絆 can refer to any kind of “bond”, but it usually refers to the “bonds” that structure human relationships. Although the word “bond” sounds inflexible and unforgiving, in Japanese it usually has a positive nuance when used to describe human relationships. Even if the nature of a human relationship leads to a reduction in one’sContinueContinue reading “絆 (ki-zu-na) “bonds””
Tag Archives: 書道アート
神 (ka-mi) “divine spirit”
Often translated as “god”, a Japanese kami is closer to the concept of a spirit. They are (mostly) not considerd to be omniscient nor omnipotent, but rather they influence the human world within a certain capacity. It is often said that in Japan there are 8 million kami. Some of the more well known are Amaterasu-o-mi-kami the sun goddess,ContinueContinue reading “神 (ka-mi) “divine spirit””
お盆 (o-bon)
Every August Japan celebrates o-bon, the time of year when ancestors return to the world of the living. People celebrate by lighting fires, holding special dances in the town square, and visiting their family graves.
関 (kan) “barrier, connection, boundary”
This kanji character is rarely used on its own, but is often found combined with other characters. One meaning is “barrier”. There used to be many post stations along the road from Tokyo to Kyoto. At the mid-way point there was a large gate. This led to people thinking of towns in Japan as beingContinueContinue reading “関 (kan) “barrier, connection, boundary””
和 (wa) “peace”
This kanji also means “Japanese style” (opposed to “Western style”) as it is an ancient name for Japan. It can also be pronounced “Yamato”.
あおいうみ、さかなつり
(aoi umi, sakana tsuri) “blue sea, catching fish” You might notice that the above characters are a different style to the characters I usually write. Usually I write calligraphy in kanji, which is a logographic script in which each complex character has a meaning. The above is in hiragana, which is a syllabary – eachContinueContinue reading “あおいうみ、さかなつり”
仁 (jin) “benevolence”
One of the 7 virtues of bushido. “Jin” is also one of the most fundamental virtues of Confucianism (from which much of traditional Japanese morality was based), which could be defined as to treat each other with tenderness; to love each other. Samurai were expected to be benevolent. However, this was not the blind benevolenceContinueContinue reading “仁 (jin) “benevolence””
Excerpt from the Heart Sutra
是諸法空相 = All phenomena bear the mark of Emptiness 不生不滅 = no Birth no Death 不垢不浄 = no Defilement no Purity 不増不減 = no Increasing no Decreasing (Translation by Thich Nhat Hanh) The Heart Sutra is one of the most important sutras (religious texts) in Buddhism. It celebrates the idea that all things of theContinueContinue reading “Excerpt from the Heart Sutra”
抱負 (houfu) “resolution”
和気藹々 (wa-ki-ai-ai) “happy gathering”
My housemate wanted some calligraphy for our house. He asked for a phrase which relates to people coming together and having a good time. I asked my Japanese teacher for such a phrase and she recommended this 4-character idiom. It means something like “to be full of happy friendly atmosphere when people gather together”. Anyway, heContinueContinue reading “和気藹々 (wa-ki-ai-ai) “happy gathering””
Calligraphy by Vicky 