Sailor - Yurameku - Kyokuya

Sailor - Kyokuya - Ink drop

Very interesting! This is the first ink in Sailor’s Yurameku series that I’ve tried, and it’s captivating as you use it! Yurameku means shimmering or flickering, as in a shift from one visual state to another, and I think that’s a pretty good description. The colors you find shift quickly from the moment the ink hits the page. They shift significantly from wet to dry, from paper to paper, and from nib size to nib size, too.

Sailor - Kyokuya fountain pen ink color range

This is Kyokuya which means polar night, and there are hints of the shifting aurora borealis in this ink. Kyokuya is the second darkest in the nine inks originally released in early 2022 (they since released another five in the series), and I think the color shifts would be even greater in many of the others.

Ink Swatches on Cosmo Air Light and Tomoe River

The chromatography shown with the ink swatch card is a feral riot of color, and the wild changes a you see are reflected in the shifting changes and variations in the ink in use. At its base, Kyokuya is a forest green often blended with a strong earthy brown influence. Papers like Cosmo Air Light give a cooler result with less of the browns, while Tomoe River brings out warmer, more organic brown-green influences. Each brand of paper (I used six for testing) seems to produce something a bit different from the others.

Really interesting in the fude nib on Cosmo Air Snow paper

Wet, there’s a berry purple in places, and hints of violet. In a water wash, those colors remain in saturated areas, but as it dries in normal use, you find it relaxes into some form of forest green with subtle extras. There’s very nice shading on coated papers, which show off the hidden secrets, and a strong stroke edge, too. You may even find a bit of bronze sheening on some papers.

Sailor Yurameku Kyokuya writing samples

Writng performance is excellent. You can be confident in finding crisp, slean strokes, and average drying times. Water brings out a rainbow of color, but overall, this is a fairly water-resistant ink, too.

Sailor - Kyokuya - Wild Chromatography!

Kyokuya is a really fun ink, and the Yurameku series looks to be a lot of fun all the way through. I’m not sure Kyokuya would be my first choice, but it’s a lovely ink. However, the one big (and maybe only) drawback to the Yurameku series is the price. It’s US$20 for a 20 ml bottle at most online retailers. and that’s asking a lot! (In Japan, it’s only US$11!) At 30 ml, or at $15, I wouldn’t complain, but for 20 ml, it’s a bit insulting.

I like Kyokuya, and the others in the series look really interesting. I think they’re worth exploring, but choose wisely, or be prepared for to spend!

Sailor Yurameku Kyokuya - Comparisons

Special thanks to Maria at www.inksinspiration.com for sending me this interesting ink! Check out her website!

Sailor Yurameku Kyokuya - 20 ml Bottle