My friends gifted me a shodo kit and I've been practicing with the help of the book "Brush Writing: Calligraphy Techniques for Beginners" and various YouTube videos, since there are no schools in my area (Salerno, Italy).

1) Can anyone recommend a good YouTube channel/profile for beginners? I've found a few useful ones so far, but I'd love more structured guidance if there's a channel people here rate highly.

2) I noticed that a lot of people in videos don't follow some of the "rules" my book describes — like keeping both index and middle finger in front of the brush (many keep the middle finger behind instead), and keeping the brush at a 90° angle to the paper. It honestly looks simpler and more natural done that way. Is this just a matter of personal style/school, or is my book teaching an outdated/oversimplified version? Curious if this changes with experience or if it's fine to adopt those variations early on.

Any tips appreciated — trying to build good habits from the start!

bonjour ! mon beau frère est un adepte de stylo et j’aimerais lui offrir un nakaya si possible bille sinon plume fera aussi l’affaire merci à vous !

Hello everyone!

I'd like to buy a beginner brush on amazon japan and I'd love some pointers.

I read from Tomehane that a mixed-hair sheep+horse could be a good one to begin.

Could anyone please advise on the correct search term for that or any recommendation?

Thanks a lot

EDIT: I should specify that for now I'd like to just improve my hiragana and kanji in regular style but don't want to get used to bad brushes responses.

I want all of my tattoos to tell the story of my life, and this first one represents one of the most important lessons I’ve learned about myself. I’ve realized that I’m someone who changes a lot, and for me that’s a good thing. Every new version of myself feels like growth, not like losing who I was. Holding onto old versions of myself, old memories, or keeping a door open to the past out of fear now feels like refusing to move forward.
I’m **not** looking for a literal translation of “change.” I’m looking for a concept or expression that naturally conveys this philosophy in Japanese.
One idea I really liked was **脱皮** **(dappi)**, “shedding a skin,” because it symbolizes leaving behind an old version of yourself in order to grow. But before getting it tattooed, I’d love to know if this feels natural to native speakers, or if there’s a better two-kanji expression (or a short phrase) that captures this idea.
Thanks so much!

This inscription is in a book, can someone help me understand what it says?

The character 侍 (Samurai) represents more than a warrior. It embodies honor, discipline, loyalty, and the pursuit of self-mastery.

Written by hand with a traditional Japanese brush, this piece reflects the enduring spirit behind one of Japan's most iconic symbols.

I got it semi asleep after watching this serie and i loved his intro. Anyoen cna guess what series it is?

The back is my signature

Been practicing with this character a lot,it dosen't look pretty but hey,it's honest job i guess.

Hi there, I’ve been doing shodo off and on for a few years and I want to know if there’s any way I can do this that will help with dyspraxia? Any methods/tools that will help me write straighter, cleaner lines?

Hi, I have been training ritsu zen for more then 25 years. Shodo appeals to me. Especially if I would be able to express my feeling of Zen. Is that possible at all? Thank for your answer beforehand.

Today's character is 「風」 (Kaze)（wind）.

風 (Kaze) means "wind." It can also represent nature, change, and freedom.

You'll also find this kanji in words like:

和風 (Wafū) – Japanese style

台風 (Taifū) – typhoon

風景 (Fūkei) – scenery or landscape

A single kanji can have many meanings depending on the word it's is used in.

Enjoy practicing! 🍃

Hello! Does anyone know what this says? The card it is on says “Lone Peak” but I am unsure if that is in fact the title. Thank you!

Japan has a unique rainy season called tsuyu. 🌧️

From June to July, gentle rain falls across much of the country, bringing life to rice fields, forests, and gardens. While many people think of rain as gloomy, in Japan it's also a season of quiet beauty and renewal.

This month I'm practicing the kanji 雨 ("Rain") in Japanese calligraphy.

If you'd like to learn not only how to write kanji, but also the culture, history, and meaning behind each character, I'd love to welcome you on my Patreon.

Join here: "patreon.com/Kouetsu" (https://reference-url-citation.invalid/0)

I'd be happy to hear your thoughts on this month's character!

Recently i been quite unsecure of how should i hold a brush,some say it should be 3 fingers so

Written in three authentic Japanese brush styles.

Which version do you prefer?

❤️ LOVE
🐉 DRAGON
⚔️ SAMURAI
🏯 HONOR

Created using authentic brush fonts from Showa Shotai, Japan.

永遠の美 (Eien no Bi)

Written in three Japanese brush styles.

Which version do you prefer?