Nagasawa Kobe Ink No.7 Strait Blue 海峽藍

There are TONS of Japanese blue fountain pen inks to choose from, which is saying nothing about the lovely offerings from Korea, Taiwan, and elsewhere. But this one, Nagasawa Kobe Kaikyo Blue, is special. It's very concentrated, shades ever so slightly with heavier nibs, and it has a reddish tint when applied thick. It's very well behaved in fountain pens, including fine nibs, and it doesn't smudge once it's dry. It's wonderful for drawing, and responds beautifully to a water brush pulling pigments out for shading. Highly recommend, even if you weren't a fan of other Kobe inks you might have tried. This one is special.

P.S. If you DO like this one, try Kobe Nagata Blue, which is grayer and behaves like a more luxurious version of Sailor Blue Black. If you want a more midnight blue ink that behaves similarly to Kaikyo Blue, try Sailor Shikiori Yonaga or Taccia Koiai Blue. Both of those smudge a bit on certain papers, though. If you've been writing with Diamine Oxford Blue, Denim Blue, or Midnight, Kaikyo Blue will be a wonderful step further up and further in.

I am using this ink in my Waterman Carene and think I may have found my favorite pen and ink pairing thus far! The ink is a beautiful dark blue that has some very nice copper-ish sheen from time to time. It has a very nice, wet flow and is simply a joy to use. Yoseka did a great job packaging the ink very securely for delivery. A great experience!

I bought a sample on a whim and wasn't even sure of the name of the ink. Once I figured out what I had, I loved the Kobe story, of course, but I love this blue even more. It has a bronze sheen that gives a richness to the blue, a sense of depth, that perfectly conveys the ocean in an unexpectedly deep place. I use this for my journaling because if flows so smoothly in my M nib TWISBI Eco Indigo. I put away the Diamine Midnight and won't look back.