Bonsai Scrollmaking Class

On June 16th, 2011 I conducted a workshop for 8 students on how to make wallscrolls or kakejiku  at Bonsai in the Bluegrass in Louisville Kentucky. It was the most difficult but enjoyable time I have ever had because there was so much to do and so little time to do it in...

If you would like to order a custom scroll there are three ways to get started: 1. Go to my shopping site at www.shop.customjapanesecalligraphy.com 2. Download my scroll design workbook from my website at www.customjapanesecalligraphy.com to read about the concepts behind kakejiku or wallscroll design. 3. E-mail to me directly at sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com 


This scroll was one of the demo pieces completed for the person in charge of the program. It reads 百花春至 Hyakka ha Haru Itaru. This means that Spring Begins with a Hundred Blossoms. The writing was done is a Gyousho style by Yoshimi Yamada Maples, Ryugyoku. The scroll was on the drying board for over a year. The person receiving the scroll selected an Enshu Shitan Jikusaki. The scroll was designed in mind of the bonsaiist that loves to display shohin Azaleas.

Shodo for Scrollmaking Class

If you would like to order a custom scroll there are three ways to get started: 1. Go to my shopping site at www.shop.customjapanesecalligraphy.com 2. Download my scroll design workbook from my website at www.customjapanesecalligraphy.com to read about the concepts behind kakejiku or wallscroll design. 3. E-mail to me directly at sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com 

This is another writing for the Bonsai in the Bluegrass scrollmaking class, which will be held all day on June 16, 2011. This student wanted a Spring Early summer themed poem to make a scroll for their bonsai display.



Coming to the decision of the final poem was both difficult and arduous. However, I think this phrase conveys a beautiful sentiment for a bonsai with a spring season theme.

Although I did recommend the customer to have the work done in the Sousho style, they preferred the Gyousho.
The meaning is as follows:
A young and tender new spring grass is like a far off dream that you see as you doze off. The source for this phrase is Shuki’s 朱熹 Impromptu Poem 偶成詩　少年老い易く学成り難しwhich means, The youthful years pass quickly before one accomplishes much learning. (Source is http://www.csse.monash.edu.au) As yet we can’t remember the luxuriant beauty of the flowers in full bloom on the embankment of the pond. The meaning of this poem is hoping our dreams mature throughout life, by singing with the joy that Spring brings. On the other hand, the word Dream’s (yume) happiness reminds us that sooner or later all things have transience to them and an impermanent state. For things to change is the norm of life.


With all that however, there is a joy in dreaming and reaching for the stars. Also, we must remember that to have a dream is not only the special privilege of youth. For example, even if one does not realize the dreams they have as children, they can continue to dream as an adult to lighten a burden. Isn’t this sometimes good to have these dreams as we age?

Do not say to yourself, “I am no longer young”, and you will not limit yourself in your possibilities. We must always have and continue to have wonderful dreams throughout our lives.

Student Learning to Make Japanese Wallscroll (Kakejiku)

This blog post is about a lesson of a student that came to learn how to make Wallscrolls or Kakejiku 掛け軸from me. It was a three day session from February 7^th to February 9^th. This student purchased my book How to Make Handmade Wallscrolls about 6 months ago. The reading was difficult as English was not her native tongue, and she felt it would be easier to learn it hands on than attempting to do it herself. If anyone would like to order the book go to www.shop.customjapanesecalligraphy.com. You can also take a class directly at the Bonsai in the Bluegrass convention in Louisville Kentucky on June 16, 2011. If you have questions contact to info@customjapanesecalligraphy.com.

This student is a very talented calligrapher Shouka and not only studies with my wife, Ryugyoku, but also with several Japanese Buddhist Shoka as well. The first thing that she was not familiar with was removing the works after attaching the Urauchi (layer of paper attached to a cloth or a paper). The most time involved in the process was deciding the color of the kireji and kinran cloths.  I suspected before the class started that this would take about one and a half hours.

Monday afternoon was then spent doing the Hada Urauchi on the Cloths, Ichimonji and artworks. I was very satisfied with her attention to detail. We did have two problems with one of the works, but that was not one selected for the final scrolls. Other topics discussed were alternative methods of doing the Urauchi and the proper preparation of the glue for each step. Another point she was surprised with was the ease with which the specialty paper that is used only for Urauchi helps in doing these steps correctly and especially not getting Shiwa (wrinkles) in the artwork.

Tuesday was an all day event removing the cloths, Ichimonji and artworks and then reassembling into the scroll. This was the longest day, and if we had not gone at the pace I made us go at we easily could have gone to 8:00 P.M. However, we finished at 5:00. The only complaint was that there were no coffee breaks…I am a bit of a slave driver, but it show how much I love my profession of scrollmaking.

Wednesday we did not really get started until about 11:45 AM. But it still took us until 3:00 PM to get everything done. The pictures are a few steps on this last day.

Pictures of finished scrolls will be posted tomorrow.