The Sanpitsu and Sanseki

• Japanese calligraphy found its start in China in the fifth century, at the same time much of the Chinese written language was introduced. After paper was brought to Japan by way of a Korean monk in the 700s, Japanese Buddhist monks used shodo to write down passages from religious documents and texts. At this time three men became known as the Sanpitsu ("Three Great Brushes") because of their calligraphy skills: Emperor Saga, the Buddhist monk Kukai and Tachibana no Hayanari, a government official in Emperor Saga's court. Later in the Heian period in the 11th century the Sanpitsu was replaced by three men who earned the title of Sanseki ("Three Traces") named Ono no Toufuu, Fujiwara no Yukinari and Fujiwara no Sukemasa. The Sanseki is known as the trio who created Wayou---the first style of calligraphy that originated solely in Japan.
  
  

Modern Shodo Masters

• While no calligrapher today has earned a title like the Sanpitsu or the Sanseki, there are people today who are considered shodo masters and have devoted their entire lives to the art. The Japanese calligraphy society known as Bokuteki-kai will sometimes extend the title of "shihan," or "senior teacher," to individuals who have proven exceptional skill in shodo. Contests are held in Japan each year to showcase the work of both new and seasoned calligraphers.
  
  

Japanese Calligraphy Abroad

• Calligraphy has rapidly gained popularity across the globe, particularly in America and Europe. The most obvious evidence of shodo's migration is in the kanji tattoos seen in many parlors, based on both traditional and modern calligraphy designs. People often choose to imprint a phrase or single character that represents something meaningful or as a remembrance. Home decor has been influenced by Asian inspiration as well, and shodo art often adorns the walls or furniture of Japanese-themed rooms.
  
  

Three Basic Styles

• Although styles of shodo vary widely depending on what you're writing and your level of skill, usually the styles fall into three categories. Kaisho is a basic block style, the kind you see in newspapers and schoolbooks throughout Japan. Gyosho, the second style, is also called "semi-cursive" for its similarity to kaisho with sweeping lines and curves; this style is mostly used to accentuate certain words from other block-style words. Sosho is the third and final main style, commonly called "grass script" for the way each character seems to flow across the paper. Sosho is usually reserved for formal occasions.
  
  

Tools of Shodo

• While technology has changed the material of the tools used in shodo, the tools themselves haven't changed much. The brush (known as a fude) is made from stiff animal hair and has different sizes for various uses. A "sumi stick" is a solid block of ink that is mixed with water as it's rubbed onto a suzumi (ink stone). Hanshi is paper of varying thickness used primarily for shodo art.