New Year’s is the biggest festival in Japan. As a time for new beginnings, it is often observed by doing activities “for the first time in the new year”.
The first calligraphy of the new year is called 書初め (kakizomé).
書 = writing (as in 書道 – Japanese calligraphy, or “the way of writing”)
初 = for the first time, in the beginning (as in my previous post).
The above image is a 書初め (kakizomé) work that I did a while back when I was living in Japan.
Like most 書初め (kakizomé) works, it contains a reference to nature and a hope for the coming year.
The kanji are:
春 = spring
日 = day (or sun)
鳥 = bird
還 = return
飛 = fly
So a loose translation is “In spring days, birds fly back.” The birds can refer to hope and good feeling, as well as a sign of spring.
BONUS KATAKANA READING PRACTICE!
If you can read katakana, you can find out my first name. (It’s on the left side of the artwork).
Calligraphy by Vicky 