Utsunomiya INK - Wakatake Green
Utsunomiya INK Wakatake Green - Ink drop
I don’t immediately reach for simple emerald green inks. I love a good green, but there’s something predictable in the standard blue, red, and green that many basic ball pens typically offer. The wonderful world of fountain pen inks lets me refine and experiment with colors to find the ones that I really want to conspire with at any particular moment.
Wakatake Green is part of the 5-color Utsunomiya INK series made by Sailor for Ueno Stationery (Ue Bun) based in Utsunomiya City, Tochigi prefecture, Japan. This is definitely not a simple emerald green. It deceptively starts there, but I quickly realized there was more to the story.
Ink Swatches on Cosmo Air Light and Tomoe River
Wakatake Green has many of the friendly qualities of some emerald greens, but there is a leafy complexity that I find very appealing. You sense that the color is based in the plant world rather than the static quiet of the mineral. In shading, and this is a nice shading ink, the contrasts parallel the visible differences between the tops and undersides of leaves as they twist in the wind. The ink was inspired by the enormous bamboo groves of the 24-hectare Wakatake Farm in Utsunomiya. The ink really brings it to life!
Ink Swatches on Takasago Bank and Iroful Paper
The Utsunomiya inks are made by Sailor. In both performance and writing experience this ink thrives. Strokes have a very clean, dark edging which makes them pop. There is no feathering or spreading to break the illusion. Drying times were average or better on all papers tested. This ink performs very well.
Utsunomiya INK Wakatake Green writing sample on Cosmo Air Snow paper
Wakatake Green, like the other Utsonomiya inks, comes in Sailor’s 50 ML manyo bottle. It’s one of my favorites. You can find them at the official www.uebunstore.com website or through Ueno’s Rakuten store. At JPY2,200 (approximately USD$13-$14), the prices are nice, and both stores offer international shipping. Enjoy!
Utsunomiya INK Wakatake Green ink swatch card
Utsunomiya INK Wakatake Green comparisons
Utsunomiya INK Wakatake Green 50 ml bottle