Kyo No Oto - Imayouiro

Kyo No Oto - Imayouiro - Ink drop

To me, Kyoto TAG colors generally tend to bridge the gap between traditional and modern. Being both pure and potent, yet muted, they have a distinctive, timeless beauty like a watercolor paint. Imayou translates as “modern or contemporary style” and iro as “color”, and this is the first hint that this ink stands out in its vibrancy from most of the TAG lineup.

Kyo No Oto - Imayouiro - Cosmo Air Light

Imayouiro is a bold, brash pink. Depending on the nib and paper, you’ll find it ranges from a mostly stable and pure, electric magenta pink to a spectacular shading ink with huge shifts and variety from light to dark. High quality papers and nibs low to medium in wetness bring out the best of its shading, and I can’t recommend that combination enough for this ink.

Kyo No Oto - Imayouiro - Tomoe River

In writing experience, Kyoto TAG inks are often fairly dry. I’d place Imayouiro in the middle of their range in terms of dryness. I use them as they come, but some will want to add a drop of lubricant to give it their favored feel. I’m a fan of their inks, and you shouldn’t avoid them if you haven’t given them a try.

Kyo No Oto - Imayouiro - Cosmo Air Snow

Drying times averaged 15-20 seconds on coated papers and much quicker on uncoated. With a color this intense, I expected showthrough and bleed to be an issue, but surprisingly, there is very little on good quality papers. You also don’t need to worry about feather or spread, but that’s normal with TAG inks.

Kyo No Oto - Imayouiro - Writing Samples

Like all of the inks in TAG’s Kyo-No-Oto and Kyo Iro series, Imayouiro comes in a very nice 40 ml bottle. TAG’s packaging is beautifully restrained and sophisticated in design aesthetic. You can find them available at many online retailers.

Kyo No Oto - Imayouiro - Swatch Card

Colors like Imayouiro leave few in the middle, and you’ll probably either really like it or find it a bit too much. If you like bold pinks and the feel of TAG inks, this is an ink you’ll enjoy. There aren’t many vibrant inks in their collections, and with the right nib and paper combination, the shading here is hard to match! LAMY’s Vibrant Pink is close in color, but the Imayouiro’s shading makes this a very attractive alternative.

Kyo No Oto - Imayouiro - Comparisons

Kyo No Oto - Imayouiro - 40 ml Bottle and Box