Yuji Yamamoto　Japanese calligraphy artist
Calligraphy: a deep sense of beauty with the tradition of 3,000 years.

Yuji Yamamoto  Japanese calligraphy artist

Yuji Yamamoto was born in Anjo-city, Japan in 1981.

He completed his specializing calligraphy course at the Tsukuba University graduate school with a Masters in Fine Arts. He is a member of the Association for Calligraphic Studies and the All Japan College Calligraphic Studies.

He has held lectures, demonstrations, exhibitions and workshops in the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Chile, the Kingdom of Bhutan, the Republic of India and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, by invitation of the Embassy of Japan, the Japan Foundation and other cultural organizations.

He sees calligraphy in a pure and orthodox viewpoint, and he proposes techniques and theories clearly. His work expresses elegance and high quality, and offers a variety of works showcasing his calligraphy as well as purely calligraphic works.

Yuji Yamamoto's calligraphy philosophy

One of the important things in calligraphy is how to express the meaning and atmosphere of words in combination with the quality of lines and shape of the characters. An important theory in calligraphy is that the form and the manner of writing is important, but what is most important is the natural expression of the mind and not just superficial techniques.

His calligraphy works makes use of not only modern characters but also classical ones, and the elegant atmosphere and emotion of Japan are expressed in his works.

　　

Japanese festival　　　　  Kanshi poem　　　　　Lamp

　　　　
Board sculpture　　　     　 Framed piece　       　 Haiku poem

　　
Handbag　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Stamps


Buckwheat noodle shop　　Board sculpture


Kaisho-style writing manual

Waka
hanging
scroll


Household
nameplate


Ｋｉｍｏｎｏ　ｂｅｌｔ

Yuji Yamamoto's public appearances and lectures



He teaches calligraphy at his own calligraphy classroom. He also teaches at university, high schools, a retirement home and others.

His works and designs can also be seen at company offices, restaurants and drinking establishments and small shops nationwide.

He also gives lectures and trainings at different venues when reqested. He trains high school teachers in different calligraphy styles. Young adults also study under him at city and company-sponsored event. His local community also benefit from his skills at small events organaized by the city and local NPO. He has also given demonstration at family-oriented parks.

He has appeared at regional TV and radio shows. He and his works have also been featured in regional and national periodicals, newspapers and TV commercials.

Calligraphy demonstration show by Yuji Yamamoto in Japan.

Calligraphy demonstration show  by Yuji Yamamoto in Japan.

　　

Yuji Yamamoto's calligraphy art exhibitions in Japan.

His works include Kakejiku (hanging scrolls), Gaku (frames), Byoubu (screens), Sensu (folding fans), Kimono (Japanese traditional dresses), Obi (Japanese traditional dress belts), Chawan (Tea bowls and glasses), Kokuji (board sculptures), Hyousatsu (nameplates), Gain (stamp), and other various works.

He hopes you to enjoy calligraphy which is a traditional visual art of Japan.

Calligraphy tools:
Suzuri（ink stone）
Sumi（ink stick）
Fude（brush）
and other tools.


hanging scroll

In Japan, calligraphy is called ‘Sho’ or ‘Shodo’

Calligraphy is an art form expressing words with Fude (brush), Sumi (ink) and Kami (paper). calligraphy have 7 styles of writing, which are 5 styles of Kanji (Tensho, Reisho, Sousho, Gyousho and Kaisho), Kana (Hiragana and Katakana).

Kanji is a Japanese ideograph. Kana and Katakana are the phonograms which came out of kanji. Each character can be written many ways. Works of calligraphy are produced by combinations of Fude (brush), Sumi (ink), Kami (paper) and other calligraphy tools, and the most important things is to write characters beautifully and elegantly.

About calligraphy tools

Calligraphy tools are ‘Fude’ (brush), ‘Kami’ (paper), ‘Sumi’ (ink stick), and ‘Suzuri’ (ink stone). These 4 tools are called ‘Bunbo-shiho’, this word means the 4 important tools for writing.

Fude （brush）
Fude is made of good quality animal hair. For example goat hair is soft, horse hair is hard, Weasel hair is supple, also cat, raccoon dog, rabbit, and other types of animal hair are also used. Each type of hair has various characteristics including hardness and softness, so choose Fude by the quality of lines I want to write.

Kami （paper）
Kami is made of a type of Wara (rice straw), Take (bamboo), Kouzo (paper mulberry), and other types of Asian paper trees and grasses. The quality of lines and expressions of Sumi (ink) vary according to paper.

Sumi （ink stick）
Sumi is made of a hardened mixture of soot, animal glue and aroma. The most common soot is either rapeseed oil soot, sesame oil soot, pine soot, but other types soot can be used. Animal glue is from either cattle, deer or fish. And aroma is either borneol (which is from Southeast Asian tree) or musk.
The shades of Sumi varies according the materials of the soot. Sumi is black, but oil soot is faintly brown or purple, and pine soot is faintly blue. Inexpensive Sumi uses mineral oil soot, but it is rare that I use mineral oil soot for my calligraphy works.

Suzuri （inkstone）
Suzuri means ink stone, the tool to rub Sumi. Suzuri is made of stone of the quality suitable for Suzuri.
Suzuri is a tool to rub Sumi on finely, and the delicate shades of the Sumi can be seen according to the quality of the stone used. Rub the Sumi back and forth slowly on the Suzuri.

It is one of the pleasures of ‘Sho’ (calligraphy) to choose tools in accord with how these tools express my calligraphy.

Yuji Yamamoto's event photo gallery

10.2006  Yuji Yamamoto's Exhibition vol.1  at Aichi-pref, Japan.

              photos [Japanese only]

07.2007  Yuji Yamamoto's lectures, demonstrations and workshops

              in the Republic of Lithuania, by invitation of “Tekancios saules”klubas.

              photos [Japanese only]

10.2007  Yuji Yamamoto's Exhibition vol.2  at Aichi-pref, Japan.

              photos [Japanese only]

10.2008  Yuji Yamamoto's Exhibition vol.3  at Aichi-pref, Japan.

              photos [Japanese only]

07.2009  Yuji Yamamoto's lectures, demonstrations, exhibitions and workshops

              in the Republic of Lithuania, by invitation of the Embassy of Japan and other

              cultural organizations. 『Calligraphy Exhibition by Mr. Yuji Yamamoto』

              『Calligraphy Demonstration by Mr. Yuji Yamamoto』

              photos [Japanese only]   publicity Japan embassy   publicity Exhibition

　　　　　   publicty 1   publicity 2   article elta   article galve

10.2009   Yuji Yamamoto's Exhibition vol.4  at Aichi-pref, Japan.

               photos [Japanese only]

08.2010  Yuji Yamamoto's Exhibition vol.5  at Aichi-pref, Japan.

               photos [Japanese only]

08.2011  Yuji Yamamoto's lectures, demonstrations, exhibitions and workshops

              in the Republic of Chile, by invitation of the the Embassy of Japan, the Japan

              Foundation and other cultural organizations.

              『caligrafia JAPONESA - dictada por Yuji Yamamoto』

              photos [Japanese only]   publicity Japan embassy   publicty Japan embassy

              article emdv   article em   article nation

11.2011  Yuji Yamamoto's lectures, demonstrations and workshops

              in the Kingdom of Bhutan, presented by the Embassy of Japan, the Japan

              Foundation and the JICA, in cooperation with Royal Government of Bhutan.

              『Commemorative events of the 25th anniversary of Japan-Bhutan diplomatic

              relations. Japanese calligraphy demonstration by Yuji Yamamoto.』

               photos [Japanese only]   publicity Japan embassy　article kuensel

               article bhutantimes

11.2011  Yuji Yamamoto's lectures, demonstrations and workshops

              in the Republic of India, by invitation of the Japan Foundation.

　　　　　　 『Calligraphy Lecture plus demonstration by Calligraphy artist, Mr. Yuji

              Yamamoto』

              photos [Japanese only]   publicity DPS

07.2012  Yuji Yamamoto's Exhibition vol.6  at Aichi-pref, Japan.

10.2012  Yuji Yamamoto's lecture and workshop in London.
　　　　　photos [Japanese only]

For other photos, please see the photo album.
For various works, please see the collection of works.