Posts
All the articles I've posted.
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The Complete Guide to Kanji Tattoos: Get One Right (2026)
By K. YamaUpdated:Most kanji tattoos are subtly wrong in ways their owners never learn. A Japanese calligrapher's complete guide to choosing, writing, and getting a kanji tattoo right.
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How to Write Your Name in Japanese (Katakana Guide)
By K. YamaUpdated:Your name in Japanese is written in katakana by sound, not kanji by meaning. How the conversion really works, and the mistakes that trip everyone up.
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Best Sumi-e Starter Kit for Beginners (2026): Build Your Own From $46
By K. YamaUpdated:There is no good all-in-one sumi-e kit on Amazon, so build one. A Japanese calligrapher on the brushes, ink, palette, paper and book a beginner in Japanese ink painting actually needs.
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Best Online Japanese Calligraphy Courses (2026)
By K. YamaUpdated:Want to learn shodō online but don't know where to start? A Japanese calligrapher reviews the best online Japanese calligraphy courses for beginners in 2026.
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Best Sumi Ink for Beginners (2026): 3 Bottles Compared
By K. YamaUpdated:A Japanese calligrapher compares the three bottled sumi inks beginners meet most often — what each is like to use, and which to start with.
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Best Japanese Calligraphy Wall Art: How to Buy It Right (2026)
By K. YamaUpdated:Most 'Japanese calligraphy' wall art is a computer font, sometimes with the wrong kanji. A calligrapher's guide to buying real, meaningful pieces for your wall.
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Best Sumi Ink Sticks for Beginners (2026): From $9 to Kobaien
By K. YamaUpdated:Grinding your own ink is the moment shodō stops being a hobby and becomes a practice. A Japanese calligrapher on the four ink sticks worth buying, from a $9 starter to Kobaien.
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Yūgen (幽玄): The Japanese Aesthetic of Suggested Depth
By K. YamaUpdated:Yūgen isn't a vague 'beauty of the universe.' It's Japan's precise aesthetic of suggested depth — born in court poetry, perfected on the Noh stage.
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Best Japanese Stationery Gifts (2026): 15 Picks From $6 to $58
By K. YamaUpdated:Japanese stationery is the everyday luxury almost everyone loves. A Japanese calligrapher's 15 picks, from a $6 eraser to a leather Traveler's Notebook, plus four ready-made bundles.
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Best Gifts for Japan Lovers: A Calligrapher's Honest Picks (2026)
By K. YamaUpdated:What to give someone who loves Japan — and what to skip. Honest, useful picks across calligraphy, tea, and craft, plus the tourist junk to avoid.
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