Shodo or Calligraphy

 Shodo, or calligraphy is now growing  in popularity among not only the elder but also younger generation. Some calligraphers in their 30's are prominent and perform their artistic strokes of the brush on TV shows. Groups of high school girls, who learn shodo our of class, in shodo club, compete in performance in once-a-year contest called Shodo Koshien. Koshien actually means a national baseball competition in summer for high school boys. In Shodo Koshien ten or more girls in a group holding a brush and a small ink bucket, dance to pop music to draw unique and colorful shodo on a large sheet of paper. That sort of trendy shodo,which is very different from the shodo I learned for years when a child, revitalized the tradition.
 But many people still learn it the traditional way, following ancient calligraphers' works. Some do it to have peace of mind; a kind of meditation. My neighbor started to write Buddhist Scripture because she is slightly melancholic after her husband's death. So which is my goal? I've started it and simply enjoy it.

shodo koshien http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLkWcez4lM4&NR=1

Let's start!

 





fumoto: the foot of the mountain