This site was developed to provide methods and examples of Japanese brush calligraphy. I have studied with Nihon Shuji for the past 17yrs, it is the largest calligraphy organization in Japan with a membership of more than 800,000 members and branches in Belgium and the United States. Though not always being prudent in my studies, LOL, I none-the-less DO still practice as regularly as I am able. I previously had a site devoted to this same subject(and under the same name), but found I had not the time to properly devote to it.
I recently decided to “restart” the site (with a “make-over”,LOL), I previously would provide reader's with name translations (in kana) and would occasionally do certificate “models” (via “E-mail”). These would be sent to them and they could do whatever they wished with them. Though not actively doing so now, I have been involved with some interesting projects. Most of these have been “special” order projects for individuals (that I found to be interesting, or unique). There are several sites which will provide certificates (which will state anything you'd like them to), and will charge accordingly for them.
Though I still do (“actual”) brushed projects, I have limited them to my own. Being only moderately computer “savvy”, I'm still in the process of converting those projects to “Adobe” (to a file format that can be enlarged without suffering the effects of “pixilation”, once converted to this format, you could take the file to any “printing” business, and they can print it out to “any” required size and on the paper type of your choice).
I am (deeply, LOL) involved with teaching a “martial art” (that being “RyuTe”). I often find that my own “projects”, revolve around martial arts in general. Seeing that many “sites” utilize brushed calligraphy (on their sites), I “see” a great quantity of it, and a lot of it is (sloppy?) less than what “I” would consider to be either correct, or accurate. I make no claims of being fluent in Japanese, but I am familiar with the use, and manner of presenting a great number of the kanji being utilized. It is not uncommon for individuals to get a Japanese/English dictionary and throw together a couple of kanji and believe that they have “created” the desired word that they are seeking, their usually wrong. This most often applies to (self-imposed) “titles”. Many of which are simply ridicules. Those individuals are basically egotistic, self-absorbed, pompous asses (and are most often involved with some form of a martial art, LOL).
For this site, I will provide various examples, and explanations of the basic strokes involved with the brushing of the kanji. I will also provide numerous examples of kanji which are commonly encountered when exploring the martial arts environment. The most often “debated” kanji (in this field) are those for the “kata”. The reason being that the original kanji was “lost” over time (often from the loss of life during WW2). The individuals connected to the kata (and who “knew” the actual utilized kanji) were killed, or died during this time. Records at this time, were kept on “paper”(much of which was destroyed during the war). What papers there were, were lost/destroyed from the amount of bombing which was done there, and the intended kanji (and therefor the “meaning”) was lost.
For these reasons, I've had numerous debates over the kanji I have utilized for kata names. And for that reason, I will provide only those kanji which are “commonly” utilized, are they correct?, who knows.
One of my (on-going) “projects”, is a computer based kanji dictionary. It is based on the “New Nelson's Kanji Dictionary”. It provides translations/explanations of each of the kanji, and has examples of each of the 4 major styles of writing the kanji (Kaisho, Gyosho, Sosho, and Tensho). This was originally being done for my own use(but having had several “requests” for copies), I am considering offering it here (on DVD only, it has 1.5 GIG of information available on it, to be installed on the purchaser's computer). It also has examples of scrolls, names, places (for practice). There is a schedule of my previous “class” (that I taught on the subject). I've utilized a “browser” based index for navigation of the information. If you are interested, write me here and I will provide more information on the content.
