Inzaishu gold leaf red Inkstick ( 朱墨・印材朱 )

Inzaishu takes its name from three characters: In (印), stamp, Zai (材), material, and Shu (朱), red — a name that points back to its original use, made from the traditional pigments associated with seal-inking and calligraphy work in vivid vermillion.

This small stick is made using traditional methods and carries gold leaf, which Kobaien uses for three reasons: it adds beauty to the finished ink, gold doesn't corrode or change chemically so it helps preserve the ink's quality over time, and calligraphers have long said that gold-leafed inksticks make it easier to draw smoother, softer lines — particularly suited to writing kuzushiji, Japan's flowing cursive script.

At just 11.8mm wide, 39mm long, 6.2mm thick, and 10 grams, it's a compact companion stick, easy to keep alongside a black inkstick for adding a signature, a seal-style accent, or a touch of red to a finished sumi-e or calligraphy piece.

A small, quietly luxurious detail from a workshop that treats even its smallest inksticks with the same craft as its largest.

W: 11.8mm L: 39mm T: 6.2mm Wgt:10gram