Sailor Shikiori Ink Bottle (Yonaga - 20ML) 13-1008-219

Sailor Shikiori Ink Bottle (Yonaga - 20ML) 13-1008-219

Sailor Shikiori “Yonaga” — 20?mL Ink (13?1008?219)

Inspiration & Naming

The Shikiori line (???, “Four Seasons Weaving”) from Sailor is designed to capture seasonal moods, landscapes, and subtle color impressions drawn from nature across Japan. 

“Yonaga” (??) literally means “long night,” often used in Japanese to refer to the long, quiet nights of late autumn. The idea is to evoke a deep, contemplative nocturnal tone — the kind of blue you might sense in a still, moon?dimmed sky. 

Thus, Yonaga is imagined as a dark, night?blue (bordering on blue?black) with shading depth and subtle character. 

Color & Visual Behavior

• Dominant Hue / Tone:
  Yonaga is described as a dark blue or navy / midnight blue shade — deep, rich, and leaning toward “blue?black.” 
  It is also sometimes referred to in listings as “night blue” invoking “autumn long night.” 

• Shading & Nuance:
  The ink shows medium shading — lighter and darker areas become visible depending on pen, nib, paper, and ink concentration. 
  In some heavier strokes or saturated areas, the depth of blue can approach near?black, giving a strong contrast. 

• Sheen / Secondary Effects:
  Yonaga is listed as no shimmer (i.e. no glittery particles) but sheen (reflective color overlays) is possible in dense pools or heavy strokes. 
  Some users have observed a faint green halo or greenish sheen in certain contexts (especially in broad strokes) in addition to the deep blue base. 

• Water / Light Behavior:
  Yonaga is not water?resistant — exposure to water will fade or wash parts of the ink. 
  Given its dark base color, smudging or feathering under heavy water exposure may leave faint traces of hue. 

Physical & Packaging Details

• Volume / Capacity: 20?mL of dye?based, water?based ink. 

• Ink Type: Dye ink, non?pigmented (safe for standard fountain pens) 

• Bottle Dimensions: 34 × 34 × 58?mm (width × depth × height) for the glass bottle. 

• Packaging / Box: Ships in a paperboard box ~?37.5 × 37.5 × 61?mm. 

• Weight (bottle + ink): ~?94.0?g (empty bottle spec) 

• Barcode / EAN: 49?01680?18479?9 for Yonaga. 

• Availability Note: The Shikiori Japanese Fairy Tale (Four Seasons) line is noted as being discontinued (or with some colors discontinued) on Sailor’s English site. 

Writing Performance & Behavior

• Flow / Wetness:
  Yonaga is generally reported to be a wet, smooth flowing ink. 
  One user noted “the smoothest ink I have ever used,” though this wetness does come at the cost of slow drying. 

• Dry Time & Start-up:
  Because of its wet nature, dry times are longer. One user measured a broad nib on Tomoe River took ~45?seconds to dry. 
  In normal writing with finer nibs or less saturation, dry time will be less, but may still feel slower than more drier inks.
  Start?up and hard start issues are not commonly reported for Yonaga — it tends to write reliably once primed.

• Feathering / Bleed / Show-through:
  On good, fountain?pen?friendly paper, Yonaga is well-behaved — minimal feathering. 
  On more absorbent or lower quality paper, show-through or minor bleed may occur (especially in heavier strokes).
  Some users report noticeable show-through even on high quality paper with broad nibs because of its wetness. 

• Staining / Cleanability:
  The ink is relatively easy to clean out, without heavy staining on pens per community reports. 

• Behavior under Water:
  In tests, the color fades, but the trace of the text may remain legible — so partial wash effects. 

• User Perception & Use Cases:
  Yonaga is often likened to Iroshizuku Shin?kai in depth (but slightly greener) in terms of dark blue character. 
  Because it is quite dark, it is usable in many contexts (even formal) as a blue?black alternative. 

Aesthetic Appeal & Use Suggestions

• Mood & Character:
  Yonaga conjures a meditative, nocturnal atmosphere — ideal for journal entries, reflection, evening writing, or creative contexts where deep ink character is desired.

• Best Pen / Nib Pairing:
  Broader, wetter nibs will allow more of the shading / subtle secondary tones to appear. Fine nibs will produce a more stable, darker line with less variation.

• Paper Recommendations:
  Use quality paper (Tomoe River, Rhodia, Clairefontaine, etc.) to capture shading and reduce bleed/show-through.

• Flow & Drying Trade-off:
  Because Yonaga is on the wetter side, consider nib / flow adjustments if you frequently write rapidly or on non-ideal paper.

• Ink Comparison:
  For users familiar with other dark blues, Yonaga occupies space between pure blue and blue-black, with slight depth and moodiness. It is darker than many blue inks but with more tonal variation than a flat black.