Hirayama Mannendo - Tugaru Cassis

Hirayama Mannendo - Tugaru Cassis - Ink drop

This is my second ink from the Sailor x Hirayama Mannendo series. I’ve had it for three or four months now and have been consistently using it in place of a black. The box is labeled Tugaru Kurofusasuguri, and the bottle lists it as Tugaru Cassis. Kurofusasuguri is the Japanese word a cluster of black currant or cassis. I believe Tugaru refers to Tsugaru, the city in Aomori prefecture very close to Hirosaki (home to the Hirayama Mannendo store) and known for its black currant berries.

Ink Swatches on Cosmo Air Light and Tomoe River

This is a wonderfully syrupy ink rich and luxurious in flow. The base color is a beautifully dark, midnight black. Just like the black currant berry, hidden within is the deepest of violets, and it’s this that comes through in shading areas. Well-saturated strokes are often ringed in the yellow bronze sheen that so prominent in the swatch images. For such a dark ink, this is pure pleasure in look and writing feel!

Ink Swatches on Iroful and Takasago Bank

In performance, I found absolutley nothing to complain about in the slightest. On all of my test papers, there hasn’t been any feathering or spread at all. What really surprised me is the speedy drying times! Drying is well below average. I haven’t had any problem with smearing, so this might be a particularly good consideration for left-handed writers. This is another example of Sailor getting things exactly right.

Writing sample on Cosmo Air Snow paper

So what are the negatives? Well, the biggest is obviously availability. Hirayama Mannendo sells strictly out of their one shop in Hirosaki, and they don’t have a website for direct sales online. It takes some effort, but you can probably find a reseller online. They are also available at regional penshows through individual sellers. (I picked my bottle up at the spring 2025 Seoul pen show.) If you put in the work to find a bottle, you definitely won’t be disappointed!

Hirayama Mannendo - Tugaru Cassis ink writing samples

Hirayama Mannendo - Tugaru Cassis - Swatch Card

Hirayama Mannendo - Tugaru Cassis - Comparisons

Hirayama Mannendo - Tugaru Cassis - 50 ml Ink Bottle