More than 3,000 years ago, Asian artisans discovered how to turn the residue from burnt wood into one of the most important and lasting vehicles of human expression: Ink!

For more than a thousand years, the method of making sumi stick has remained the same. Soot from pine or certain vegetable oils mixed with perfume and animal or fish glue is molded and dried to form a well-shaped solid block which, when ground on a suzuri stone with water, turns to ink.

Sumi ink is unsurpassed for producing the famous Five Colors, or shaded of black, that form the basis of "monochromatic" sumi painting. The subtlety of sumi ink is evident in the variety of tones and values it produces.

Sumi sticks and sumi liquid should be kept in cool temperature and avoid exposure to direct sunlight. Be careful not to drop sumi sticks as they are extremely fragile.
It is important never to leave the sumi stick in the grinding stone with water. If left for a long period of time it will attach itself to the stone