Pilot iroshizuku Fountain Pen Ink Cartridge - Asa-gao

Pilot Iroshizuku Asa-gao Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges (Morning Glory)

Asa-gao means morning glory in Japanese, and Pilot has captured that flower's particular blue with real fidelity - cool-toned, bright, and saturated without veering into garish territory. It sits somewhere between a classic blue and a blue-purple, closer in spirit to a clear summer sky just after dawn than to a standard office ink.

There is subtle shading on fountain-pen-friendly papers, and those who write with a wet nib on Tomoe River paper will notice a faint reddish-copper sheen in heavier applications. 

On everyday papers it performs cleanly, with minimal feathering and a quick dry time of around 15 seconds - well-suited to most writing speeds and nib sizes.

This is not a new colour with an invented backstory. The morning glory has been a beloved summer motif in Japan for centuries, and Pilot's Iroshizuku range was built around that kind of considered, place-rooted inspiration. Iroshizuku itself is a compound of two Japanese words: iro (colouring) and shizuku (droplet). The line was designed to honour both the quality of the ink and the natural landscapes that give each shade its name.

What's in the box
Each pack contains six proprietary Pilot ink cartridges, each holding approximately 0.9 ml of ink. The outer packaging is modelled after the Iroshizuku glass bottle, with an inner tray that slides out and locks partway - a practical detail that keeps cartridges from spilling when you open the box mid-bag. Every cartridge is individually printed with the ink name, which is a small but telling touch of care from Pilot.

Compatibility
These are proprietary Pilot cartridges and fit most Pilot fountain pens, including the Vanishing Point, Custom 74, and Metropolitan. They are not compatible with standard international cartridges. If your pen accepts a Pilot CON series converter, it will also accept these cartridges.

Ink character at a glance

• Colour: cool blue with purple undertones 
• Dry time: approximately 15 seconds
• Shading: moderate
• Sheen:subtle reddish-copper on coated paper
• Water resistance: low
• Cleaning: straightforward - Iroshizuku inks are among the easiest to flush clean

Who it's for
Asa-gaoworks equally well for everyday writing and for those who simply want something a step above a standard blue. It is formal enough for correspondence and distinct enough to be worth using. Writers who favour journaling, note-taking, or document drafting will find it a reliable, characterful choice.