Begin Japanology

Since ancient times, people in Japan have devoted themselves to the traditional art of calligraphy, shodo. Writing characters with ink on paper, they create works that express the inherent beauty of the Japanese written language. In shodo, brushes are used for applying the ink to the paper. The expressiveness of the characters derives from variations in the speed and force that the calligrapher uses to move the brush. The brushes themselves are simple objects, made from bundles of animal hair or other materials bundled together and fixed to a shaft. The actual materials used will depend on the style of calligraphy that is desired. Around 80 percent of Japanese ink brushes are produced in Kumano, Hiroshima Prefecture. There are numerous workshops in this town where skilled craftsmen still make the brushes by hand in the traditional way. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, we examine the history, development and contemporary applications of ink brushes, introducing these simple implements that have been so essential to the development of Japanese writing and painting.