Inaho ( ears of rice ) 2, Black Sumie ; Asobi gokoro ( Playful mind series ): Japanese calligraphy and sumie (Thin Brush drawing )

I grew up watching all stages in the life cycle of rice. It started with the green stage, my sister and I used to play hide and seek in the nets covering the rice grass every early summer in our front yard. After nursing the baby rice grass, my grandma and grandpa moved them to water-filled rice fields. The rice grass grows through summer to autumn then eventually changes colour to a golden yellow. Every year we had harvest days, where we went out to the rice fields with our family members all day long, helping out with some easy tasks that children can even manage to do; such a fun time. After harvesting, we move every grain of brown rice home to polish them. That stage was the itchiest part and made me little wheezy, but I loved to dive into the bed of husks every year. That moment was the special reward for our hard work and I felt a sense of achievement every single time.

- This artwork is created on drawing paper with Sumi-ink, and medium-size, thin calligraphy brushes specially sent from Japan. Signed with my calligraphy pseudonym (Gagou) and stamped my Gagouin (calligraphy pseudonym stamp) to finish.

子供の頃には、稲の成長過程を見ながら育ちました。苗の時期には周りに猫除けネットが張られていたので、その中で妹とかくれんぼをしては、よく𠮟られました。苗が成長して程良い大きさになると祖父と祖母が水田に移し替えていたのを思い出します。稲の苗は夏から秋にかけて成長を続け、徐々に黄金色に姿を変えます。毎年秋になると収穫作業に追われました。家族総出で一日田んぼに出かけ、子供でも出来る簡単な作業を手伝いました。収穫作業が終わると、玄米を脱穀機にかけて籾殻と白米を仕分けする作業です。この過程は皮膚がとても痒くて、少し喘息気味になりましたが、毎年残った籾殻の山にダイブするのがとても楽しみでした。その瞬間は頑張って働いた後のご褒美の様な物で、底知れぬ達成感を毎回実感出来ました。

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Hi, everyone:) Thank you for visiting my profile.
I grew up in a small town in western Japan surrounded by beautiful rice fields and mountains.
I started learning calligraphy when I was six years old.
When I was a primary school student, I participated in local calligraphy and arts competitions and shows and won a few grand prizes from the association.
Since I moved to Kobe to study at university, I have been working as a Japanese, English, and Abacus teacher at a cram school.
While I was working there, I first met my current calligraphy master (sensei).
Since I wanted to become a Grand Master Calligrapher, I started learning it again.
I have 20 years of experience taught by two Japanese Certified Grand Masters.
I have been working on calligraphy assignments and participating in a monthly association competition.
I was so grateful for having an opportunity to show my artwork at the Calligraphy Association Exhibition in Japan in 2023.
Calligraphy is my passion, a meditation, a way of expressing myself, and a source of reminiscing about my home country.

- Calligraphy is traditional line art created on Washi paper with Sumi ink and brushes.
We believe calligraphy was introduced to Japan from China between the sixth and seventh centuries (during the Asuka and the Nara era).
Starting with transcribing the Heart Sutra (an original form of calligraphy done with a thin brush) came with Buddhism. The production of calligraphy brushes and washi paper also began around that time.
Calligraphy used to be one of the essential skills for the Samurai and the aristocracy.
With the changes of times (as with other cultures and art), it spread among ordinary people.
Calligraphy Schools and School Calligraphy Education helped to show the importance of keeping our culture and passing it on to the next generation.
It has become part of Japanese culture, such as the first calligraphy of the year.

皆様、私のプロフィールをご覧下さいまして有り難うございます :)
田園風景の美しい小さな町で生まれ育ち、５歳の時から硬筆を、６歳で書道を始めました。
小学６年間書道教室に通った後、大学進学により神戸市に移り住んでから、塾にて国語、英語、そろばんの講師をしていた際に、現在の師匠にお会いしました。
その時以来、先生の熱心なご指導の元、今日に至るまでの間、書道に取り組んで来ました。
書道は私にとって情熱を持って取り組める物の一つであり、自己表現の手段の一つでもあり、時には心を鎮める瞑想であり、何よりも美しい故郷の日本を思い起こす上では欠かせない材料でもあります。
20年間で培って来た経験を元に、更なる向上を目指して、今後とも邁進して参ります。

2024
Thick brush Kanji writing (Associate Grand Master Calligrapher/ Jun-Shihan) / 漢字規定 (準師範)
Kanji classical literature writing with observing examples (Associate Grand Master Calligrapher/ Jun-Shihan) / 古典臨書 (準師範)
Kanji and Kana mix Thin brush writing (Japanese Certified Grand Master Calligrapher/ Qualified Teacher/ Shihan) / 細字 (師範)
Kanji and Kana mix pen writing (Japanese Certified Grand Master Calligrapher/ Qualified Teacher / Shihan) / ペン字 (師範)
*Dan-degree comes after ten steps of the Kyu degree. It shows a similar meaning to holding a black belt for Karate. It works up from 1st to 7th, then Associate Grand Master (Jun-Shihan) degree comes before the final grading of the Grand Master (Shihan) degree in my calligraphy association. The system could be various depending on which association you are learning.