💗💚~~Hello, this is Tea Ceremony and Calligraphy Shop Waplus Nara~~💚💗

Welcome to Tea Ceremony and Calligraphy Shop Waplus Nara.
Today, we would like to introduce how to rub ink.

 

Start with a coin-sized amount of water.

So, what exactly is the correct method? This is where the main point comes in.

First, drop water onto the mound of the inkstone (the flat part where you grind the ink). The amount of water at this stage is the most important “secret.” You absolutely do not need enough water to fill the inkstone. All you need is a very small amount, about the size of a 500-yen coin.

Yes, that’s all you need. Starting with this tiny amount of water is the biggest secret to making concentrated ink in a short time.

② Grind continuously for about 5 minutes until it becomes sticky.

After dropping the coin-sized amount of water, simply grind continuously. The goal here is to grind the ink until it becomes sticky, making it as concentrated as possible.

Because of the small amount of water, the ink will become concentrated surprisingly quickly. This process takes only about 5 minutes. You’ll feel like it was a lie that it used to take tens of minutes.

Incidentally, there are various theories about how to grind the ink, such as “grinding it in a ‘no’ shape is best” or “no, you should grind it vertically,” but either method is perfectly fine. Just focus on making it as dark as possible using the method that’s easiest for you.

③ The ink is ready when you get a “gentle” scent.

Even if you’re told to grind it “until it becomes sticky,” it’s hard to know when to stop, right? Actually, there’s a sign that the ink itself gives you that perfect timing. That’s the “scent.”

If you continue grinding the ink mindlessly, there will come a moment when you feel the scent of the fragrance contained in the ink “gently” rising up. This is the ink telling us, “That’s enough.”

Communicating with the tool and sensing completion with all five senses—this is one of the true pleasures of grinding ink.

④ Reverse your thinking. Diluting After Creating a Concentrated Solution
Now, having received the signal from the aroma, a highly viscous ink concentrate—what could be called “ultra-ultra-super concentrated ink”—is complete on the hill. Of course, it’s too thick to write with as is.
From here, water is added little by little to the sea of ​​ink on the inkstone, dissolving this concentrated ink and adjusting it to the desired consistency for the artwork you want to create.
The core of this method lies in the reversal of thinking.
“This isn’t a method of gradually increasing the concentration from the beginning. First, you create an extremely concentrated, super-rich ink concentrate. Then, you dilute it with water to create your desired ink solution. It’s the complete opposite method. This is the correct way to grind ink.”
In other words, instead of “gradually increasing the concentration from a weak state,” the correct approach is to “create an extremely concentrated concentrate from the start, and then adjust it by diluting it with water.” Just like dissolving paint in water, the key is to think of it as starting with the “concentrate.”
However, caution is needed when adding water. Adding too much water at once will dilute the concentrated ink you’ve carefully prepared. Add water gradually and carefully, finding the optimal concentration.

⑤ After grinding, carefully wipe the moisture from the grinding surface with a cloth or paper, clean it, and then store it properly in a paulownia wood box.

 

If you are interested in calligraphy, please visit our shop “Waplus Nara”. We also recommend experiencing traditional Japanese calligraphy while wearing a kimono👘You can enjoy calligraphy experience at Waplus JR Nara shop!