【English Translation】

Have you ever seen Japanese calligraphy?

Japanese calligraphy is a traditional Japanese art of writing characters beautifully using a brush and ink. In Japan, students also learn calligraphy in school classes. I started going to a calligraphy school when I was in elementary school, and I came to love it very much.

There are many different styles of calligraphy, such as kaisho and gyosho. It is truly an art form. In calligraphy, the three basics are tome (stopping), hane (hooking upward), and harai (sweeping strokes). However, calligraphy is not only about writing characters.

The shape and balance of the characters, as well as the strength and softness of the lines, are also very important. It is said that a person’s feelings and personality can appear in their writing.

Calligraphy also has the effect of improving concentration. You prepare your breathing and write with correct posture. We often sit in the seiza position, so my legs used to go numb quite often. Still, that focused time is an important part of calligraphy.

Because you write in a quiet place while calming your mind, it can also be very relaxing.

For me, calligraphy is something special, and it is a habit I would like to continue in the future. Sometimes I copy a model example, and other times I write more freely in my own style. It is difficult to write characters that fully satisfy me, but more than that, I enjoy the quiet time spent doing calligraphy.

At New Year, there is also an event called kakizome. At the beginning of the new year, people write words that express their goals or hopes for the year. This is an important Japanese tradition.

Calligraphy is also recommended for people studying Japanese. By writing kanji carefully, it becomes easier to remember them.

I hope you will have a chance to experience Japanese calligraphy too.

【Vocabulary List】

書道(しょどう) – calligraphy
筆(ふで) – brush
墨(すみ) – ink
字(じ) – character / letter
美しい(うつくしい) – beautiful
伝統的(でんとうてき) – traditional
文化(ぶんか) – culture
授業(じゅぎょう) – class / lesson
習う(ならう) – to learn
小学生(しょうがくせい) – elementary school student
書道教室(しょどうきょうしつ) – calligraphy class / school
通う(かよう) – to attend / go regularly
始める(はじめる) – to start
大好き(だいすき) – love very much
楷書(かいしょ) – standard script
行書(ぎょうしょ) – semi-cursive script
呼ぶ(よぶ) – to call
まさに – truly / exactly
基本(きほん) – basic / foundation
とめ – stopping stroke
はね – upward flick stroke
はらい – sweeping stroke
形(かたち) – shape
線(せん) – line / stroke
強さ(つよさ) – strength
やわらかさ – softness
大切(たいせつ) – important
気持ち(きもち) – feeling
性格(せいかく) – personality
出る(でる) – to appear
言われている(いわれている) – it is said
集中力(しゅうちゅうりょく) – concentration
高める(たかめる) – to improve / raise
効果(こうか) – effect
呼吸(こきゅう) – breathing
整える(ととのえる) – to prepare / regulate
正しい(ただしい) – correct
姿勢(しせい) – posture
正座(せいざ) – formal kneeling position
足(あし) – leg / foot
しびれる – to go numb
場所(ばしょ) – place
心(こころ) – mind / heart
落ち着かせる(おちつかせる) – to calm
特別(とくべつ) – special
続ける(つづける) – to continue
習慣(しゅうかん) – habit
お手本(おてほん) – model example
まねする – to copy / imitate
自由(じゆう) – freely
満足(まんぞく) – satisfaction
お正月(おしょうがつ) – New Year
書き初め(かきぞめ) – first calligraphy of the year
行事(ぎょうじ) – event
目標(もくひょう) – goal
希望(きぼう) – hope
言葉(ことば) – word
習慣(しゅうかん) – custom / habit
勉強する(べんきょうする) – to study
ていねい(丁寧) – careful / polite
覚える(おぼえる) – to remember
体験する(たいけんする) – to experience

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