Compiled from 7 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo, or crimson glory vine, is a magenta fountain pen ink from Pilot of Japan, sold in a 50 ml (1.7 fl oz) glass bottle. It's a wet-flowing, water-based dye ink that dried in 15 to 20 seconds in reviewers' tests, shows a gold-green sheen where it pools and has low water resistance.
On this page10 sections
The 50 ml Yama-budo bottle, drawn in proportion, with a swab and its sheen.
Product facts
Product
Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo fountain pen ink, 50 ml bottle
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Notes on these facts
Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America. Made in Japan: Pilot's Japanese catalog lists the bottle with JAN 4902505380563, which carries Japan's 49 GS1 prefix (it shows where the code was registered), and the Iroshizuku inks are a Pilot Japan product line. We didn't find a country of origin printed on a Pilot page. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
Pilot's Japanese catalog lists the INK-50-YB bottle at 50 ml, 271 g and ¥2,200 (about US$14) including tax.
Goulet's smear test puts dry time at about 20 seconds; Mountain of Ink measured 15 seconds.
Goulet and Mountain of Ink both rate its water resistance low, and Goulet calls the flow wet.
It ranked 13th among Amazon's Bottled Pen Ink best sellers and 21st of Goulet's 891 bottled inks by sales on October 22, 2026.
Pilot has sold the Iroshizuku line since 2007; the bottle has a 19.3 mm (0.76 in) opening, per Goulet.
What is Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo?
It’s a deep magenta fountain pen ink from Pilot’s Iroshizuku line, named for the wild mountain grape. Pilot writes the name 山葡萄 and sells it in English as Crimson Glory Vine.
Pilot’s Japanese site says Iroshizuku went on sale in 2007 and now has 24 colors, each named after a Japanese scene or season. Our guides to Tsuki-yo and Kon-peki cover two of the others.
Yama-budo is one of the most bought: on October 22, 2026 it ranked 13th among Amazon’s Bottled Pen Ink best sellers and 21st of the 891 bottled inks Goulet sells, sorted by sales.
Iroshizuku Yama-budo specs
Spec
Value
Maker
Pilot Corporation, Japan
Code
INK-50-YB (Pilot Japan); item 69217 (Pilot USA)
Barcode
JAN 4902505380563
Bottle
50 ml (1.7 fl oz) glass
Bottle size
82 × 86 × 36 mm (3.2 × 3.4 × 1.4 in), per Pilot Japan
Weight
271 g (9.6 oz), per Pilot Japan
Bottle opening
19.3 mm (0.76 in), per Goulet
Ink type
Water-based dye (Pilot Japan)
Japan list price
¥2,200 (about US$14) including tax
Water resistance
Low (Goulet, Mountain of Ink)
Price band
$$$ ($20–75 per bottle)
Pilot’s 82 × 86 × 36 mm doesn’t match the round bottle, so we draw it in proportion, as on our other Iroshizuku covers. Goulet notes the conical dip in the bottom that helps a nib reach the last of the ink.
Fills per 50 ml bottle (bottle ÷ capacity), with Yama-budo's sourced properties.
How does Yama-budo write?
Wet, saturated and evenly colored, with a sheen only where the ink pools. Goulet rates its saturation high, its flow wet, and says there’s little difference between a light and a heavy swab.
Mountain of Ink rates shading and sheen as medium and saw a little bright green sheen in large swabs; Goulet describes the sheen as gold-ish. In normal writing with a fine nib, expect a clean magenta line rather than a shimmer. A coated, slow-absorbing paper such as Tomoe River brings out more of it.
How fast does Iroshizuku Yama-budo dry, and is it water resistant?
It dries in about 15 to 20 seconds on good paper and isn’t water resistant. Goulet’s smear test found most lines dry within 20 seconds, with heavy spots taking longer; Mountain of Ink measured 15 seconds.
Both reviewers rate water resistance low. Goulet says a few faint lines may survive water, which makes the ink good for ink-wash drawing but poor for envelopes.
How does Yama-budo compare with Poussière de Lune?
Yama-budo is brighter and pinker; J. Herbin’s Poussière de Lune is a dusty, darker purple that dries more slowly.
Yama-budo
Poussière de Lune
Color
Magenta, fuchsia
Dusty plum purple
Bottle
50 ml glass
30 ml glass (also 10 and 100 ml)
Dry time
15–20 s
30 s or more (Goulet)
Sheen
Gold-green where pooled
Almost none
Price band
$$$
$$
Which paper and pens suit Yama-budo?
Fountain pen paper and any pen you rinse regularly. Mountain of Ink saw feathering with every nib size on 24 lb copy paper, so pair the ink with a fine nib if you must write on cheap paper.
Goulet found it easy to flush from a LAMY pen and converter, but warns it may stain a clear demonstrator if left in for a long time. A 50 ml bottle is about 62 fills of a 0.8 ml converter.
Where is Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo made?
It’s a Pilot Japan product. Pilot’s Japanese catalog lists the 50 ml bottle with a barcode registered in Japan, but none of the pages we read prints a country of origin.
Pilot’s Japanese list price is ¥2,200 (about US$14) with tax, or ¥2,000 (about US$13) before tax. US retail is higher, which puts it in our $$$ band.
Frequently asked questions
What color is Iroshizuku Yama-budo?
A deep magenta. Goulet calls it dark magenta, Mountain of Ink a bright fuchsia purple, and Goulet's own color filter files it under pink.
What does Yama-budo mean?
Mountain grape (山葡萄), a wild vine of Japan's hills. Pilot sells it in English as Crimson Glory Vine.
Does Yama-budo sheen?
Yes, where the ink pools. Goulet saw a gold-ish sheen in heavy areas and Mountain of Ink a little bright green sheen in large swabs; ordinary writing lines rarely show it.
Is Iroshizuku Yama-budo waterproof?
No. Goulet says only a few faint lines may remain after water, and Mountain of Ink rates water resistance low.
Will Yama-budo stain a demonstrator pen?
Goulet found it easy to clean from a LAMY pen and converter but says it may stain if left in a clear demonstrator for a long time.
How much does Iroshizuku Yama-budo cost in Japan?
Pilot's Japanese list price is ¥2,200 (about US$14) including tax, or ¥2,000 (about US$13) before tax, per 50 ml bottle. In the US it sits in our $$$ band, $20–75.
Is Yama-budo good for copy paper?
Not really. Mountain of Ink saw feathering with every nib size on 24 lb copy paper, so use a fine nib or fountain pen paper.
Is Pilot Iroshizuku ink made in Japan?
Yes, it's a Pilot Japan product: Pilot's Japanese catalog lists the bottle with a barcode registered in Japan, though the page doesn't print a country of origin.
