Japanese calligraphy, known as shodo in Japan,
is the rigorous traditional art of writing Japanese kanji.
Since borrowing written characters, or kanji, from the
Chinese and incorporating them into their own language,
the Japanese have since developed the way of writing as
a dignified art form distinct from its origins. With styles and
themes evolving over centuries of history and cultural
change, Japanese calligraphy, or shodo, has become one
of the nation’s most enduring arts. Using a set of special
brushes called fude, characters are drawn on nearly
transparent sheets of washi paper, using a thick black ink
with an acrid odor. Sometimes calligraphy artworks
contain only a single character full of beauty and meaning,
but often there are a few words or even short poems
arranged in a top-to-bottom, right-to-left pattern down the
paper.
When learning shodo, special care is given to each stroke
of the brush, making Japanese calligraphy an art of
intense focus and determination. It is commonly taught to
elementary and middle school students in Japan, not only
in the interest of continuing Japanese heritage, but based
on the belief that it can instill self-control and mental
discipline.
Please see below for tours that
include Calligraphy Lesson
:
