's Iroshizuku collection. The colour is a deep black-brown with a warm burgundy undertone: at narrow line widths it appears almost black, whilst broader strokes and light at an angle reveal a dark wine-red shimmer. On Tomoe River paper, a subtle green-gold sheen becomes visible. The 15 ml bottle of clear glass is the compact variant of the Iroshizuku series – ideal for discovering the colour or maintaining flexible ink selection without excessive stock.

Features

• Distinctive colour: Deep black with a warm burgundy and red-brown undertone – with a fine nib close to black, with a broad stroke dark wine-red tones and a greenish sheen emerge on smooth, low-absorption paper.
• Water-based formula: The ink is pH-neutral and gentle on feed systems and nibs made from all common materials. No iron gall, no pigments – the nib cleans easily with water.
• Even, silky ink flow: The Iroshizuku formula is renowned for its consistent flow through the feed system, showing hardly any interruption even with finer nibs.
• Moderate shading: With broader nibs – stub nibs or wet medium nibs – gradations from the near-black line to warm red-brown are visible. Pronounced on smooth, calendered paper, more restrained on absorbent paper.
• Not document-permanent: Syun-Gyo is not waterproof and not document-permanent – the ink dissolves on a damp wipe. Unsuitable for archival documents; no concern for journalling, calligraphy and creative writing.
• 15 ml glass bottle: Compact bottle size from the official Iroshizuku miniature line. The bottle opening measures 14 mm – compatible with standard converters and direct filling via piston fillers.
• Low odour: The ink contains no pungent solvents and is suitable for enclosed work environments.

Use & Tips

• Paper selection: On Tomoe River paper, Syun-Gyo unfolds its full purple-burgundy character and displays the green-gold sheen distinctly. On denser, more absorbent paper, the tone shifts towards black-red and the sheen recedes into the background – the writing remains clear and high-contrast.
• Nib width: With a fine or medium nib, the colour appears almost black and professional. Only with a wet medium nib or stub nib do the warm undertones and shading become apparent – particularly striking for calligraphy with a stub nib.
• Everyday and office use: The dark base tone makes Syun-Gyo suitable with a fine nib for the office – legible, rich and understated enough for notes and correspondence. Those who look closer will discover the character of the colour.
• Journalling and sketches: In a journal or illustrative writing, Syun-Gyo delivers varied lines through shading without changing colour. Combined with a flex nib, expressive hairlines and shadow strokes emerge in the same colour nuance.
• Using the bottle to the last drop: The rounded inner corners of the 15 ml bottle do not allow tilting like the 50 ml bottle with a base reservoir. An ink syringe or converter with sufficient draw depth helps reach the final millilitres.
• Cleaning: Since the ink contains neither pigments nor iron gall, lukewarm water is sufficient to flush through the converter and feed system.

For Ink Enthusiasts

Syun-Gyo was added to the Iroshizuku collection in 2024 alongside To-Ro and Rikka, filling a colour gap in the range: such a pronounced black-brown-burgundy tone without red or violet undertones did not previously exist in the line. On Tomoe River paper (52 g/m²), the highly saturated formula displays a green-gold sheen that becomes more pronounced with increasing paper smoothness and slower absorption. On denser paper, a dark red-brown to black-red dominates – the colour behaves in a paper-sensitive manner without appearing unstable. The tone is best described as a dark chestnut-brown-burgundy; compared to Iroshizuku Yama-Budo, Syun-Gyo is noticeably darker and cooler.

Technical Specifications