Questions About Shodo, Japanese Calligraphy: Do You Rotate the Brush?

“Do you rotate the brush handle while writing?”

This is a question I received from a guest during one of our shodo (Japanese calligraphy) experiences.
The guest was wondering whether calligraphers roll the brush handle in their fingers while writing. It is an interesting point—once you notice it, you cannot help but be curious.

Personally, once I firmly hold the brush, I do not change its orientation or spin it in my hand. However, while writing, I may slightly adjust the angle to keep the tip of the brush in good shape.

But what about professional calligraphers?
Do they use some special technique?

Asking the Teachers

Curious, I asked three experienced shodo teachers.

Their answers were consistent. Basically, they do not rotate the brush handle. It is the same principle many of us learned in school.

However, they also mentioned that within the natural rhythm of writing, the brush may turn slightly without conscious intention.

Fugyo — Controlling the Angle of the Brush

During this conversation, one of the senior teachers introduced an interesting term: fugyo (俯仰). It is a brush technique—one of the advanced techniques of brush control.

In shodo, the basic rule is to hold the brush vertically. But in practice, professional calligraphers control the angle of the brush handles very freely.

At times, they tilt the brush so much that the back of the hand faces downward, and the palm becomes visible. This expressive movement—facing your palm “downward” (俯) or “upward” (仰)—is what gives the technique its name.

So, do calligraphers rotate the brush handles?

Not exactly.

Rather than spinning the brush in the fingers, they change the angle of the brush handles—sometimes quite dramatically—to create a wider range of expression.

Experience Japanese Calligraphy in Tokyo

Curious to try it yourself?

✨Oh! Mama is a traditional Japanese house located in Ikenoue, a peaceful residential neighborhood near Shibuya.

We offer private shodo, calligraphy and sado, matcha tea ceremony experiences guided in English by a nationally licensed professional guide-interpreter.