Reiki Yamamoto – Japanese Calligrapher
Engagement in recognizing the relation of Japanese culture and forest and the environment through “Calligraphy”.
Harmony with Nature——creating calligraphy putting an emphasis on Japanese culture, “Wabi” and “Sabi”.
Outfield calligraphy——creating calligraphy outfield feeling a power of nature.
Profile
Japanese Calligrapher/Chairman of Reisho Institute, Japan Cultural Calligraphy Academy.
Instructor at Zuio Calligraphy Association.
Studied under: the late Mr. Takayoshi Kaneko, whose father, Otei Kaneko, received the Medal for Culture; and Mr. Hiroshi Kato.
Attended Emperor and Empress as a guide for the “Japan’s Forest Restoration ” Exhibition.
—Reiki at the exhibition after Emperor and Empress left the grounds.
Creating a lot of calligraphy of the theme for TV programs, forums, symposiums.
Calligraphy Classes
・Setagaya, Tokyo
・Aoyama, Tokyo
・Especially for foreigners
Foreign people who are interested in calligraphy are able to practice calligraphy. I would be happy if you experience calligraphy and understand Japanese culture. Application would be accepted by filling out the form.
Sales
Custom-made works, logo designing and performance would be available. Application would be accepted by filling out the form.
About Japanese Calligraphy
About Japanese Calligraphy
Feature of Japanese calligraphy is an art such as fine art, music, literature and plays that express strong feeling or thought by means of letters or words. The origin of calligraphy is from China, and has been developed as a unique Japanese culture. While developing, it has been separated in several genre:
I. Kanji ( born from classical Japanese and Chinese character)
The oldest character, KOKOTSU, appeared in Yin Era (BC17〜BC11) in China. Learned and influenced by Chinese and Japanese classics, various kinds of works expressing personal thoughts with artistic sense have been created.
II. Kana ( with a style of grace movement like rain drops trickling down)
This is unique Japanese character born from Kanji. The works express a graceful flowing.
III. Moden Poetic Calligraphy ( with mixture of kanji & kana ）
Based on classics, we express the works of poetry or phrase in order to be understood easily by the people nowadays. Sometimes the words other than Japanese are used.
IV. Avant-garde calligraphy
Free-styled and abstract works influenced by European abstract paintings and philosophy of the East. Sometimes the character may be far from the material.
V. Performance of calligraphy
In general it is performed by solo calligrapher. Sometimes it can be collaborated with artist such as musician or IKEBANA (Japanese flower arrangement). This is aimed for installation.
Outfield Calligraphy
～creating calligraphy outfield feeling a power of nature～
In order to search for a new possibility of calligraphy, I offer people an opportunity to create calligraphy outfield doing volunteer work. This activity may be an opportunity to think of Japanese culture and our environment through calligraphy. Japan is the third largest forest country in percentage terms, and 70% of the country is forest. Japanese culture has a closerelationwithforest. Incalligraphy, “fude(brushes)”, “kami(paper)”, “sumi（ink of the soot）” and “suzuri(ink stone)”are a gift from forest. This is the time to create calligraphy reflecting the impression and thoughts into calligraphy. I’m sure these activities will cultivate creativity and decision making ability by expressing emotions through experience in calligraphy. I hope these activities will flourish and be taken over in the future.
2014/7/5
Outfield calligraphy in Kakegawa, Shizuoka Pref. (making powder charcoal for Minami-Sanriku-cho, TSUNAMI-hit area; Volunteer work of thinning; Writing letters of calligraphy)
2015/5/23
In-house exhibition, “Environmental Calligraphy”( UN Green Wave Project; Frames made of lumber from thinning; Live performance)
2015/7/11
Outfield calligraphy in Tsukuba city, Ibaraki Pref. ( Making powder charcoal and young plants for Minai-Sanriku-cho, TSUNAMI-hit area, Planting trees.)
2015/8/23,24
Outfield calligraphy in Minami-Sanriku-cho, Miyagi Pref. (Making young plants making use of powder charcoal.)
2015/10/24
Outfield calligraphy in Tsukuba city, Ibaraki Pref. (Volunteer work for the road maintenance in the Forest.)
Major Activities
2012
◎ Wrote a calligraphy, “New Environment Exhibition”, at the exhibition booth of Public Interest Incorporated Association, National Land Afforestation Promotion Organization (hereafter NLAPO) (Ariake Big Sight)
◎ “Japan Forest—— Yesterday & Today” exhibition tour, collaborated with calligraphy and photo (sponsored by NLAPO) and The Mainichi Newspapers; supported by ForestryAgency )
◎ Wrote a calligraphy, “MORI NO CHIKARA (Power of Forest)” on the special TV program titled “Green Donation” by NLAPO.
2013
◎ Attended Emperor and Empress as a guide for the “Japan’s Forest Restoration ” Exhibition——collaboration of calligraphy and photo (Museum of Food and Agriculture of Tokyo Agriculture University)
◎ Wrote a calligraphy, “Living Together With Forest” on the TV program titled “Green Donation” by NLAPO. “Japan’s Reforestation” Exhibition——collaboration of calligraphy and photo at Fukushima Prefectural Museum (Aizu-Wakamatsu city)
2014
◎ Wrote a calligraphy, “The 1st All Japan Initial Places of Tree-planting Festival・Forest Forum” (Sponsored by NLAPO, The Mainichi Newspapers and Tokyo University of Agriculture ; supported by ForestryAgency )
◎ Presented a calligraphy collaborated with Yakushima ceder tree (morethan 1000 years old on Yakushima Island, which is designated UNESCO World Natural Heritage). Attended the Director General, Masatoshi Numata, who gave a keynote speech, as a guide (Tsukuba city, Ibaraki Pref.) Planted trees with Patrick Louis , who is the 5th head of Louis Vuitton & Company at Tree-planting Festival held by the “forest hero”, Mr. Shigeatsu Hatakeyama at UN FOREST HERO. Presented him one of the calligraphy works. (Kesen-Numa city, Miyagi Pref.)
◎ Started “The First Outfield Calligraphy project——Exchanging Sumi or charcoal, aiming at Japanese traditional culture and an environment through calligraphy. Joined volunteer work for reforestation of Minami-Sanriku-cho, Miyagi Pref., which was attacked by aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami (hereafter TSUNAMI), making fertilizers for young plants made from powder charcoal.(Shizuoka Pref.)
Started communication exchanging letters written with brush and charcoal. Started making calligraphy frames made of lumber from thinning. Held workshop. (Kakegawa city, Shizuoka Pref.)
◎ Held Reiki’s solo exhibition named “Loving Aizu”. (Aizu-Wakamatsu city. (FukushimaPref.)
◎ Wrote a calligraphy , “ Community in the forest” on the door plate, which is the stronghold for exchanging between cities and the mountain villages. (Kakegawa city, Shizuoka Pref.)
◎ Held “The 2nd Outfield Calligraphy—exchanging “Sumi” or “Charcoal” project.Joined a volunteer work “Road Maintenance in the Forest” project. Made an environmental message by making use of lumber from thinning in calligraphy. (Tsukuba city, Ibaraki Pref.)
2015
◎ At “The 2nd All Japan Initial Places of Tree-planting Festival・Forest Forum”, exchanged feelings among students after volunteering work. Exhibited works appealing the importance of forest in calligraphy written on the board made of lumber from thinning. (Tokyo)
◎ Held an Environmental Calligraphy Exhibition, “Messages on the lumber from thinning——Forest is coming to the Town”—the UN Green Wave project. (Tokyo)
*For further information of activities of the members in 2015:
http://greenwave.undb.jp/event/
http://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001104720.pdf
◎ Given the 51th Grand Prix at the “Shogen Exhibition”.
◎ Joined volunteer work making fertilizers for young plants made of lumberfrom thinning and making young plants in order to support the restoration of the quake-hit town, Minami-Sanriku-cho, by the Big Earthquake. (Tsukuba city, Ibaraki Pref.)
◎ Practiced outdoor calligraphy. (Tsukuba cit, Ibaraki Pref.)
Outfield Calligraphy—volunteer work for the road maintenance in the Forest (Tsukuba-city, Ibaraki Pref.)
◎ Outfield calligraphy——volunteer work for making young plants, “Tabu tree (M. thunbergii)” for the purpose of supporting the quake-hit town by the Big Earthquake. (Minami-Sanriku-cho, Miyagi Pref.)
Practiced calligraphy (Minami-Sanriku-cho, Miyagi Pref.)
◎ Outfield calligraphy——volunteer work for the road maintenance in the forest (Tsukuba-city, Ibaraki Pref.)
◎ Practiced outfield calligraphy.(Tsukuba-city, Ibaraki Pref.)