Naritasan Shodo Museum’s Collection：
Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of AKABA Untei’s Passing
AKABA Untei (1912–1975) It has been 50 years since the passing of AKABA Untei, a preeminent figure in post-war Japanese calligraphy. Born in Kanda, Tokyo, Untei was selected for the Nitten Exhibition as soon as calligraphy was formally included as a category in Nitten after the war. He won consecutive Special Prizes in 1951 and 1952, and also received the Minister of Education Award in 1961.
While his foundation lies in the classical styles of Wang Xizhi, he possessed a vast appreciation for art across all eras and cultures—from Ming and Qing paintings to Bokuseki (Zen calligraphy). His aesthetic discernment and sense of form were remarkably refined. In his later years, his work shifted toward a more introverted, introspective expression, imbuing a profound feel reminiscent of the raw power found in Magaihi (cliff inscriptions) and the spiritual depth of Bokuseki.
What is “Bokuseki”?
Bokuseki refers to calligraphy done by Zen monks that is a manifestation of their state of enlightenment. While conventional calligraphy pursues aesthetic beauty and structural balance, Bokuseki is revered as a direct reflection of the monk’s inner spirit and a testament to their years of Zen discipline.
What is “Magaihi” (Cliff Inscriptions)?
Magaihi are characters inscribed directly onto natural rock faces. Unlike dressed stone monuments, the canvas is the massive mountain itself, allowing each character to be large and grandly composed. Their true appeal lies in their raw power and a liberating sense of scale.
About the Calligrapher:
AKABA Untei studied under HANABUS Unzan (1870–1936), a calligrapher and Buddhist priest active from the Meiji to the early Showa periods. HANABUSA was a prominent disciple of NISHIKAWA Shundo (1847–1915), a pivotal figure in Japanese calligraphy history who laid the foundations for the modern calligraphy world.
The calligraphy division was established within the Nitten Exhibition in 1948, and AKABA was awarded the Special Prize in 1951. This is a quote from his reflections from that period:
“The majority of intellectuals and art lovers today seem to actually harbor a dislike for the works of professional calligraphers.” “I find myself wondering if the Bokuseki style—something I previously had no interest in—is waiting for me on the path ahead. I feel a certain danger in being pulled by its powerful gravity.”
1951 was a pivotal year for Japanese calligraphy, seeing a rapid acceleration in its modernization movement.
In 1955, the National Museum of Modern Art organized a touring exhibition across Europe. The Japanese national institution intended to introduce calligraphic art as a symbol of contemporary Japan. AKABA was among the artists featured in this exhibition, alongside those whose work remained firmly rooted in traditional calligraphy.
From a panel discussion in 1956:
“I find Bokuseki (Zen calligraphy) to be profound. However, when viewed from the perspective of the traditional lineage traced back to masters like Wang Xizhi, I find it somehow… unsatisfying.”
In his later years, he would move towards a direction that contradicted these earlier words.
１. The Eight Immortals in the Midst of Drinking 「飲中八仙歌」(1950)
A work executed in a single, spontaneous sitting.
“I seek to express my own individuality by deriving the structural ‘bone and flesh’ of my brushwork from the Qing dynasty, aspiring to the spiritual ‘resonance’ of the Song dynasty, and adopting the expressive formats, such as the vertical scroll, from the Ming and Qing dynasties.”
“The Eight Immortals in the Midst of Drinking” by Du Fu of Tang Dynasty China has been a popular subject for calligraphy since ancient times. The poem tells the story of eight drinkers who are associated with the “Eight Immortals” (god-like beings).
When people come together, that gathering place becomes a drinking place, and at the same time, a place for poetry, calligraphy, and painting. This work is written in words that express the sentiments of those who yearn for a world that is supermundane.
２. Poems of Du Fu 「杜甫詩」(1957)
This work marks the culmination of the first phase (1948–1957) of AKABA’s stylistic evolution following his debut at the Nitten exhibition. According to an analysis by NISHIJIMA Shinichi, the artist adheres strictly to the classics, placing the focus of expression on the refined beauty of calligraphic forms while prioritizing objective order.
This work was featured in the inaugural “Twenty Contemporary Calligraphers Exhibition” (Gendai Shodo Nijunin-ten), one of the most prominent calligraphy exhibitions of the modern era. The exhibition series was established in 1957 under the sponsorship of the Asahi Shimbun.
This calligraphy exhibition features a selection of the most prestigious calligraphers in the field, and the tradition continues to this day.
Poem by Du Fu
It is not that I love flowers to the point of death; rather, I fear that as they fade, old age will hasten its pace toward me. The flowers on heavy branches fall all too easily in the evening breeze. O young buds, I beg of you—consult with one another, and open your petals slowly, ever so gently.
３. Hatsu-unjindō 「撥雲尋道」(1957)
Parting the clouds to seek the Way.
４. Fū-aizan 「風埃惨」(1959)
This work dates back to the beginning of his large-character style. It effectively utilizes the bleeding effects of pale ink (tanboku), resulting in a rich variety of ink tones. This period marks the onset of a stylistic shift, foreshadowing the emergence of Bokuseki-like (Zen-style) expression. The brushwork is executed with bold momentum, heedless of the bristles splitting.
“The dust blowing in the wind is awful”
５. Copy of Lantingji Xu (Orchid Pavilion Preface) 「臨 蘭亭序」
AKABA had another teacher who profoundly influenced him: TSUNODA Kohō (?—1943). Tsunoda instructed him not to mimic his teacher’s personal style but to devote himself entirely to rinsho (the practice of copying classical masterpieces).
Throughout his life, Akaba remained committed to rinsho. As seen in this example, he was particularly dedicated to studying the works of Wang Xizhi.
“Determining whether a piece of calligraphy is beautiful is no simple task,” AKABA noted. “To truly understand beauty, one must look to the great works of antiquity as a standard. One must constantly engage with them, feel their beauty, engrave them in memory, and continuously refine one’s aesthetic consciousness.”
This disciplined approach restrained him from rushing prematurely into the world of bokuseki (Zen calligraphy). Instead, it paved the way toward a deeply human form of expression that emerges only after mastering authentic, fundamental technique.
This is another piece that is done after Wang Xizhi. This style, ranteijo, is the complete form of the gyōsho style. It is the most famous script in the history of shodō. The strokes are smooth, and there is a great variety in the shape of the characters. The piece consists of poems that were written after a cleansing ceremony that took place in a place called Rantei. After the ceremony, it was time to celebrate, and so each person took to writing his own poem.
６. Ringen 「凛厳」(1961)
Born in Tokyo as Akaba Genjirō, Untei studied under Hanabusa Unzan. He was one of the major influential calligraphers after the Second World War, and he and Aoyama San-u were often called the “aka-oni” and “ao-oni” (red oni and blue oni) of the shodō world. Untei perfected general calligraphy early on, but after this piece, he switched over to Zen writings and distanced himself from the general popular style of calligraphy.
This piece has traces of the sumi dripping down, resembling the technique of artists of the Rinpa school of painting. The old sumi used for this piece has a unique color to it, almost a greenish tint that is difficult to describe in words. The word, ringen signifies an aura of a very high level of dignity.
In his quest for the perfect ink color, it is said that he kept expensive inksticks in the bath room to experiment with their tonal possibilities.
７. Juntsū 「循通」(1963)
Around 1960, several touring exhibitions of Japanese calligraphy were organized for international audiences. This particular work was featured in a 1963 tour that traveled through Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil.
In 1961, AKABA spent a month traveling in China. Through his interactions with fellow delegation members, he came to realize that calligraphy had a weaker presence within the arts compared to other disciplines. This realization prompted him to begin seeking a greater sense of scale in his subsequent works.
To flow smoothly and without obstruction. In calligraphy, this refers to Kimyaku—the seamless continuity of the brush’s momentum and energy.
８. Kyōshu 「愜趣」(1964)
A state of mind where one feels a perfect inner harmony and deep personal satisfaction with their own expression.
This work features a restrained expression with minimized modulation. NISHIKAWA Yasushi, whom AKABA greatly admired, speculated whether this piece might have been influenced by the Zen master Hakuin.
９. Poem by Tao Yuanming 「陶淵明詩」(1964)
This work was created during a period when Akaba was producing one masterpiece after another. It dates back to just before 1965, the year he was struck by a major illness.
In the 1962 transcription of Tao Yuanming’s poetry seen on the left, one can sense a firm resolve to remain unswayed by the fleeting trends of the secular world.
In contrast, the 1964 work reflects a shift in his state of mind—moving away from “the outer world” of technique and reputation, and instead returning to his “spiritual home”: the true essence of calligraphy and his own inner self.
His artistic expression remained multifaceted up until this period.
１０. Gogon-niku 「五言二句」(1966)
After his serious illness in 1965, his search for new expression grew increasingly intense until the end of his life.
By conversing on the profound mysteries of the universe and awakening to the ultimate Truth, one gazes upon the subtle essence of all things, allowing all worldly distractions and trivial thoughts to fade into nothingness.
The paper is coated with platinum leaf.
１１. Mizuha 「罔象」(1969)
“Mizuha” (罔象) signifies things that are formless, ethereal like a phantom, or a spirit born from water. During this period, AKABA frequently produced works in Kaisho (regular script). Around 1969, many of his pieces began to show a persistent, forceful pressing and scraping of the brush, as if he were stubbornly driving the ink into the paper. In these works, the culmination of AKABA’s expression starts to come into clear view.
１２. Zuikishūmon 「瑞気集門」(1970)
Auspicious energy gathers at the gate.
It also evokes the image of carving out one’s own destiny and actively drawing in good fortune with one’s own hands.
１３. Sendanrinmuzatsuju 「栴檀林無襍樹」(1972)
This phrase symbolizes absolute purity and nobility: “In a forest of sandalwood, no common trees grow.” It signifies a realm so refined that no worldly distractions can exist. In this work, the heavy ink pools (sumidamari) and the raw traces of the brush strokes are vividly visible, executed on rare Qianlong paper dating back to around 1800.
This style of expression is reminiscent of Hakuin(白隠)’s work from his final years.
１４. Sekaibunkagendaigeijutsu 「世界文化現代芸術」(1972)
This work is considered an exceptional departure from AKABA’s usual style. Created for the 1972 Munich Olympics Arts Festival, it features the archaic forms of ancient clerical script (reisho).
１５. Ryushūhōsho 「龍聚鳳翔」(1975)
The gathering of dragons and the soaring of phoenixes. A work from the final year of his life. While possessing the “Aesthetics of the Jin Dynasty”—a sensibility cultivated through a lifelong communion with Wang Xizhi—his true allure lies in a calligraphic expression that bared his innermost self.
１６. Transcription of the Stone Drum Inscriptions 「臨石鼓文」(1959)
For AKABA, seal script (tensho) was a rarity, and its classics presented a significant challenge in terms of interpretive brushwork. Most of his transcriptions (rinsho) of these scripts were executed in high-quality accordion-fold albums (orihon) with magnificent covers. Many of these were custom-made, and he frequently noted the names of the ancient ink sticks (koboku) he used.
Zen and the Fine Arts
Lastly, I shall quote the characteristics of Zen art from HISAMATSU Shinichi’s Zen and the Fine Arts.
- Asymmetry (Incomplete and uneven)
- Simplicity (Strikingly sparse and unadorned)
- Austere Sublimity (Weathered and seasoned with age)
- Naturalness (Free from artifice; resonating with mushin, the mind of no-mind)
- Subtle Profundity (Abiding in deep reserve and suggestion, rather than exhaustive explanation)
- Freedom from Attachment (Transcending worldly conventions)
- Tranquility (A profound, inward-facing stillness of the spirit)
