Express yourself with a playful style of modern Japanese calligraphy

Details

• Private experience

• Location: Bunkyo, Tokyo

• 1 hour

• 6 people max

• Offered in Japanese, with friendly Deeper Japan guide interpreting in English
  (French/German/Spanish interpretation may be available upon request)

Creative flow

Find Zen through the soft and fluid brush strokes of Shodou. Shodou translates to “the way of the brush” and is an esteemed form of calligraphy with strong connections to Zen Buddhism. Originated from Chinese calligraphy in the Tang Dynasty, shodou has transformed to reflect Japanese traditions and aesthetics. With strong influence from Zen Buddhism, shodou emphasizes the clarity of one’s mind (known as "mushin", a no mind state) before the letters can flow onto the paper. The art tells a story about the calligrapher and reveals the calligrapher’s mastery. Today, there are two styles of shodou: toyo style, which originated in China and mainly uses Chinese characters, and wayo style, where Japanese hiragana is used. Udoyoshi-san practices the wayo-style, in fact inventing his own modern wayo calligraphy style that communicates the spirit of the text, while maintaining readability.

What you’ll do

Learn about Japanese 'Wayo' style shodo and write your own calligraphy

Who can attend

Children must be 7+

Availability

Everyday
Session 1 (10:00 - 11:00)
Session 2 (11:00 - 12:00)
Session 3 (13:00 - 14:00)
Session 4 (14:00 - 15:00)
Session 5 (15:00 - 16:00)
Session 6 (16:00 - 17:00)
Session 7 (17:00 - 18:00)

Access

15 minutes from Tokyo Station.

Cancellation Policy

Please make your booking at the latest 24 hours in advance. See cancellation policy here.
* A detailed itinerary will be emailed to you once your booking has been confirmed.