The History of Japanese Ink

The Introduction of Ink to Japan and the History of Japanese Ink

The introduction of ink to Japan is said, according to one theory, to have coincided with the introduction of writing. As indicated by the gold seal of the "Kan-Wa Kingdom," it is believed that people in the Han dynasty were familiar with writing and ink at that time. The "Records of the Wei" (Wei Zhi: Wajinden) mention that in 239, Himiko sent envoys to Luoyang in Wei with a personal letter, and the "Book of Jin" and "Book of Song" mention that the Five Kings of Wa (San, Chin, Sai, Ko, and Bu) also sent letters with envoys. This suggests that brushes and ink may have been known in Japan during that period. However, these remain speculative, and details are unclear.

The "Nihon Shoki" records: "In the 18th year of Empress Suiko's reign (610), in the spring month of March, the king of Goguryeo presented the monk Donbi (a Goguryeo monk of the Asuka period) and Hotei, and Donbi was knowledgeable in the Five Classics, as well as skilled in coloring and making paper and ink." This is thought to be the earliest record concerning Japanese ink. When Prince Shōtoku wrote the "Commentary on the Lotus Sutra," he used the soot ink (soot from pine) brought by Donbi. Fragments of round inkstones (en-suzuri) found at the Asuka capital site also indicate that ink was already being ground on inkstones at that time.

After Prince Shōtoku's death, with the implementation of the ritsuryō system, the Nakatsukasa-shō (Ministry of Central Affairs) oversaw ink production under the Taihō Code of 701. Ink was treated as a valuable item, and its demand increased as Buddhist sutras were copied. By the Heian period, ink (pine soot ink) was being produced in large quantities and became widespread among the general population. In response to the growing demand for ink, Japan was the first to develop oil soot ink during an era when only pine soot ink had previously existed.

During the period of mass production of pine soot ink in the Heian era, research and development of oil soot ink also progressed, marking a transitional period in the evolution of ink. By the late Heian period, trade with Song China flourished, and the introduction of ink painting and the rise of Zen monks’ calligraphy further increased the demand for ink in Japan, leading to the emergence of numerous skilled calligraphers.