Shikishi for Shodan Advancement

One of my customers always buys a shikishi for his student that takes their shodan (black belt) examination. He tries to match the student character or other traits that he observed while teaching him martial arts.

In this case, he had us write the characters for a foot bellow (tatara) which is a tool used in forging a katana.

If you would like a custom scroll or other calligraphy written, please contact to sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com

Aikido Wallscroll with Picture of Osensei

This scroll was shipped to the New York area. It was commissioned by a dojo that wanted both a kakejiku (wallscroll) that also had a picture of Osensei, Morihei Ueshiba. For the Ichimonji, I used a pine needle motif pattern because I read that O Sensei trained by "sometimes hanging from trees with weights on his feet".

It has a dark brown cloth with a large flower karakusa (arabesque) and is completed with a Usukin (light gold) hanging string and black lacquer wood jikusaki with a gold band.

The scroll size is approximately 1 foot wide by 2.5 feet long.

If you would like a scroll commissioned for you please contact to sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com

Print of Japanese Artist in Scroll

This scroll was made by me that will be presented as a gift to a Buddhist teacher. The painting is by Tsuneo Iwasaki (1917-2002). Although unsure, I believe the title to be Illuminating Moonbeam. In this particular painting, there is a person in a boat pointing to the moon. A line of calligraphy goes up to the cloudy moon. When I first viewed the painting, I interpreted it incorrectly as a poem descending to the earth on a moon beam. It is a metaphor.


I used a dark blue cloth to help envelop the viewer in the night sky and imagine himself as if on the boat. The deep gold medium size karakusa helps to contrast and bring out the blue. It is finished with a kon (navy) hanging string and shitan (rosewood) jikusaki.
If you have a print, or would like an original work of art framed into a scroll please contact to sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com

Scroll Dimensions as follows:

	Name in English	Size in Bun	Size in Inches
天	Ten	96	11.45
上一文字	Ue Ichimonji	17	2.03
紙本の幅さ	Artwork Width	55	6.56
紙本の長さ	Artwork Length	332	39.60
柱	Pillars	10	1.19
下一文字	Shita Ichimonji	11	1.31
地	Chi	50	5.96
掛け軸の幅さ	Scroll Width	75	8.95
掛け軸の長さ	Scroll Length	506	60.36

Aikido Scroll to the Northeast

This is an Aikido Scroll that went to the Northeast of the US. You can tell a slight difference in the second character. This is the older form of Ki, which the customer selected. This is also in a 3 step style, or Sandan Hyougu style. The simple framed picture of Osensei, Morihei Ueshiba completes a beautiful display.

If you would like a custom scroll made that frames a picture, print, or canvas painting please contact to Jonathan Maples at sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com

Aikido Wallscroll or Kakejiku

I have not posted many scrolls recently done for customers because I have been remodeling a house for a move from August until Mid October. Here are some scrolls that I did for some different Aikido practitioners.


This Maru Hyougu scroll provides a great backdrop for the meditation area.

Oxen Rider Sumie Wallscroll

This scroll is for sale. It is painted by artist Mariusz Szmerdt of Poland.

It is about 3.5 feet long by 1.2 feet wide.

For price inquiries please contact to sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com

Artist Prints in Scroll

An artist from back East had an exhibition and had me make a scroll for her prints. It is two prints in one scroll, with the prints being an Alice in Wonderland theme, mixed with Japanese Kanji.