Iroshizuku Yama-Budo

Pilot Iroshizuku - Yama-budo - Ink drop

One of my all-time favorites, Iroshizuku Yama-budo is bold and beautiful aggressively beautiful! Yama-budo literally translates as “mountain grape”. It’s named after the Japanese word for a grape-bearing vine (also known as Crimson Glory in English) that cycles through a variety of reds and purples throughout the seasons. Like a tart grape, this ink is an aggressive burst of color on the page.

Pilot Iroshizuku - Yama-budo - Variation and sheen

Iroshizuku inks are consistent, high-quality pleasures, and the bottle is an elegant work of art. Yama-budo dries quickly, produces well-defined strokes, and in juicy application reveals a gorgeous green-gold shimmer. I ‘ve read stories of people having problems with some Iroshizuku inks in vintage pens. I don’t have many vintage pens and haven’t tested, but I have never experienced such issues in newer pens. It’s probably a good idea to not tempt fate, and stick to non-vintage pens. (Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo is the first ink I reach for when testing a new pen, and I don’t hesitate to use it in vintage pens.)

Pilot Iroshizuku - Yama-budo - Strokes on Rhodia

Yama-budo is a happy day, feel-good ink, and the rich, pure color complements a much wider variety of pens than one might first imagine. If you don’t have it, please give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Pilot Iroshizuku - Yama-budo - Ink swatch card

Pilot Iroshizuku - Yama-budo - Ink bottle and box