Last Updated on : April 4th, 2026

When you hear the word “inkstone,” what's the first impression that comes to mind?

For many people, the image of an inkstone might be a black, square stone with a dent at the front. However, at PIGMENT TOKYO, we have a wide variety of inkstones with different colors, shapes and sizes. In this article, Mr. Iwaizumi shares essential knowledge about inkstones, from the basics to what makes each one unique.

Types of Inkstones

―PIGMENT TOKYO carries a wide variety of inkstones, including black, graphite, green, and  white ones, each available in different shapes. Roughly how many types can these inkstones be categorized into?

First, there are the “Two Great Inkstones” called Tankeiken (端渓硯, Duan Inkstones) and Kyujuken (歙州硯, She Inkstones). Adding to these two inkstones, when it comes to the “Four Great Inkstones,” Chodeiken (澄泥硯, Clay Inkstone) and either Togaryokuseki (洮河緑石, Taohe Green Inkstone) or Shokakoryokuseki (松花江緑石, Songhuajiang Green Inkstone) are included.

―Well, there are several ways of categorizing.

Yes. There are various theories about the Four Great Inkstones, but because of the limitation in the amount of mining, Tankeiken (Duan Inkstones) and Kyujuken (She Inkstones) are the most popular ones. Chodeiken (Clay Inkstone) and Togaryokuseki (Taohe Green Stone), on the other hand, are not so common as the mining area was unknown for so long and the information about its production process is less available today. Also, in terms of the quality, Tankeiken (Duan Inkstones) and Kyujuken (She Inkstones) generally have better quality, which is the reason why PIGMENT TOKYO recommends these Two Great Inkstones.

―I see. Could you tell us the characteristics of the Tankeiken (Duan Inkstones) and Kyujuken (She Inkstones)?
This might sound a bit abstract, but let's put it this way, imagine Tankeiken as feminine, while Kyujuken as masculine. That is because of the different texture when you touch each stone; Tankeiken is very smooth while Kyujuken is rough. It is probably due to this contrast of surface texture that such metaphors have been used.

What is Chinese Inkstone made of?

―Where are these inkstones mined?
The inkstones sold at PIGMENT TOKYO are all mined in China, and they are usually named after the place of production. For example, Tankeiken is named after the former name for Xi River, which is located around Zhaoqing City of Guangdong Province.  Kyujuken refers to the name of the province that once existed in China. Therefore, the name of the inkstones is mostly derived from the place where it was mined.

―I see, that makes sense.

However, because of the depletion of resources, it gets harder to mine these stones. There's one time when I visited a store in China, there was an inkstone that had a similar quality to Kyujuken.　I asked the craftsman about its name and he said, “ We call it the School-Backyard Inkstone because it was mined in a backyard of the school.” This incident literally shows how the name relates to the production place.

―Are there any differences betweenTankeiken (Duan Inkstones)  and Kyujuken (She Inkstones)?

Yes. Just like there are many parts in beef and pork such as loin and sirloin, each stone has various parts. Take this Shirotanken (white inkstone), for example, can you guess what it is made from?

―I have no idea. Is this some special stone that is suitable for the inkstones?
From a viewpoint of a composition, this is made from marble. Therefore, the marbles in Carrara in Toscana can also be inkstones. In this case, the name is probably going to be “Carrara Inkstone”. We do not know it yet, but there might be similar stones as Tankeiken and Kyujuken not only in Italy but also in France.

https://pixabay.com/photo-3342518/

Japanese Inkstones

―I heard that there are famous areas producing inkstones in Japan, too. Where are they?
There are Nachiguro from Wakayama prefecture; Ogatsu inkstone from Sendai prefecture, Akama from Yamaguchi prefecture and the most famous one is Amehata Inkstone (雨畑硯) from Yamanashi prefecture.

Although, the Amehata Inkstone is generally written as 雨畑硯, only the pieces crafted by the Amamiya family (雨宮家) are written as 雨端硯 . Only their inkstones are permitted to bear this name.

―I see that there are various inkstones in Japan, but why are there no Japanese inkstones in PIGMENT TOKYO?

There are many high quality inkstones in Japan. However, I believe that there is nothing like Chinese inkstones that can make the best of sumi color. Of course, there are many great ones including Amahada Inkstone, but I personally recommend the ones from China.

―Are there any reasons?

There are various areas from north to south in China. The biggest strength of Chinese inkstones is its vast area and wide range of the quality in stones. China is the best in the technique of mining inkstone as well. I will talk about these attractions of Chinese inkstones in the next article.

Choosing the Right Inkstone: Tips for Sumi Ink Compatibility

―All right. Lastly, PIGMENT TOKYO has a variety of inkstones and sumi ink sticks. Are there any  good compatibility with ink sticks and inkstones?
There are various kinds of inkstones and sumi ink sticks, so we cannot generalize them. Roughly speaking, it is said that Tankeiken is compatible with lamp soot ink and Kyujuken is compatible with pine soot ink. However, these also differ depending on the condition of the inkstone and the quality of the sumi inksticks.

―I see. Is there anything we should be careful about?

There is a certain principle in ideal hardness of sumi ink sticks and inkstones. First, the hardest one should be a grindstone. In order to polish, inkstones must be softer than the grindstone. Next, sumi ink sticks should be softer than the inkstones because the surface of the inkstone can be damaged if the ink sticks are harder.

People Also Read

―Does each ink stick also have different hardness?
Generally, Chinese ink sticks are harder and Japanese ink sticks are softer. Among them, Chinese burnt pine ink is the hardest, followed by the Chinese lamp soot ink. Following them are the Japanese burnt pine ink and Japanese lamp soot ink. Therefore, in terms of keeping the inkstones longer, if you rub the old burnt pine ink onto the soft inkstone, it might be damaged. This rule might be helpful when you want to buy sumi ink.

We invite you to visit our store and experience the unique qualities and beauty of these artistic tools firsthand. At PIGMENT TOKYO, why not take the first step into the profound and captivating world of inkstones and ink sticks?

Art Materials Expert at PIGMENT TOKYO

Akira Oya

Born in 1989 in Tokyo. Master of Fine Art and Design at Nihon University College of Art.

He also continues his career as a visual artist.

Born in 1989 in Tokyo. Master of Fine Art and Design at Nihon University College of Art.

He also continues his career as a visual artist.