“Akatsuki” translates to “daybreak” in Japanese and is used to depict new beginnings or a new phase in one’s life. Inspired by gradients of red (“aka”) in the sky just before sunrise, the Namiki Aya Akatsuki features a blend of black, crimson, and gold. Created by the artisan collective Kokkokai, it features the Togidashi Maki-e (burnished maki-e) technique that uses Hira Maki-e for the main design, which is then lacquered and burnished with charcoal. Akatsuki is one of four pens released under Namiki’s Aya collection interpreting “irodori”, or a world of rich color, in different ways. “Aya” loosely translates as “beautiful color” or “shine”. We have for sale a brand new Namiki Aya Akatsuki (Daybreak), complete with its box, papers, and other inclusions.