Saishiki means ‘coloring,’ and this affordable ink is perfect for adding color to your writing, drawing, or brush sketches. The water-based dye formula is safe for all pens, nibs, and brushes, and it offers the intense brightness and transparency that’s only possible with dyes.

Saishikimeans ‘coloring,’ and this affordable ink is perfect for adding color to your writing, drawing, or brush sketches. The water-based dye formula is safe for all pens, nibs, and brushes, and it offers the intense brightness and transparency that’s only possible with dyes. You can dilute Saishiki inks with water or apply them wet-on-wet; the wash effects are lovely and surprising, since dye travels through water more quickly than pigment.

We love the box & bottle design for these petite, 12 mL bottles of color. Perfect for filling converter pens, drawing with dip pens, and even for color mixing. That means you can concoct your own fountain-pen-safe colors, which is a rarity in the world of ink.

Made in Japan.

A note on Teranishi’s Guitar Brand: Teranishi’s first product was a writing ink called ‘Guitar Ink,’ and I am sorry to tell you that the reason for this name is not known. Teranishi’s corporate history notes that guitars were a popular instrument in the Philippines (a key export market for the young company), but there’s no definite reason why Teranishi decided to associate its inks with guitars.

Regardless, both Teranishi and its Guitar Brand have endured for over a century, from the optimism of the Taisho period through the turmoil of war and the development of Japan as a major economic and cultural power.