Tag: shodo
All the articles with the tag "shodo".
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What Is Sumi Ink? Stick vs Bottle: A Beginner's Guide (2026)
By K. YamaUpdated:Sumi ink covers everything from $4 bottles to $400 inksticks under one name. A practitioner's guide to what sumi actually is and what beginners should buy.
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Best Japanese Calligraphy Brush for Beginners (2026)
By K. YamaUpdated:Most beginner calligraphy brushes are sold by people who don't write with one. A Japanese calligrapher compares the three brushes worth your first purchase.
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Best Japanese Calligraphy Book for Beginners (2026)
By K. YamaUpdated:Most calligraphy books for beginners pad pages with theory you can't use. A Japanese calligrapher's picks for the three books actually worth buying first.
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Best Japanese Calligraphy Set for Beginners (2026)
By K. YamaUpdated:A calligrapher's honest look at the best Japanese calligraphy starter sets for beginners in 2026 — what to buy, what to skip, and which kits are actually good.
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What Is Hiragana? The 46-Character Heart of Written Japanese
By K. YamaUpdated:Hiragana is the flowing 46-character script at the heart of written Japanese, born from cursive kanji. Where it came from, and why it's beautiful to write.
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What Is Hanshi Paper? 5 Things Beginners Should Know
By K. YamaUpdated:Hanshi is the standard practice paper for Japanese calligraphy. What it is, which side to write on, how to store it, and what to buy first.
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Best Calligraphy Paper for Practice (2026): 3 Picks
By K. YamaUpdated:Practice paper is the cheapest thing in shodō and the easiest to buy wrong. A Japanese calligrapher compares what to buy for your first months at the brush.
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Peace Kanji (平): Calm, Even & How to Write It
By K. Yama平 means flat, level, even — and from there, calm and peace. The 平 in 平和 (peace), 平等 (equality), and 平安 (the Heian era), and how to write it.
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Truth Kanji (真): Real, Genuine & How to Write It
By K. Yama真 means true, real, genuine — the opposite of fake. Why it hides in 写真 (photograph) and 真面目 (earnest), how it differs from 誠, and how to write it.
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Sincerity Kanji (誠): Makoto, Honesty & How to Write It
By K. Yama誠 is words made real — makoto, the union of saying and doing. The Shinsengumi flew it on their banner. What sincerity means in Japan, and how to write 誠.
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