Tag: beginner
All the articles with the tag "beginner".
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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 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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Best Water Calligraphy for Adults (2026): Buddha Board vs Water-Writing Cloth
By K. YamaUpdated:Brush practice with nothing but water: no ink, no stains, no waste. A Japanese calligrapher on the Buddha Board, water-writing cloths and water brushes, and which one actually improves your shodō.
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Best Japanese Calligraphy Set for Kids (2026)
By K. YamaUpdated:A Japanese calligrapher on the calligraphy sets that actually work for children — water-writing kits for under-8s, real ink sets for 8+, and what to avoid.
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A Daily Calligraphy Practice Routine That Actually Sticks
By K. YamaUpdated:Twenty minutes a day beats three hours on Sunday. A Japanese calligrapher's honest daily shodō practice routine — the setup, the warm-up, and what to actually do.
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Best Calligraphy Felt Mat and Paperweight (2026)
By K. YamaUpdated:The two cheapest tools in Japanese calligraphy are the two most often skipped. A calligrapher on which felt mat (shitajiki) and paperweight (bunchin) to buy.
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Best Japanese Brush Pens for Calligraphy (2026)
By K. YamaUpdated:A Japanese calligrapher compares the four brush pens (fude pen) actually worth buying — Tombow, Pentel, Kuretake — and explains what a brush pen can and can't teach you.
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