Open Exhibitions – 100 Years of Calligraphy
The Japan Calligraphy Creation Association Exhibition held the first open call for calligraphy for its exhibition in 1925, marking 2025 as its 100th anniversary. From then, many calligraphic organizations began holding on call exhibitions. 1948 marks the beginning of the Mainichi Calligraphy Exhibition, as well as the “calligraphy” category being added to the Nitten Japan Fine Arts Exhibition. Through these open-call exhibitions, calligraphy came to be evaluated under a set of established values. Artists pursued expressions that, while within the exhibition rules, appealed to the viewer’s visual senses. They explored various approaches to calligraphy, giving rise to diverse forms of expression.
1. first floor
Kyūkokushihō
ARAI Kōfū (1937-)
九 is the character for nine, while 穀 is the character for grain. The idea of nine types of grain symbolizes abundancy, bountifulness.
Kōfū’s study of the classics under NISHIKAWA Yasushi（1902-1989） formed the foundation for his beautiful pieces, which exquisitely express the ancient classical scripts in a modern way.
What are ancient characters?
Kanji, or Chinese characters, are some of the oldest characters in the world. Here, we will explore the origins of those characters. Carvings on tortoise shells, cattle bones and bronze vessels from the Shang dynasty (1600B.C.E.~) are called kinbun. These were the origins of shokeimoji, or pictographic kanji. They were also an important tool for communicating with the gods, and originated over 3000 years ago. These characters have a primitive, simplistic yet spiritual appeal to them, and we hope that you can appreciate the world of ancient characters through this exhibit.
2.
Seijaku – Tranquility
KURODO Kenichi (1947-)
Heisei Year 21（2009）The Japan Fine Arts Exhibition
Two poems praising the tranquility of the Shogun MINAMOTO no Sanetomo (1192-1219) and the Kinkaiwa Anthology (compiled by MINAMOTO no Sanetomo himself) are written scattered in this piece. Building upon the style of his teacher NISHITANI Uboku, KURODO Kenichi established a dignified style of kana calligraphy characterized by straight lines and a strong structure.
3.
Saigosan-nenizurayūkan
YOSHIZAWA Tetsushi (1954-)
Heisei Year 26（2014）Recipient of the Nitten Member Award
The paper used here was created especially for this piece, using the backing of a silver folding screen. Only these two sheets were available to use. YOSHIZAWA, who resides in Mito, experienced the Great Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011. Three years after the earthquake, he composed a poem about the rebuilt Rokkakudō temple in Itsūra, which had been swept away by the tsunami.
4.
Shumpo
TAKAKI Seiu (1949-)
Heisei Period 27（2015）The Japan Fine Arts Exhibition
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award
“Shumpo” means “a gathering of intelligent people.”
TAKAKI Seiu writes in various calligraphic styles, but his greatest strength lies in large-scale works in the style of bronze inscription script.
5.
Kōseikyūshi
EGUCHI Taishō (1935-2020)
EGUCHI Taishō, who spent his childhood on mainland China, started studying under Kosaka when he was 18. He was exposed to the spirituality of his teacher, and eventually developed a style that combined sophistication and grandeur, in line with the Song and Ming dynasties. Eguchi, who wrote a variety of instructional books, from classical to creative, also left behind a large number of easy-to-understand works in his own words.
6. second floor
Proposal on the Subject of Calligraphy
Taisho Year 15 (1926)
The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum opened at the end of the Taisho era. Until then, Japan had no public art museums. This museum was established thanks to the efforts of artists—painters, craftspeople, sculptors, and others—who lobbied the government.
Initially, there were no plans to exhibit calligraphy works at the museum, but Bundo Shunkai proposed holding the second exhibition of the Japan Calligraphy Creation Society at the museum. However, art groups specializing in Japanese and Western painting opposed it, arguing that calligraphy did not suit the museum’s Western-style walls and high ceilings. Consequently, Shunkai drafted this proposal. With the support of the Governor of Tokyo, the exhibition was ultimately held.
7.
Shichigon-niku
KONDO Setchiku (1863-1928)
KONDO Setchiku was born in Edo (current Tokyo) and raised in a culture-rich environment provided by his father. He came to be known as a master calligrapher and a leader during the Taisho period, the beginning of the 20th century. He also contributed to the education of those who in turn became leading figures in the postwar period.
At the age of 16, he became of a disciple of KUSAKABE Meikaku, and studied a variety of sho, from kinseki calligraphy (Chinese characters engraved on metal and stone from long ago) to Ming and Qing calligraphy (Chinese characters from the mid-14th-20th centuries).
～Supplementary content～
Japanese sho (calligraphy) experienced remarkable changes during the modern era when calligraphers were able to obtain highly accurate original calligraphy texts from China, the motherland of calligraphy.
On the historical context of Japanese calligraphy at this time:
The the first half of the 20th century marked the opening of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and the start of large-scale exhibitions. In order for calligraphy to stand out in such a large venue, a new style of display utilizing installations of large, eye-catching characters in various places to create a showcase for the calligraphy was born.
8.
Shichigon-niku
MATSUMOTO Hōsui (1893-1971)
Matsumoto was born in Ehime prefecture in 1893, as Matsumoto Eiichi. He studied under Kondō Secchiku. The steady strokes of his brushmanship retain their relevancy, and his script is imitated by many of Naritasan’s priests, even today.
9.
Shichigon-niku
UEDA Sōkyū (1899-1968)
Well-versed in the tradition of calligraphy and a prolific author, Ueda was one of the major leaders in calligraphy of the postwar period. He expanded the scope and techniques through his calligraphy.
10.
Shōbyōsansuizuka
KOSAKA Kiseki (1901-1991)
KOSAKA Kiseki was born in Tokushima prefecture and became one of the leaders in postwar calligraphy in his hometown, as well as in Osaka and Nara. At 16, he began studying under KUROKI Haiseki, eventually moving on to study the classic Chinese calligraphers such Wang Xizhi, Yan Zhenqing, Mi Fu, and Wang Duo. After he mastered the classics, he further developed the refinement of his bokuseki (calligraphic brush strokes). He refers to himself as a “devotee of the line,” and many of his works are characteristic of personal compositions that are based on Chinese classics.
11.
Shukiku
MATSUI Joryū（1900-1988）
The content expresses the ideal of living quietly amid the beauty of nature, without being obsessed with worldly wealth or fame.
Matsui Joryu was born in Akita, and studied under Yoshida Hōchiku. For work, he took a teaching job at a university. He was also famous as a poet, publishing works of tanka, or short poems.
12.
Sankōshū The Three Lights Collection
OKUDA Kazan （1906-1998）
Shōwa Year 23（1948）Nitten – The Japan Fine Arts Exhibition
After working as a teacher, OKUDA Kazan worked in the Cabinet Secretariat, specializing in writing the calligraphy of official appointments and various certificates. He initially studied poetry under ONOE Saishū, but gradually became deeply devoted to calligraphy. This piece was his first entry into the Nitten exhibition, where it was selected for display.
13.
Hinkyū Mondōka
OSAWA Gakyū (1890-1953)
Gakyū, who had a profound knowledge of literature, painting, music, education, and agricultural issues, considered calligraphy to be the best means of expressing his personal sentiments, but was concerned that the world lacked a free and individualistic voice. In his works, Gakyū imbued the atmosphere of the times as he felt it, and expressed his respect for humanism.
14.
Bai Juyi’s Poems
TOKUNO Taikū (1914-1974)
TOKUNO Taikū, who was a leader in postwar calligraphy, pursued the possibilities of modern calligraphy while expanding his range of works to include highly figurative and single-character calligraphic works.
This piece shows that classical expression is completely at home in the artist’s hands.
15.
Hitomonaki
UHIDA Kaku-un (1898-1978)
UHIDA Kaku-un was born in Okayama prefecture. He studied under NIWA Kaikaku, IHARA Untei, and ANDO Seikūni, and excelled in Japanese kana calligraphy. As can be seen in this piece as well, many of his works express movement at the end of the brush strokes.
Originally, kana was written in small script, on a desk. The style of writing large kana and expressing them on a large wall began during his time.
16.
Ringen (1961)
AKABA Untei (1912-1975)
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.
17.
Ise Monogatari
KOYAMA Yasuko (1924-2019)
Shōwa Year 32（1957）
Mainichi Shodō Exhibition Recipient of the Mainichi Award
KOYAMA, who lived along the Sumida River, related deeply to the Tale of Ise—a Japanese classical work depicting scenes of the journey eastward and exploring themes like the protagonist’s love, friendship, and wanderings. She completed this piece at age 33. After it won the award, it brought her widespread recognition in calligraphic circles.
A few words from Yasuko:
“My favorite season is spring. The reason for this is that there is a lot of paper that is just right for spring. Kana is most affected by paper. There are also many spring-themed poems…(omitted)
I can’t do anything until the paper is decided. Once I see the paper, an image of the characters scattered throughout naturally and effortlessly comes to mind.”
18.
Shikai keitei
KAWANO Takashi (1948-2017)
Posthumous Works of Tenkoku Artist: Kawano Takashi (1948-2017)
KAWANO Takashi was raised in a seaside town surrounded by nature. He learned classical calligraphy by watching the tension-filled exchanges between his teacher, Ikui Shika, and Ikui’s teacher, Nishikawa Yasushi. Eventually, Kawano taught calligraphy as an educator, but unfortunately, he passed away just before reaching his 60th birthday.
The wooden sign that he carved to commemorate the 1070th anniversary of the founding of Naritasan is well-known in the area.
Seal carving is also one branch of shodō. These seals are still commonly used today, and you can see these often red-colored seals as a signature on shodō art pieces. Most seals are made from stone and other hard materials and use the script tensho-tai seal script. The appeal of seals is that each one is hand-carved, and it’s also common to make nicks and carvings of imperfection to create a unique rustic quality.
Tenkoku – Seal Carving
Tenkoku is the act of carving characters into a piece of stone or wood or some hard material to create your own, original seal. Because the characters are carved, they produce a very different feel from characters written on paper with a brush. The script used for tenkoku is often tensho, but lately the roman alphabet is also known to be used. One can carve one’s name, or even a favorite word.
※For an explanation of the tensho script, please check the description of calligraphic style types.
Seals are often used, for example, on pieces of art or calligraphy. The seal acts as a signature, proof that the work was produced by that specific person. The size of the seal, its position, and its style can impact the piece on which it is stamped, making the overall piece more balanced, or giving it a visually tightening effect.
19.
Su Shi’s Poems
OZAKI Yūhō (1924-2024)
From Yūhō’s memoirs at age 46 on sho (calligraphy):
When I am asked what the heart of sho is, I respond with, “It is the same as the way of living life.”
Calligraphy represents “unyieldingness.” When you are fed up, when you feel deflated, when you lose to a competitor, you want to just throw it all away, but it is the same with life. You have to do it anyway, you can’t give in. In that way, sho must be unyielding.
That is why it cultivates the spirit of endurance. Why are my predecessors so good, and I have no skill? As in life, there are always two sides, one that’s visible and one that is not. By enduring the side that is not visible, in other words, by cumulating effort and time and training, we can reach a great development. Endurance is a necessity.
(Omitted)
After writing countless times, eventually the brush and paper succumb their will and say, “I will do as you say.”
When I first looked at the sho that the ancients wrote, they shunned me coldly. They were so cruel it was infuriating. But when I studied at them thoroughly and tried to learn from them, eventually they spoke to me, as if they had lost their patience for defiance.
(Omitted)
As I come to understand sho, I begin to take fine pleasure in them. Even so, the sho continue to tease me, proclaiming, “You say you’re happy, but it took so long that your hair has turned white!” But to these gibes, I try not to respond.
≪Mini Exhibition: Tanaka Shimbi—150th Anniversary of his Birth, 50th Anniversary of his Death— A Focus on Shimbi’s Interactions with Calligraphers≫
20.
Paulownia Flowers
ANDO Seikū (1893-1983)
Shōwa Year 29（1954）
ANDO Seikū led the movement of kana calligraphy in the Kansai region, establishing a serene style rooted in Heian period calligraphy. He transcribed poems onto various colors of paper, elaborately decorated with gold and silver sand, foil, and other materials, binding them into a booklet. This piece contains poems selected from the anthology Kiri no Hana (Paulownia Flowers) by Kitahara Hakushū.
21.
Waka
NAKANO Etsunan (1883-1980)
Etsunan was born in Fukui Prefecture. At 17, he became an elementary school teacher, and at 21, he became a teacher at Kyoto Normal School. At age 31, he decided to devote himself to calligraphy. From the beginning of Japan’s kana alphabet in the Heian period (794-1185), to the classical texts of China’s Wang Xizhi, Etsunan’s study of calligraphy was vast and deep. He even produced works with a spirit that resonated among Zen monks. Although he was active in major public exhibitions, he was uninterested in the bureaucracy of such calligraphers’ circles, and always developed his calligraphy as a reflection of his inner self.
His great appeal lies in his ability to transcend the framework of kanji and kana, to create pieces that express a high level of both spirituality and technique.
Points to keep in mind when viewing the exhibit:
★The Elegant World of Kana
In the Heian period (794-1185), Noh books were of on beautiful paper bound with waka poems and other writings. The book itself was considered an object of appreciation and was sometimes made as a gift. Many beautiful pieces were created during this period, not only in terms of calligraphy, but also in terms of paper and binding. These works have been handed down through the ages, and still remain intact in various forms now.
★Decorated Paper: A Deeper Look
Ryōshi refers to the paper that is generally used for calligraphy. Its history dates back to the Nara period (710-784), the earliest version consisting of dyed paper or paper that was covered with fine gold or silver foil. During the Heian period, elegant paper suitable for writing waka poems and stories was highly sought-after, and paper with various elaborate designs using unique techniques such as kira-zuri (mica printing) of patterned designs, paper with underdrawings of birds or butterflies, and even washi that utilized unique patterns produced during the paper-making process began to appear. These various techniques became more refined as time passed. Over a thousand years since their first appearance, they have stood the test of time, and many intact examples of these papers still exist today.
★Kira-zuri: Paper Decorated with Patterned Mica
The appearance of mica-print pattern on the paper changes depending on the angle that you look at it from. Try looking at the paper from different directions, left and right, bottom and top. Being able to see the brilliance of this masterpiece with your own eyes is a precious experience.
★Tsugi-gami
Tsugi-gami is a technique of connecting pieces of paper with varying decorations and textures in order to make one large cohesive piece of paper, like patchwork.
22.
The Four Seasons of Flowers
NISHITANI Uboku (1904-1978)
Shōwa Year 53（1978）Solo exhibition
NISHITANI Uboku studied under ANDO Seiku and also received instruction from KONDO Secchiku, passing the Bunken examination to become a teacher at a girls’ high school. In 1945, she lost her left hand during the Kobe air raids, yet even with her disability she persevered in her artistic pursuits while teaching. This piece, was originally made for a solo show. It features ten poems on flowers selected from the Shin-kokinshu poetry anthology. It is a large-format scroll, approximately 40 cm tall, made by mounting rubbing prints of poppies and bellflowers on a background of various colors fixed onto a scroll. The paper used here was made by Tanaka Shimbi.
23.
Reproduction of the Nishi Honganji Manuscript of the Collection of Thirty-Six Anthologies
MATSUZAKI Shunsen (1895-1981)
Shunsen was born in Saitama and worked as a teacher. He studied under Nakamura Shundō. His achievements include publishing a calligraphy magazine. He collected many old calligraphic works, and was also known as a master of writing sutras.
He also was able to replicate the national treasure, Honganji-bon Sanjūroku-nin Kashū, the Honganji Collection of 36 Calligraphers, all by himself. Not only did he replicate the calligraphy of this collection, but he also even tried to reproduce the paper and the binding of the original piece as well, and was quite successful.
24．
“The Heike Family’s Copy of the Lotus Sutra
TANAKA Shinbi (1875-1975)
Taisho Period
TANAKA Shinbi undertook the creation of numerous copies of courtly art, including the “Honganji Temple Original Thirty-Six Poets Anthology” and the “Heike Nōkyō,” while also engaging in the appraisal and cutting of ancient manuscripts. One of his biggest works was the reproduction project for the “Heike Nōkyō.” The creation of a duplicate copy of the “Heike Nōkyō,” was initiated with the support of many connoisseurs including the chief priest of Itsukushima Shrine, Masuda Donnō (1848-1938). It took five years to complete, from 1920 to 1925. Shinbi meticulously reproduced every detail, from the covers and scrolls adorned with elegant metal fittings, to the front and back endpapers and paper designs, down to the binding. He even handwrote the calligraphy, dedicating one complete set to Itsukushima Shrine. This piece was also produced at that time.
25. first floor
Immediately After the Black Mass –Chokugo kuroi katamari
NAGAMORI Sōkyū (1950-)
Winner of Mainichi Shodō Exhibition’s Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award in 2011
This work won the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award at the Mainichi Shodō Exhibition in 2011, the year of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Influenced by tsunami reports from the disaster zone, it captures the situation in the affected areas. This piece embodies what must be recorded in writing for this era, using the language of today. It is something that could only be written in that moment, making it a piece that deserves to be preserved for posterity as a record of the disaster.
He refers to the tsunami as the black lump, or “kuroi katamari,” with the characters running on the bottom and sides representing the victims desperately running away from it. The piece itself is his testament to his will to never forget what happened.
Although it’s a two-dimensional piece of art, you can still fully feel the tense atmosphere, the pressure of the tsunami about to rain down on the people, reminding you to never forget.
26.
Yoshinoyama – Mt. Yoshino (2018)
TAKAGI Atsuhito (1953- )
Winner of Prime Minister’s Award at Nitten Exhibition
Born in Funabashi, Chiba, Takagi Atsuhito is the son of Takagi Tōsen. Atsuhito attended Kyoto University, where he studied art history, and then went on to apprentice under Sugio Kakason. He is still currently active in a wide range of calligraphic activities.
This piece displays four poems from Sankashū, a poetry collection by Saigyou, a Heian period poet. The first three poems are grouped together, while the last poem is separated from the rest. The smoothly painted sumi ink is purposefully accented in places to add depth. The four poems describe the flowers that bloom here and there throughout the mountain.
Kana (as in hiragana) is expressed in a way that is very reminiscent of the unique Japanese environment and its cultural characteristics. It combines both small and delicate characters together with the strong bold feel of kanji for a wide and varied range of expression.
