Calligraphers write illegible characters
Every year, one kanji is chosen to symbolize the year in Japan. This year, the selected character is “金” (Gold). A renowned monk from a famous Kyoto temple wrote it in a performance to announce the selected character. Interestingly, the character gained attention because many people found it “illegible.”
Calligraphy artists write kanji in various styles:
- Kaisho: clear and easy-to-read.
- Gyosho: faster to write.
- Sosho: cursive and artistic.
- And more styles with longer history
The kanji for this year seems to be written in Sosho. While Sosho is beautiful, it can be challenging to read without training. For calligraphy masters, Sosho must be second nature, but for most Japanese, it might look like a completely different character.
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At our shop, you can experience Japanese calligraphy firsthand!
- We provide Kaisho-style samples that are beginner-friendly.
- Don’t worry if it’s your first visit to Japan; our licensed guide explain everything in English.
- Even if you’ve never written Japanese before, we offer step-by-step practice to help you write your favorite words.
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