I'm Minista, a creator of inspiring suzuri (inkstones). I make inkstones that make grinding ink enjoyable and make writing and painting even more fun. This is an inkstone I highly recommend. I've already sold over 50 of these inkstones, and they've received excellent reviews from users. They're suitable for kana (Japanese syllabary), sumi-e (ink wash painting), and kanji (Chinese characters). If you're unfamiliar with inkstones, or only know about things like the Duan inkstone, and you're wondering about Japanese inkstones, this is perfect for you. Even if you've used Ogatsu inkstones or other Japanese inkstones before, this is the inkstone I recommend most. You'll find it to be a completely different experience. You'll understand how misleading the information about Japanese inkstones in old books and popular opinions can be. An inkstone is not just a stone; it's a craft item made using stone. This is a new inkstone, but it's an Ogatsu inkstone that has been tuned by Minista (by reshaping the ink well and ink surface to enhance the inkstone's performance). The back of the inkstone is engraved with "Ogatsu Namiita Stone, Hiroyuki." This inkstone uses stone from the Namiita area of Ogatsu, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, and was made by Hiroyuki Endo, an Ogatsu inkstone craftsman. It's an inkstone sourced directly from the Endo Suzuri Museum, and comes with a booklet from the Endo Suzuri Museum. (Supporting the production area inkstone. See below for details.) It's a wide inkstone, making it easy to grind ink. It has excellent ink release and color, and the ink spreads well. You'll enjoy grinding ink with it. It can be used for both dark and light ink, and allows you to write beautiful lines. It works well with both oil soot ink and pine soot ink. It's suitable for kana (up to full-size paper), kanji (up to half-size paper), and sumi-e. Size: 13.5 x 9.3 x 2.3 cm Weight: 615g * If you purchase ink with the inkstone, you'll receive a 300 yen discount per ink stick. * All shipments use Mercari shipping, which includes shipping insurance. #Minista Inkstones (Inspiring Inkstones) ↑ Click here to see a list of inkstones. Check "Show only items for sale" for easier viewing. Supporting the Production Area Inkstone: Inkstones sourced directly from the production area are called "Supporting the Production Area Inkstones." The purpose is to support the production area and craftsmen through the sale of new inkstones. Inkstone Tuning: Improving the performance of ink release, ink color, ink spread, ink dispersion, and the feel of grinding ink to enable better calligraphy and painting. Users often say they feel like they've improved their skills. Ink consumption will be reduced to about 2/3 to 1/2. Calligraphy Calligraphy Tools Suzuri (inkstone) Kana Kanji Sutra copying Japanese painting Sumi-e (ink wash painting) Japanese inkstone Brush Ink Paper