Clear instructions and 148 photos welcome you to the subtle, fascinating world of Japanese calligraphy.
Beginning with a summary of the arts history, this guide then helps you understand the two systems of script that Japanese uses together: kanji, the ideogram-like characters borrowed from the Chinese language; and kana, the purely phonetic characters.
Next, youll learn the correct way to use the ``four treasures of study`` (brush, ink, inkstone, and paper), as well as seals and other tools.
Then begin learning to calligraph characters, words, and even poems using either a large brush or a small writing brush.
Try your hand at joined calligraphy, which is considered the soul of Japanese calligraphy.
Finally, a gallery of works of calligraphy art by grand masters and other renowned experts offers even more inspiration.
