Iroshizuku Murasaki-shikibu

Pilot Iroshizuku - Murasaki-shikibu - Ink drop

Murasaki-shikibu is a lovely ink with all of the confidence of Pilot’s well-formulated Iroshizuku series inks. It’s forgiving and easy to work with, and I find myself reaching for it quite often.

Pilot Iroshizuku - Murasaki-shikibu - Color range and sheen

This is a beautifully gentle, purple with lovely, subtle the red influences that I sometimes prefer to pure violets. It’s a lovely spring color, and although cool in tone, it still feels friendly and inviting. The color sings clearly with a sharp, intelligent air, and unlike some purples, you’d never mistake it for a black on the page. There’s some shading north to south, and light areas add personality. A brassy sheen can be seen in splatters, but in writing it never really develops. Overall, this is a beautifully clean ink.

Pilot Iroshizuku - Murasaki-shikibu - Hints of sheen

The writing experience is pure pleasure. It’s wet and juicy, but well-behaved and dries quickly, too. Iroshizuku inks are reliable and consistent and live up to high expectations. On cheap copy paper, there can be a slight feather and bleed, but it’s fantastic on friendly papers. It’s a great writing ink.

Pilot Iroshizuku - Murasaki-shikibu - Ink swatch card

This isn’t the richest purple, or the cheapest ink per milliliter, but it definitely delivers! It’s a beautiful color, and it gives you exactly what you hope for and expect. Small bottle or large, I definitely recommend Murasaki-shikibu! There won’t be a time when I don’t have a bottle of this ink in my collection.

Pilot Iroshizuku - Murasaki-shikibu - 15ml ink bottle