Tag Archives: 書道アート

水無月 (mi-na-zuki) “The month of water”

水 = water 無 = not any 月 = month I know, 無 means “not any”, not “of”. So why doesn’t this mean “the month with no water”? According to wikipedia, this 無 is used purely as an ateji, which is a kanji used for its pronunciation rather than its meaning. 無 is pronounced “na”,ContinueContinue reading “水無月 (mi-na-zuki) “The month of water””

皐月 (sa-tsu-ki) “May”

Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is 一月 (ichi-gatsu, literally “Month one”), February is 二月 (ni-gatsu, “Month two”), etc. However, before the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800s) it was common to use an older 12-month system. These months’ names referenced the weather and the seasons (similar to the FrenchContinueContinue reading “皐月 (sa-tsu-ki) “May””

まこ “Mako”

(image by client) I was very honoured to receive a commission to create this artwork. “Mako” is the name of the client’s beloved cat. I love cats >^^< The name “Mako” is the nickname of the Japanese actor Makoto Iwamatsu. Because it is a Japanese name, I decided to render it in hiragana. Hiragana isContinueContinue reading “まこ “Mako””

桜梅桃李 (o-bai-to-ri) “never compare yourself to others”

This yo-ji-juku-go (Japanese 4-character idiom) is comprised of 4 beloved Japanese trees. They are: 桜 = cherry (sakura) 梅 = apricot (ume) 桃 = peach (momo) 李 = plum (sumomo) Each of these iconic trees blossoms in its own time and in its own unique way. 桜 (sakura) are of course the cherry blossom treesContinueContinue reading “桜梅桃李 (o-bai-to-ri) “never compare yourself to others””

卯月(uzuki) “April” (archaic)

Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is literally “Month one” 一月, February is “Month two” 二月, etc. However, before the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800s) it was common to use an older 12-month system. These months’ names referenced the weather and the seasons (similar to the French Revolutionary calendar).ContinueContinue reading “卯月(uzuki) “April” (archaic)”

春分 (shun-bun) “Spring Equinox”

In Japan, Spring Equinox is a national holiday. The week which contains Spring Equinox is called “o-higan”. This has connections with Buddhism, and on this day many people visit spend time with their families and visit their family grave.  “Bota-mochi” (rice cake covered in sweet bean paste) is traditionally eaten on this day.

関 (seki) “barrier, connection”

This kanji character is rarely used on its own, but is often found combined with other characters. For example, 関西 (Kansai) and 関東 (Kanto). Since ancient times there has been a road from Tokyo (the current capital) to Kyoto (the former capital). At the mid-way point there used to be a large gate. This led toContinueContinue reading “関 (seki) “barrier, connection””

弥生 (yayoi) “March” (archaic)

Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is literally “Month one”, February is “Month two”, etc. However, before the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800s) it was common to use an older 12-month system. These months’ names referenced the weather and the seasons (similar to the French Revolutionary calendar). The monthContinueContinue reading “弥生 (yayoi) “March” (archaic)”