言魂 KOTODAMA
-
Published in the French Art Magazine “République des Arts” — A Wonderful Connection
SEIREN — Letters Infused with Kotodama Seiren’s calligraphy is born from a rich encounter between Japanese tradition and a distinctly modern sensibility. The strength of a single brushstroke converses with the stillness of the blank space, and the characters transcend the boundaries of language to be elevated into true works of visual art. Each composition…
-
September Letter Opening — Autumn Quietly Appears in the Clear Sky
September #お手紙冒頭文 (opening lines for a letter) Looking up at the clear sky,I can see the signs of autumn quietly peeking through 🌾 Heavy rains and sharp swings in temperature.Every time the unusual weather continues, I feel as if the Earth is crying out. Even so, when I happen to look up at the sky,clouds…
-
Henteko Calligraphy Club Baton 155 — “Time Travel: Heisei”
#ヘンテコ書道部バトン155I’m joining the baton relay of the “Henteko Shodo-bu” (Quirky Calligraphy Club). Theme: “Time Travel”Subtheme: “Heisei” My Heisei era… The happy times,the hard times,the time I fought illness,the times I agonized—it all felt so heavy,and yet I made it through.Thirty-one years packed with memories. Looking back,it seems to have passed in a flash,and yet it…
-
Nagatsuki — The Long Month of September
Nagatsuki (長月)September The traditional name for September Last year I wrote and posted the traditional name of each month. For September, though, I used 彩月 instead of 長月. “Nagatsuki” is the more familiar name, isn’t it?Now that I have all twelve months, I’d like to turn them into a calendar 😊 This is the time…
-
Sometimes, Being Together Is the Blessing そばに誰かがいることの、静かな喜び
Sometimes, the greatest blessing is simply being together. “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!”— Psalm 133:1 共にいることThis calligraphy carries a quiet reminder of how precious human connection can be. In Japanese culture, words are often more than something we read. They can become something we feel, reflect on, and…
-
When Summer Ends, Some Feelings Stay | 遠雷 夏が過ぎていくのを感じるあなたへ
When summer ends, some feelings stay.Sometimes, a distant sound is enough to bring back a memory, a season, or someone we once held close. 遠雷 (Enrai) means “distant thunder” in Japanese. But 遠雷 is more than the sound of thunder far away. It can evoke the quiet feeling of something approaching from a distance —…
-
If You Feel Like You’re Not Good Enough, Read This 「自分なんかだめだ」と思ってしまうあなたへ
Sometimes, we are harder on ourselves than anyone else.If you’ve ever thought, “Maybe I’m not good enough,” this message is for you.Take a quiet moment and remember: don’t give up on yourself. Japanese Calligraphy 「いちばんいけないのは自分なんかだめだと思いこむことだよ」 A memorable line from Doraemon, this Japanese message reminds us that one of the most painful things we can do…
-
Summer Is Fleeting. So Are Fireworks. 夏も花火も、一瞬のきらめき
Some moments are beautiful because they don’t last. 花火 — Hanabi** means “fireworks” in Japanese. Summer and fireworks are both fleeting — here for only a moment, yet bright enough to stay in our hearts. This calligraphy piece carries a simple thought: Summer, too, is a fleeting sparkle.And so are fireworks. Perhaps that is why…
-
First Learn. Then Break Free. Finally, Find Your Way | 守破離
Sometimes, the path to becoming yourself begins with learning from someone else. 守破離 — Shu-Ha-Ri is a beautiful Japanese concept about the journey toward mastery: first learning the form, then breaking beyond it, and eventually finding your own way. It is associated with traditional Japanese arts and disciplines such as tea ceremony, martial arts, and…
-
When Your Heart Feels Tired, Listen to the Waves 心が疲れたとき、波の音に耳を澄まして
Sometimes, a sound can bring back a memory you thought you had forgotten. 波音（Namioto） is a beautiful Japanese word for the sound of waves. But to me, the sound of waves is more than just a sound.It carries distant memories and precious feelings, gently coming and going with the tide. Like the waves, some memories…
-
Keep This Japanese Word Close on Difficult Days 心晴れやかに — つらい日に思い出したい言葉
Sometimes, your heart just needs a little space to breathe.If today feels heavy, let this Japanese word stay with you for a moment. 心晴れやかに (kokoro hareyaka ni) means having a heart that feels clear, light, and bright — a feeling of being freed from heaviness and able to look ahead with a more open heart.…
