Shodo is the traditional art of writing with brush and ink. It uses many special techniques, the most important being harai, sweeping the brush to add thickness to the end of a stroke, and tome, pressing down for an emphatic stop. In Japan, it's considered an accomplishment to write beautifully, and so many people take Shodo lessons. Students begin by copying sample characters to practice the basic movements of the brush before moving on to learn the five main types of calligraphy. Shodo is far deeper than simply learning to write beautifully, it can be a sincere and powerful art form.

VIDEO BY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN