I am Minista, a creator of inspiring suzuri (inkstones). I create inkstones that make writing and painting more enjoyable, and make the time spent grinding ink a pleasure. This is a Tuned Minista-style inkstone (reworking the ink well and ink surface to improve the inkstone's performance) made from Endei stone. It is an old Endei stone, beautifully crafted with a fine design. It is an "sashite suzuri" (inkstone with a handle), and features a design of a dragon ascending (the "Toryumon" legend, where a carp ascends a rapid to become a dragon, symbolizing success). It allows for writing kana with flowing lines and beautiful blurring effects. It allows for painting sumi-e with outstanding three-dimensionality and depth. It can express from dark to light ink shades. It allows for writing kanji with three-dimensional lines and varying degrees of ink bleeding. It works well with both pine soot ink (blue ink) and oil soot ink (brown ink), producing beautiful, transparent ink colors. This is especially noticeable in the gradations, blurring, and bleeding. The ink grinds smoothly and feels pleasant, and the ink descends quickly for excellent ink release. You can use it for both dark and light inks, and I think you can write good lines. Size: 19.1 x 12.6 x 3.1 cm Weight: Over 1kg * The wood is in good condition, but there is a crack in the bottom box. * If you purchase ink with the inkstone, we offer a 300 yen discount per ink stick. * All shipments use Mercari shipping with transportation insurance. * If you purchase ink with the inkstone, we offer a 300 yen discount per ink stick. * All shipments use Mercari shipping with transportation insurance. #Minista Inkstones (Inspiring Inkstones) ↑ Click here for a list of inkstones. It's easier to see if you check "Only items on sale." Inkstone Tuning: This is the process of improving the performance of ink release, ink color, ink flow, ink dispersion, and the feel of grinding ink, so that you can write and paint better. People often say that they feel like they have improved their writing and painting skills. Ink consumption will be reduced to about 2/3 to 1/2. Calligraphy Calligraphy tools Suzuri Inkstone Kana Hiragana Kanji Japanese painting Sumi-e Ink painting Letter art Endei stone Kyoshu stone Chinese inkstone Brush Ink Inkstone Paper