Shodo: Japanese Calligraphy

SHODO is one of the oldest and most profound traditional art forms in Japan, developed and appreciated since the 5th century.

SHODO is not only a highly regarded art form in Japan, it is both a skill and an aesthetic. The depth of beauty in SHODO is the result of diverse techniques being accompanied with a flow of brush and ink, essentially with an inner silence/stillness and spiritual concentration.

With Shodo, it is important to have MUSHIN 無心 : the state of no-mind, non-thoughts, a high level of spirituality and a heart free of disturbances. It is what we would call a meditative state.

“SHODO” is a Japanese word which is often translated and described as ​”the way of artistic hand writing or beautiful writing”.

In this 2-hour class, Japanese Shodo master, Akemi Kauffmann, will teach you several simple strokes, then to write a select few kanji characters and you take home your own beautiful writing to frame, if you so choose.

No experience required. Akemi has been teaching Japanese Calligraphy for more than 20 years in Oxford including at University of Oxford.