【奈良墨: 錦光園】 The Shoen Trilogy

Nara sumi ink boasts unwavering popularity due to its finely uniform, deep, lustrous, and beautiful sumi ink color, as well as its smooth writing and drawing experience. It's no wonder that over 90% of solid sumi ink used in Japan is produced in Nara Prefecture. Its history dates back to 806, when Kukai brought back the sumi ink manufacturing method from Tang China along with brushes and began producing it at Kofukuji Nitaibo for use in transcribing sutras and writing scriptures.

In Nara, Kinkoen continues to create high-quality solid sumi ink, hand-made one by one, preserving the tradition and the traditional manufacturing method. While protecting its 150-year history, Kinkoen is also attracting attention by pursuing new forms of sumi ink. 

This set features shoen sumi ink made from precious domestically produced shoen, pine soot.

Nara Sumi Ink made from pine soot: TENSHORYU
This pine soot sumi ink is a special piece made by Atsushi Nagano, the seventh-generation shokunin of KINKOEN in Nara, using pine soot produced by Masao Horiike, the only remaining pine soot shokunin in Japan. You can enjoy the deep black color and profound light shades unique to pure pine soot. It is finished as a beautiful Nara ink with a rare hexagonal shape and a dragon dancing across all sides.
Type: Pine soot sumi ink (松煙墨)
Size: approx. 23g

Nara Sumi Ink made from pine soot: KYUSHIEN
Carved deeply on the back, it depicts the playful antics of nine children, showcasing the skill of the ink mold artisan. This pine soot sumi ink stands as a premium example of craftsmanship and tradition.
SIZE: about 45g

Nara Sumi Ink made from pine soot: UKIN
Ukin offers a pleasant grinding feel. It produces good dark and light shades, with a subtle bluish tint in the light shade, giving the color a slightly youthful impression.
Type: Pine soot sumi ink (松煙墨)
Size: approx. 15g