Japanese Calligraphy
Shodo, or calligraphy, is the art writing Chinese characters (known as kanji) as well as the letters forming the
Japanese syllabary (known as kana) using brushes, ink, and paper. Shodo was first introduced to Japan from China in the 6th or 7th century.
As writing was once the only way to keep records, Shodo was an essential skill. Nowadays people do not use Shodo for practical purposes, but it is remains an important part of Japanese culture. People use Shodo on a number of ceremonial occasions, including the writing of
New Year's greeting cards.
There are a number of places where you can try Japanese calligraphy. It may look complicated, but if you try working with simpler characters it is easier than you think.
WAK JAPAN
Address: 412-506 Iseya-cho, Kawaramachi Marutamachi sagaru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan 602-0873
Tel: 075-212-9993 FAX: 075-212-9994
