【KISHU】IKIMATSU, good for calligraghy and sumie painting

In 2022, an important event in the history of Japanese pine soot (shōen) took place when a bundle of Kishu Ikimatsu Shōen, a pine soot raw material produced in the Showa era, was discovered in Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture.

Ikimatsu Shōen is soot obtained by burning pinewood that has been naturally exuding resin due to intentional scoring. It was once known as a specialty product of Kishu. However, in 1958, Shinji Shoten, a pine soot wholesaler that had been in business for four generations over 100 years in Tanabe City, closed its doors. The fourth-generation owner, the late Keiichiro Suzuki, used all the remaining pine soot he had preserved as historical material to create 200 commemorative sumi ink sticks, marking the end of its legacy.

Since then, it was believed that no pine soot from that era remained. However, the fifth-generation successor discovered a bundle of soot stored in the family warehouse. The moment of its unveiling was featured prominently on the front page of the Kii Minpo, a local newspaper.

This rare and precious soot was entrusted to Mr. Horiike of Kishu Shōen, Japan’s only remaining pine soot shokunin, who continues the tradition of making pine soot in Kishu. "IKIMATSU Shōen Kishu Sumi" is a sumi ink made from this rediscovered pine soot.

The soot, aged for 65 years, had developed a beautifully rich and moist texture due to its long maturation. However, since it was crafted into sumi ink in 2022, it is still relatively young as a solid ink, allowing users to experience the joy of nurturing its qualities over time.

<Product details>
W 3.4cm × H 1.2cm × L 7cm (3-chō size)