Learn Japanese Calligraphy
The Takase Shodokai series is an introductory Japanese calligraphy course by Master Calligrapher Eri Takase.
Japanese calligraphy is all about movement and you simply cannot learn proper movement from a book. These lessons show videos of Master Takase brushing the characters and give a detailed, point-by-point explanation. You can print out samples that have the stroke order and brush direction for practicing yourself.
What You Will Learn
The course begins with the kaisho (block) script — bold, precise, and probably the most commonly seen Japanese script today.
By the end of the first section, you will have a good understanding of the tools used in Japanese calligraphy along with their usage and care. You will also have a solid introduction to the basic strokes and lines that comprise the kaisho script.
Course Structure
The course is organized into five sections of six lessons each.
Section 1 — Kaisho Basic
| Lesson | Subject | What You Learn |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tools | The four essential tools, how to select them, proper care, how to hold the brush, how to prepare the ink |
| 2 | Lines | Three horizontal lines (yokoga), three vertical lines (tatega), and compound lines (tensetsu) |
| 3 | 永 ei (Eternity) | The eight basic strokes of kaisho, using the kanji for Eternity — traditionally the first character taught |
| 4 | 本 hon (Book) | The two harai strokes and drawing horizontal lines that cleanly bisect the vertical line |
| 5 | 自 ji (Self) | Ten, tatega, yokoga, and tensetsu |
| 6 | 由 yuu (Reason) | Combined with ji from the previous lesson to write 自由 jiyuu — Freedom |
Sections 2–4 continue through kaisho, covering increasingly complex kanji including 月 tsuki (Moon), 花 hana (Flower), 光 hikari (Light), 空 sora (Sky), and 春風 harukaze (Spring Wind).
Section 5 introduces katakana — the angular syllabary used to write non-Japanese names in Japanese.
Beyond Kaisho
Following kaisho, the lessons turn to the gyousho (semi-cursive) script and hiragana. Where kaisho is precise, gyousho is flowing. Where kaisho is angles, gyousho is curves.
The course then covers sousho (cursive) and the uniquely Japanese hentaigana — a mixture of kanji and an early form of hiragana predating its modern standardization. Sousho takes the dancing motion of gyousho to another level of abstraction and fluidity.
Getting Started
The tools you need to begin are simple: an ink stone (suzuri), an ink stick (sumi), a brush (fude), and paper (kami). It is less important to have the best tools and more important to have tools that simply work well.
For the ink stone and ink stick, quality matters — they are what produce the ink. For the brush, the type depends on the script. Kaisho uses a stiff brush (kengou) that gives precise control over the angular strokes.
For a detailed introduction to selecting and caring for your tools, see Lesson 1.