Hands-on Cultural Workshop on Japanese Calligraphy

Date: Saturday, October 1, 2022
Venue: Minato City Life-long Learning Center

We had a total of 20 attendees to this workshop.  Our objective was to promote the understanding of Japanese culture through hands-on experience in calligraphy, one of the typical traditional Japanese culture, and to foster friendship among Japanese and non-Japanese participants. As usual, the instructor was Ms. Kanada Suimu. a member of the Mainichi Shodo Association

Contents:
・Mini lecture on the history of calligraphy and tools
・Exercise of writing different characters, copying the model written characters
・After a favorite character was written on the Shikishi square cardboard, a final marking of “Shuin” was stamped, chosen
　from the characters of “Kotobuki,” “Kisshou” or “Yume.”

　Among the attendees were pre-school children, elementary school lower-grades pupils as well as those who have practiced calligraphy before.  All of them took satisfaction in what they accomplished after intensive exercises in the workshop.

Comment from MUA staff:
　At the beginning of exercise, the attendees looked clumsy with writing brushes.  However, as they repeated exercises, they seemed to increasingly have a pleasure in writing characters.  When they were choosing a favorite character to write on the Shikishi, they seemed to be considering carefully if the chosen character would fit the environment where the cardboard would be placed at home.  We were very happy to see our objectives fulfilled in this workshop.

(Written by TAGAWA J., Standing Director, the Hands-on Cultural Workshop Committee, and translated by TANAHASHI S., the PR & Internet Committee)