Sumi no Kaya inkstick ( 墨の香や ) Kobaien Japan

A wonderful ink stick made from the smoke of the finest canola oil with ultra-fine particles.

Natsum Soseki,  a Japanese novelist active from the late 19th to the early 20th century, wrote a haiku about Kobaien. He sent the haiku to his friend Masaoka Shiki, a haiku poet.

Natsum Soseki

Masaoka Shiki

The haiku is shown on the front of this sumi inkstick. On its reverse side is the plum blossoms of Kobaien.

墨の香や 
( "Sumi no Ka ya", Oh, I sense the scent of sumi ink.)

奈良の都の 
( "Nara no Miyako no", It represents the ancient capital, Nara.)

古梅園
( "Kobaien", That is what Kobaien is all about. )

漱石
( "Soseki", the signature of Natsume Soseki ) 

The plum tree in Kobaien, Nara, Japan

Width: 86 mm Length: 86 mm Thickness: 17 mm Weight:90.1 grams ( inkstick only ), 155.8 grams ( inclucing paulownia wood box )

墨の ( Sumi no : Of Sumi ink )

香や ( Ka ya: Oh it's the scent )