It will soon be blossom season in Japan! By far the most famous of Japanese blossoms are cherry blossoms, but they’re not the first spring flower to bloom. Plum blossom usually start appearing as early as mid-February. Although not as dramatic as the more-famous cherry blossoms, they are well-loved for their subtle beauty. The imageContinueContinue reading “梅 (umé) plum”
Category Archives: kanji
鬼 (oni) “Demon”
Sometimes translated as “demon”, “devil” or “ogre”, an oni is a traditional Japanese monster typically depicted as wearing a tiger pelt and carrying an iron club. They usually have red or blue skin and horns. They are popular characters in Japanese fairy tales and legends. In early February the annual bean-throwing festival is practiced toContinueContinue reading “鬼 (oni) “Demon””
前進 (zen-shin) “Keep moving forwards!”
A motivational message for the client to hang in their room, with the option of turning it into a tattoo design. This was my first calligraphy commission 😊
How many writing systems does the Japanese language use?
kanji (left side), hiragana (top right) and katakana (bottom right) When you begin learning Japanese, chances are you’ll find yourself coming up against not only one writing system, but multiple. Each of these writing systems has its own purpose and place within the written Japanese language. In this article I give a very brief overviewContinueContinue reading “How many writing systems does the Japanese language use?”
Calligraphy by Vicky 