Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo: Fountain Pen Ink Review

Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo examples on a table

Pilot's Iroshizuku line is filled with classic colors and Tsuki-yo is one of the best! Translating to "moonlit night" you can see the where the dark blue coloration gets its inspiration. Read our review of this charming ink below.

Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo examples on Rhodia Paper

Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo examples on Tomoe River paper

Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo examples on Leuchtturm1917

Ink Review

Supplies Used:

LAMY AL-star with medium steel nib
Rhodia No. 16 dot pad, 80g white paper
Tomoé River 52 gsm white paper
Leuchtturm1917 80g notebook

Smear Test (Dry Time):

15 seconds – A solid middle-of-the-road dry time and consistent with most of the Iroshizuku line; this ink shouldn't cause you any issues with speed.

Drip Test (Water Resistance):

Low – While it isn't waterproof, the ink is dark enough to survive some mild water application. That speaks to the saturation!

Saturation:

High – This is one of the darker blue inks in this line up and it definitely has the saturation you expect. With the right paper and nib, subtle dark red sheen can be coaxed out.

Ease of Cleaning:

Easy – No issues with any Pilot ink as far as cleaning goes. This might take a bit longer due to the saturation but it's still well within the "easy" category.

Shading:

Low – You can coax some mild shading out of this ink but it's really not one of the most noticeable. Darker inks usually don't shade as well and this one is a great example

Flow:

High – Flow is excellent on this ink and it's closer to the wet side than not. It's not out of control though so it provides a very consistent feel.

Packaging and Aesthetics:

The Iroshizuku bottles have some of the best presentation in the industry. A testament to artful craftsmanship, it features classical Japanese shapes, and serves as an elegant desk piece. With its iconic logo, transparent glass, and ergonomic design, the Iroshizuku bottle seamlessly combines aesthetics with functionality, elevating each refilling session.

If you're interested in similar colors, check out our Swab Shop where you can compare colors side by side.

Summary:

Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo is a pleasing blue ink with great performance. It's middle-of-the-road characteristics make it a great daily ink, and as an ink that you can always rely on. Like the rest of the Iroshizuku line, this ink is a bit on the wet side, so it's good with a variety of nib sizes, and while well saturated, you can still tell the ink has a rich dark blue color. We recommend you try this ink out for yourself!