"Peace" Japanese calligraphy

　　　　"和" (WA, yawaragu). It is translated as peace, harmony, Japanese, etc.
　　　This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.

　　　Etymology :　Phono-semantic compound
　　　和 ⇒　禾 (grain, rice)　+ 口 (mouth)

　　　禾　:　The state that the ears of the foxtail millet lower in the shape of a circle
　　　The form of the circle suggests the peace.


　　　This kanji brought the meaning to show our nation from ancient times, too.
　　　You may have heard the Japanese heart. The heart of "和 (WA)".

　　　Our ancestor expressed both the peace and the national as one character.
　　　They prayed to the both for descendants.
　　　And left this kanji to us as property.


　　　I pray you and yours to peace.

Celebration chrysanthemum and Congratulations little girl

　　　　The shape. The color. 　They float in the calm space.
　　　The flower language of the chrysanthemum is "Noble".

　　　It is used as a crest of the Emperor of Japan.

　　　　The exhibition is opened at main Shinto shrines, others places of the whole country.
　　　It is given glory to innumerably.

　　　Because the cultivation process is too precise, I cannot imagine it.

　　　　The children have the Shinto priest purify.
　　　It will become her valuable memory.

　　　The chrysanthemums are exhibited carefully.

　　　　This splendid stage is the blessing for both chrysanthemums and children.


　　　Please look at traditional culture of Japanese children if you have little time.
　　　My post "Shichi-Go-San (seven-five-three)" 11.15.2009


　　　Excuse me. Please forgive that may worsen your feeling.
　　　In the West, the chrysanthemum means "death".
　　　This flower is not used at the time of visit in Japan either.
　　　Maybe our habit want to recall the inside beauty of every phenomenon.


　　　菊の香や 　　ならには古き 　　仏達
　　　　　松尾 芭蕉　　　　　 (1644 – 1694)

　　　Chrysanthemum fragrance... 　In Nara 　Old Buddhist images
　　　　　Matsuo Bashō　　 (1644 – 1694)

"Happiness" Japanese calligraphy

"幸" (kō, SHIAWASE). It is translated as favor, luck, happiness, etc.
This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.

Etymology :　Hieroglyph
幸 ⇒　The state that expressed fetters.
The meaning is happy that it is worn fetters than severed head punishment.


This character pronunciation is used for well.
It is one of the most famous in Japanese.
しあわせ : SHIAWASE

This character phrase is used for well.
It is one of the most wonderful in Japanese.
幸福　　 : HAPPINESS


This letter gives a very happy impression to us.
Therefore, it is often used as a part of the names.


I pray to your and yours "HAPPINESS".

Sky line, Sea line...

　　 　 The soft... light touch flows.
　　　It seems to penetrate through the pure color.

　　　It is gentle and transient.

　　　　The ships draw the one straight bluster in the stillness.
　　　It will spread for a while.

　　　And will fade away all too soon. 　Yes, all too soon...

　　　　The wake lengthens at will.
　　　The white illusion will leave the sign for a while.

　　　And will sink in the deep color. 　So, more deeper...




　　　海に出て　　木枯らし帰る　　ところなし
　　　　　山口　誓子　　　　　　(1901 - 1994)

　　　Go out sea　　 Wintry wind come home　　 Nowhere
　　　　　Yamaguchi　Seishi　(1901 - 1994)

　　　
　　　Here is Karatsu-shi, Saga Prefecture.

"Blue" Japanese calligraphy

"青" (sei, ao). It is translated as blue, young, clear, etc.
This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.

Etymology :　Ideogrammic compound
青 ⇒　生 (lifetime, birth)　+ 　丹 (vermilion, well)

丹　: The meaning is the well where pigments collected.
It is interesting that this character was created by the distinction-colored meaning.

The blue is the color, that is good for the stage something is born.
The youthfulness seems to symbolize the future when was full of hope.


"Blue"　It lets me expect of reincarnation.

The gift of the full maturity

　　　　The flame suddenly appeared.
　　　The mountains seem to be colored gorgeously.

　　　The intense cold air changes them into vivid still more.

　　　　The steep slope is the canvas.
　　　The organic paint is melt together.

　　　And heap up...

　　　　The blaze will pass away soon.
　　　It leaves only the crisp and clear impression...

　　　The Nature may give lingering sounds to the next season.



　　　　色付や　　豆腐に落ちて　　薄紅葉
　　　　　松尾　芭蕉 　　　　(1644 – 1694)

　　　　Coloring... 　Fell on tofu　　Lightly autumn leaves 　　
　　　　　Matsuo Bashō 　　(1644 – 1694)

"Leaf" Japanese calligraphy

"葉" (yō, ha). It is translated as leaf, petal, etc.
This character is written by Kanzi, Semi-cursive script .

Etymology :　Phono-semantic compound
葉 ⇒　枼 (table)　+ 艸 (grass)

The leaves have the fate they leave momentarily.


The West and the Orient.
The both may have the same recognition toward this word.
The impression is good for this season.



The moment of fallen leaves turns red and yellow most.
It is a sign of the winter, and a mystery of the Nature.

The ravine filled with fumes of wild incense

　　　　The getting burnt sense seems to be a smell of the far-off memory.
　　　The absentminded shadow of a farmer may be a symbol of this season.

　　　I sometimes lose my eyesight of it.

　　　　The cold air wraps up the slope.
　　　The smoke drifts aimlessly.

　　　It seems to be far... or near ...

　　　　To the upper rice field. 　To the sky. . .
　　　And to the next season. . .

　　　The memories are wandering all the time.



　　　　木枯に 岩吹きとがる 杉間かな
　　　　　松尾　芭蕉 　　(1644 – 1694)

　　　　A cold wintry wind ...　　Rock sharp keenly soars　　From interval of cedars　 　　
　　　　　Matsuo Bashō (1644 – 1694)


　　　Hare is Oniki District, Hasami-chō, Nagasaki Prefecture.

"Next" Japanese calligraphy

"次" (ji, tsugi). It is translated as next, order, etc.
This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script


Etymology :　Ideogram
次 ⇒　二 (two)　+ 欠 (yawn, crouch, lack)

二 : The meaning is the state that man stand in line and wait for.
欠 : The meaning is the state to stoop down.


The rice field and the peasant has already begun preparations for the next year.
The harvest may depend on the much earlier behavior...

The ground microcosm

The crimson may float in the air.
It seems to be Queen of the forest.

Only Nature can give glory to the clothes.




This space is covered with crimson stars.
They overlap and play gentle music.

Without it being disturbed to anyone.




The transmitted light is softhearted.
It surrounds the ground warmly.

And, leads a tender smile...




一枚の　 紅葉且つ散る 　静かさよ
　　高浜虚子 　　　　　　(1874 – 1959)

One piece ... 　Colored leaves and gone 　Quietness
　　Kyoshi Takahama (1874 – 1959)

"Star" Japanese calligraphy

"星" (sei, hoshi). It is translated as star, planet.
This character is written by Kanzi, Cursive script.

Etymology :　Phono-semantic compound
星 ⇒　晶 (crystal, bright)　+ 生 (lifetime, birth)

The crystal are born in the space. . .
The ancient people are poets.


The star which does not reach the hand. 　
The star which there is immediately.
The all is great crystal.

The layer of calm and brightness

The various silhouettes are diversely and softly pile on top.
The encounter is a moment.

The rays are illusions...




The undulation leads from the water's edge to the sea.
The island seems to reach the hand immediately.

But, I cannot catch it...　　 It closely resembles something.




The fine weather rays surround the island.
The shadow and the sun. Those mixture.

The border melts ambiguously...





荒海や 　佐渡に横たふ 　天の川
　　松尾　芭蕉 　　(1644 – 1694)

Rough sea... 　Lies in Sado island　　Milky Way 　　
　　Matsuo Bashō (1644 – 1694)

The limitless blessing

Something begins. 　Something is over...
Get something. 　　 　Lose something...

The twin relations are universal.




However, It is often forgotten.
Only gain has been demanded.

Yes. Human beings are always the habits of the one way.




The Nature advocates no objection for it.
It is really quite.

A human being is greedy, but is weak...



山は暮れて　　野はたそがれの　　すすきかな
与謝蕪村 (1716 – 1783)

Mountain getting dark 　　Field of the dusk 　　Japanese pampas grass ...
Yosa Buson 　(1716 – 1783)

"End" Japanese calligraphy

"終" (shū, owaru). It is translated as end, finally, etc.
This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.

Etymology :　Phono-semantic compound
終 ⇒　冬 (winter)　+ 糸 (thread)

冬 (winter) : The meaning is the end of the year.
終 (end) 　 : The meaning can coil itself around a spool till the last.


The harvest is joy. And it is a result.
However, we may have had the joy in the process.
Of course with hardship.

Something is going to begin again...

Sweet Time

Now, i'm in the flow of gentle wind.

It seems to take all with it somewhere. . .

The ripples play tender sounds.

He comes home from wandering one day.

The loneliness will return in the noise.

Yes. 　　Slowly. 　　The movement calmly. . .

This time. 　　This space.. 　　They will pass...

However, let's meet tomorrow again.

If lucky. . .

あかあかと　　日はつれなくも　　秋の風

松尾 芭蕉 (1644 – 1694)

In burning red　　Unkindly sun 　Autumn wind
Matsuo Bashō (1644 – 1694)

"Gentleness" Japanese calligraphy

"優" (yū, yasashii). It is translated as gentleness, kind, superior, etc.
This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.

Etymology :　Phono-semantic compound
優 ⇒　憂 (melancholy)　+ 人 (man)

This character is loved by Japanese.
The people may find the internal characteristic in this.


The sorrow may be gentle with people.
A human being is person that it is more vain than the Nature.

However, the depth seems to be infinite in the same way.

From dawn Until dusk

I may have lost sight of something.
Though there was always it in my very front.

I haven't watched the something.　I have noticed nothing.

The sky.　 　The cloud. 　　The earth.
And the color...

What would I have watched?

The wonderful blessing has been immediately.
I have been always embraced in them,

with heartwarming gentleness like mother...


The view of the summer please watch this one.
"The summer-colored memory "

"Mother" Japanese calligraphy

"母" (bo, haha). It is translated as mother.
This character is written by Kanzi, Semi-cursive script.

Etymology :　hieroglyph
The state of the woman with the nipple.


Mother earth.
It always accepted people.

The tradition of Imari porcelain

"Arita ware (porcelain)" was shipped to the foreign countries in the 17th century by the Imari port.
Therefore it came to be called Japanese ceramics "Imari porcelain".

Here is a porcelain paint specialty store.
The manufacturing method is transmission from father to son.

"第十三代 今泉今衛門 Imaemon Imaizumi XIII (1926 - 2001)" was one of the best ceramists in Japan.
He was registered as "Living National Treasures of Japan" by nation.

In front of that paint specialty store, there is their studio.
Now, Imaemon Imaizumi XIV succeeds to traditional technique.

You may have watched their works in the art museum.
They are ultimately delicate and graceful.


Please look at their gallery, it is gorgeous.
The gallery of "Imaemon Imaizumi XIII". 　
The gallery of "Imaemon Imaizumi XIV".
The art museum of Imaemon Imaizumi

Here is Arita, Saga Prefecture.

In a lucky thing, I have a plate of Imaemon Imaizumi.
There is the small universe in it.
The precious porcelain are displayed in the Tokonoma.


"Imari porcelain" or "Arita ware"
They are still carefully handed down as the Japanese best of them.

"Precious" Japanese calligraphy

"貴" (ki, toutoi). It is translated as valuable, precious, etc.
This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.

Etymology :　Phono-semantic compound
臾 (moment, instant)　+ 貝 (sea shell, money, currency)



The shell was used for money in the ancient times.
The ceramic ware and pottery may have been precious articles in old days like that.

It has succeeded to the value as the work of art in the present age.

Anyway, this Etymology is significant...

The mixture of ray and silhouette

The morning sun individualizes figures of black pines in the quiet space.
I alone and millions of black pines.

The silence is more deeper. . .




The shadow becomes extinct every moment.
And the power of the light covers up this world.

The change is silently...




If the time passes, the darkness world comes over again.
From the depths of the forest.

The samsara continues eternally.


Here is Karatsu-shi, Saga Prefecture.

This place was contributed before..
"Driving through the forest of black pine"

"Tree" Japanese calligraphy

"木" (ki, or moku). It is translated as a tree.
This character is written by Kanzi, Seal script, and hieroglyph.

Seal script is the origin of the kanji. 　It shows the history of the kanji.

It is informed that it was created in China of Western Zhou Dynasty (B.C. 1046 - B.C. 771) more than about 3000 years ago.


When I watch Seal script, I can understand that a kanji is an ideograph well.
It converts a natural agenda into the sign of the letter.
In the Far East of now, it is used as a letter of the seals.

The stairs ... soar up from sea into firmament

As for the Tanada (Rice Terraces), already finished the harvest.
There is covered with grass.

The strong backlight reflects the sea before my eyes.




Time of several hundred years.　 Innumerable people. 　　Nature. . .
The various elements created this huge sculpture.

The sea breeze always sharpened this valley.




The farmers have lived in this the narrow and remote land. 　

　While they are hugging this Tanada.
　While they are embraced to this blue sky...


Here is Genkai-chō, Saga Prefecture.

"Art" Japanese calligraphy

"芸 術" (gei-jutsu). It is translated as Art.
This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.


Etymology :　Phono-semantic compound
芸 ⇒　云 (cloud)　+ 艸 (grass)
The state that the clouds spreading through hazily over the grassy plain.


Etymology :　Phono-semantic compound
術　⇒　朮 (stick)　+ 行 (go)
The state to carry through one's faith tenaciously.


The essence of the art is put in this phrase.
The character talks about the property of the art.

I can image them by this etymology.
It may be the eternal message from the people of the ancient times.

The season of the crop

The color seems to be the departure signal to harvest the paddy-rice.
The clothes changed from green to yellow with the season.

Gentle wind shakes them slowly.





The crops are protected by the bamboo forest.
It seems to be children embraced by mother.

The wavering may be a smile.





The colors to dye this space are born in sequence.
This world will shift from yellow to crimson sometime soon.

The expressions of the Nature are really various.