Sailor Shikiori Yama-dori Ink: Teal, Sheen & Bottle
Sailor Shikiori Yama-dori, or copper pheasant, is a dark teal fountain pen ink from Sailor of Japan. It comes in a square 20 ml (0.7 fl oz) glass bottle 58 mm tall. It's a dye ink with a red sheen on good paper, dries in 5 to 10 seconds on Rhodia (Goulet) and has low water resistance.
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Product facts
- Product
- Sailor Shikiori Yama-dori fountain pen ink, 20 ml bottle
- Brand
- Sailor
- Brand origin
- Japan
- Made in
- Japan*
- Material
- Water-based dye ink in a glass bottle
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per item
Notes on these facts
- Made by The Sailor Pen Co., Ltd., Kure, Hiroshima, Japan. Made in Japan: Hiroshima Prefecture's profile of Sailor says its site in Kure, Hiroshima makes fountain pens, inks and ballpoints, and the bottle's JAN 4901680184676 carries Japan's 49 GS1 prefix (it shows where the code was registered). Sailor's product page doesn't print a country of origin. 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; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Sailor's Japanese site lists the 20 ml bottle at W34 × D34 × H58 mm (1.3 × 1.3 × 2.3 in) and 94 g.
- Sailor's Japanese list price is ¥1,320 (about US$8.40) per bottle, including tax.
- Goulet's smear test puts dry time at 5 to 10 seconds on Rhodia; Mountain of Ink measured about 45 seconds for the older Jentle bottle.
- A Fountain Pen Companion top-25 list ranks Yama-dori 19th of all inks, owned by 465 users.
- It was sold as Sailor Jentle Yama-dori in a 50 ml bottle before moving to the Shikiori line.
What is Sailor Shikiori Yama-dori?
It’s a dark blue-green teal fountain pen ink from Sailor’s Shikiori (“four seasons”) line, named for the copper pheasant. Sailor’s Shikiori site pictures a beautiful copper pheasant landing on the far bank of a mountain stream.
Shikiori is Sailor’s series of seasonal inks and pens. Its site lists 36 ink colors, Yama-dori among the 16 in the Izayoi-no-Yume set, as JetPens names it.
Yama-dori used to be sold as Sailor Jentle Yama-dori in a 50 ml bottle; Goulet says the move to Shikiori didn’t change the ink. A Fountain Pen Companion top-25 list, shared on Fountain Pen Network in April 2022, ranks it 19th of all inks, owned by 465 users.
Yama-dori specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | The Sailor Pen Co., Ltd., Japan |
| Code | 13-1008-207 (20 ml bottle) |
| Barcode | JAN 4901680184676 |
| Bottle | 20 ml (0.7 fl oz), square glass, gold-colored faceted cap |
| Bottle size | W34 × D34 × H58 mm (1.3 × 1.3 × 2.3 in), per Sailor Japan |
| Weight | 94.0 g (3.3 oz), per Sailor Japan; 92 g per JetPens |
| Ink type | Water-based dye (Sailor Japan) |
| Japan list price | ¥1,320 (about US$8.40) including tax |
| Water resistance | Low (Goulet) |
| Dry time | 5–10 s on Rhodia (Goulet) |
| Price band | $$ ($5–20 per bottle) |
JetPens measures the bottle at 5.7 cm (2.2 in) tall, a millimeter under Sailor’s figure. Our cover draws it at Sailor’s size.
How does Yama-dori write?
Wet and saturated, with good shading and a red sheen where the ink pools. Goulet rates its saturation high and its shading medium to high, and says a LAMY medium nib even showed a hint of sheen.
Mountain of Ink calls it a medium teal with a burgundy sheen. Gentleman Stationer saw a reddish sheen once the ink dried, viewed at an angle.
Mountain of Ink saw feathering and bleeding only on Baron Fig paper. On paper made for fountain pens, like Tomoe River, it behaved.
How fast does it dry, and is it waterproof?
It dries fast on Rhodia, 5 to 10 seconds in Goulet’s test, and it isn’t water resistant. Goulet says it dries more slowly on slick Tomoe River, so take care with broad nibs there.
Mountain of Ink measured about 45 seconds with the earlier Jentle version, so expect a range. Goulet’s drip test left only a smudged, faint blue line.
How does it compare with other popular teals and greens?
Yama-dori is bluer and darker than most popular green inks. Mountain of Ink says it has a bit more blue than Iroshizuku Syo-ro and Ku-jaku.
| Yama-dori | Herbin Emerald of Chivor | |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Dark blue-green teal | Blue-green with gold shimmer |
| Sheen | Red | Red |
| Bottle | 20 ml glass | 50 ml glass |
| Shimmer | No (JetPens) | Gold particles |
If you want a teal with shimmer, see J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor.
Which pens is it safe for?
Retailers call it safe for all fountain pens, but Sailor itself only guarantees it in Sailor pens. Goulet and JetPens describe the Shikiori inks as formulated to be safe for all fountain pens.
Sailor’s Japanese page asks buyers to use it in Sailor pens and says it can’t cover problems in other makers’ pens. It also notes the bottle has no reservoir and that a loose inner cap should be pushed back into the lid to prevent leaks.
At 0.8 ml per LAMY Z28 fill, one 20 ml bottle is about 25 fills. Goulet says each bottle includes small stickers to label your converter.
Where is Sailor Shikiori ink made?
In Japan. Hiroshima Prefecture’s profile of Sailor says its site in Kure, Hiroshima makes fountain pens and inks, and the bottle’s barcode is registered in Japan.
Sailor’s Japanese site lists the 20 ml bottle at ¥1,320 (about US$8.40) including tax, or ¥1,200 (about US$7.60) before tax. In the US it sits in the $$ band.
Frequently asked questions
What color is Sailor Yama-dori?
A dark blue-green teal. Goulet calls it a dark bluish teal, Mountain of Ink a medium teal with a burgundy sheen, and JetPens files it under turquoise.
What does Yama-dori mean?
Copper pheasant (山鳥), a Japanese mountain bird. Sailor's Shikiori site pictures a beautiful copper pheasant landing on the far bank of a mountain stream.
How much ink is in a Shikiori bottle?
20 ml (0.7 fl oz). Sailor's Japanese site lists the square glass bottle at 34 × 34 × 58 mm and 94 g; the older Jentle bottle held 50 ml.
Does Yama-dori sheen?
Yes, on the right paper. Goulet says some sheen shows on specific papers with enough ink, and Mountain of Ink and Gentleman Stationer describe a red or burgundy sheen.
Is Yama-dori waterproof?
No. Goulet rates water resistance low, saying a drip leaves only a smudged, faint blue line, and Mountain of Ink says it isn't water resistant.
How long does Yama-dori take to dry?
5 to 10 seconds on Rhodia in Goulet's smear test, slower on Tomoe River. Mountain of Ink measured about 45 seconds with the older Jentle ink, so pen and paper matter.
Can I use Sailor ink in other brands' pens?
Retailers call Shikiori safe for all fountain pens, but Sailor's Japanese site asks you to use it in Sailor pens and won't cover problems in other makers' pens.
Where is Sailor Shikiori ink made?
In Japan: Hiroshima Prefecture says Sailor's Kure, Hiroshima site makes its inks, and the barcode is registered in Japan. The product page itself doesn't print a country.
Sources
- SHIKIORI ―四季織― 万年筆用ボトルインク (Sailor Japan: 13-1008-207 Yama-dori, JAN 4901680184676, 20 ml, W34×D34×H58 mm, 94.0 g, ¥1,320)
- Ink color lineup | SHIKIORI ―四季織― Official Website (Sailor Japan: Yama-dori description, 36 colors)
- 広島県: オンリーワン・ナンバーワン企業 セーラー万年筆 (Hiroshima Prefecture: Sailor's Kure site makes fountain pens and inks)
- JetPens: Sailor Shikiori Yamadori Ink (Copper Pheasant), Izayoi-no-Yume, 20 ml bottle (5.7 x 3.4 cm, 92 g)
- Goulet Pens: Sailor Shikiori Yamadori, 20 ml bottled ink (SL-13-1008-207, converter stickers)
- Goulet Pens: Sailor Shikiori Yamadori, ink review (dry time, water resistance, sheen, Jentle to Shikiori)
- Mountain of Ink: Ink Review #76, Sailor Jentle Yama-dori (50 ml bottle, 45 s dry time)
- Gentleman Stationer: Ink Review, Sailor Yama-Dori (August 20, 2014)
- Fountain Pen Network: List of inks by popularity (Fountain Pen Companion top 25, April 26, 2022)