Library
Explore the art, tradition, and craft of Japanese calligraphy through articles, interviews, and educational resources by Master Japanese Calligrapher Eri Takase.
Articles
Seishintouitsu: Concentration of Mind — Master Calligrapher Eri Takase on seishin tōitsu (精神統一), the concentration of mind. She explains why it is the common ground of calligraphy, the martial arts and the tea ceremony.
The Diplomas of Ryoma Elementary School — How the graduating class of an elementary school in Yoshino, Japan makes its own diplomas by hand, from the kozo field to the finished paper. Master papermaker Hiroyuki Fukunishi guides them, and we photographed the whole month of work.
Hiroyuki Fukunishi, Japanese Papermaker — A visit with National Living Treasure papermaker Hiroyuki Fukunishi in the papermaking village of Yoshino, Japan
Traditional Japanese Calligraphy — What traditional Japanese calligraphy is and where it came from, with award-winning works by Master Calligrapher Eri Takase. It explains why every Japanese calligrapher trains in Chinese calligraphy, and what kana added that made the art Japan's own.
Interviews
Anime Reign Interview — Master Calligrapher Eri Takase discusses her journey from childhood training through national competitions to contemporary art, and creating a secret ninjutsu makimono
California Reiki Interview of Master Takase — Master Calligrapher Eri Takase discusses the art and energy of Japanese calligraphy — hara, ki, mushin, and the physical and spiritual experience of creating large competition pieces
Photoshop Magazine Interview — Master Calligrapher Eri Takase discusses her art, process, and the role of technology in Japanese calligraphy for the Turkish edition of Photoshop Magazine
Reference
How to Write Names in Hiragana — How to write your name in hiragana, the flowing script of the brush. This guide explains when hiragana suits a name, for a scroll, a gift or a tattoo, and when a document needs katakana.
How to Write Names in Kanji — How to write a name in Japanese kanji, by sound or by meaning. This guide shows when each method works best, with examples by Master Calligrapher Eri Takase.
How to Write Names in Katakana — Your name in Japanese is spelled by how you say it, not by its English letters. See how katakana works, and find the spelling that matches your own voice.
How to Write Your Name in Japanese, by How You Say It — How to write your name in Japanese, by how you say it rather than how it is spelled. This guide explains katakana, hiragana and kanji for names, and helps you choose the one that fits.
How We Get Your Name's Japanese — How we write a name in Japanese from the way it is said, how a reading is checked against the way Japan already writes a namesake, and how you can tell us your own pronunciation.
What Your Name Means — Where the meaning of your name comes from, how sure we are of it, and how that meaning finds the kanji Master Takase has brushed.
Resources
Fair Use — What you may do with what you find on this site, and how we credit the work of others.
Glossary of Japanese Calligraphy Terms — A glossary of the terms used in Japanese calligraphy: the script styles, the materials and the ranks. Use it to look up any word you meet on our pages or in a calligraphy class.
Learn Japanese Calligraphy — Learn Japanese calligraphy with Master Calligrapher Eri Takase. A structured course covering tools, technique, and the basic strokes of the kaisho script.
Library Sources & Hosting — Provenance, copyright posture, and editorial notes for the works hosted in takase.com's library.
Master Takase's Custom Design Process — Follow one real order from the client's first email to the design he approved, with each set of samples and what he said about it. Read it before you write to us, so you know what to expect at each step.
Name Resources — The reference works, databases, pronunciation tools, and academic research behind every name on this site.
The Japanese Alphabet — The Japanese alphabet explained: the two kana scripts, hiragana and katakana, and how they differ from kanji. Start here if you are new to written Japanese.
Philology
The story behind each text we brush, followed to its oldest record and to the book that named it in English: proverbs and maxims, haiku and poems, Zen phrases, scripture, the classics, and single words. Read and search them all on the Philology shelf.
Blog
Notes on Japanese language, calligraphy, and the wider world.
Books
Rare books on Japanese art and culture, digitized and hosted by Takase Studios since 1998.
Gallery
Mixed media artwork by Eri Takase, 1996–1997.
Field Notes on Working with AI
Observational research from a working business: one person who decides, and a team of AI roles, each expert in one domain, who carry a goal across their domains to the live site.