VOL.207 SEPTEMBER 2025
THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND MUSIC CULTURE OF JAPAN [Discovering Japan Through the Eyes of Japanese Influencers] Experience the World of Calligraphy with All Five Senses

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A shosha class at a Japanese elementary school

AOYAGI Bisen is a calligrapher and artist. In this month’s issue, she speaks of calligraphy in Japan.

Shodo, or Japanese calligraphy is a world-renowned traditional Japanese art form. Originally, calligraphy was a way to pass on characters that had been introduced into Japan from China. However, from the late 8th century to the late 12th century, it developed into an art form that expresses beauty and the mind, and it continues to captivate many people today. In Japan, calligraphy learning starts in the third grade of elementary school (ages 8–9) in shosha¹ class, where students use brushes and ink to copy characters and naturally get familiar with Japanese calligraphy culture as part of their compulsory education. It is also a popular hobby enjoyed by a wide range of people from children to adults.

While the object of shosha is to write characters correctly and legibly, shodo adds artistic and spiritual aspects. The movements of the brush, the shading of the ink, and even the use of blank space on the paper are filled with intention, and reflect the calligrapher’s heart and mind.

As a calligrapher, I have given shodo performances in more than 10 countries. A shodo performance is a form of live expression where the performer writes characters on large paper in coordination with music. I often explain the difference between shodo and shodo performance by drawing a similarity to music. A shodo piece created through quiet concentration is like a musical work that is perfected after repeated recordings in a studio, while a shodo performance is like a live concert created by the ambience of the space and the sense of oneness with the audience. Even if it may sometimes be somewhat unrefined, it produces an emotion that can only flower in that moment. These shodo performances are an evolved form of Japan’s unique calligraphy culture, and are symbolized by Shodo Performance Koshien. Shodo Performance Koshien is Japan’s largest national shodo performance competition, with over 100 high schools participating from all over the country annually. High school students work together as teams to compete in both calligraphy technique and performance ability. The competition is gaining much attention as it marks its 18th year in 2025, including exposure on the official stage of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (see “Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan,” July 2025 issue).

In recent years, shodo experiences for non-Japanese have also become popular. Shodo is a precious experience that lets us feel Japanese culture with all five senses—the quiet moment of grinding ink, the scent of the ink, the texture of the brush and washi (Japanese paper), the sound of the brush sliding across the paper, and the visual beauty of the spreading ink. The lines and compositions that overseas participants create with their free imaginations show us new perspectives.

Shodo is a culture that every Japanese person has experienced at least once, and a proud traditional art form that has been passed down through many generations. I recommend people all over the world to pick up a brush and experience the charm of calligraphy. A quiet, deeply moving experience waits for you.

AOYAGI Bisen
Calligrapher and artist. Began calligraphy study at the age of four. AOYAGI has presented shodo performances in more than 10 countries worldwide. She was the opening act at the Final of the Emperor’s Cup JFA 99th Japan Football Championship at Japan National Stadium in 2020, performing in front of 58,000 spectators. In addition to kigo² at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Mount Koya, she has created numerous calligraphy works and calligraphy titles for artistic works, including CAPCOM’s Monster Hunter Rise; Dororo, a TV anime series based on TEZUKA Osamu’s manga; World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025; as well as works for the VIP room at Japan National Stadium. AOYAGI has also appeared on media programs such as TBS’s Jounetsu-Tairiku (“A Continent of Passion”) and NHK E-TV’s Nihongo de Asobo (“Play with Japanese.”)
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• 1. Japanese education terminology for a class taught at Japanese elementary and junior high schools in which students learn skills for writing characters.
• 2. Writing characters filled with gratitude and prayer at a shrine or temple.

By AOYAGI Bisen
Photo: AOYAGI Bisen; Koyasan; Danny Danks (Arrow Photography); PIXTA

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