I picked up a brush for the first time in 1950.
Since then, I have spent more than seventy years living with ink, paper, and stone—studying shodo under Takako Oishi, learning history and theory from Professor Kasumura Masuda, and inheriting the art of seal engraving from Kozo Yasuda. Through Ministry of Education prizes and solo exhibitions across Japan, my life as a Japanese artist has always been guided by one question: how far can a single brushstroke express the heart of Japanese culture?
In that same span of time, another winter scene has quietly taken root in Japan: Christmas.
Illuminations, cakes, romantic dinners, and gifts have joined our older traditions such as New Year’s calligraphy and the first writing of the year. For people overseas who love Japanese culture and search for shodo Japanese calligraphy or sumi e online, this mix of Christmas and ink is a fascinating doorway into Japan and culture.
In this column, I would like to look at how Christmas came to Japan—and then show why a calligraphy set can be one of the most meaningful Christmas presents you can give.
How Christmas Came to Japan
From a 16th-century mass to a modern city festival
Christmas first arrived in Japan with Christian missionaries in the 16th century.
Jesuit priests held Christmas masses in western Japan, introducing the story of the Nativity to local communities. At that time, Christmas was a small religious ceremony for a minority of new believers.
Later, when Christianity was banned by the Tokugawa shogunate, public Christmas celebrations disappeared. The holiday re-emerged only after Japan opened to the West in the late 19th century. Western residents, churches, and schools began to celebrate again, and shops in port cities displayed Christmas goods as a symbol of the new age.
In the 20th century, department stores and confectioners turned Christmas into a city event. The now-famous Japanese Christmas cake—light sponge, cream, and strawberries—spread after the early 1900s. After World War II, Christmas became firmly established as a secular winter celebration: illuminations, fried chicken, cakes, dates, and parties, even though only a small percentage of Japanese people are Christian.
Today, Christmas in Japan is less a religious holiday and more a joyful “winter festival.” That is the unique setting in which shodo, Japanese calligraphy, now shares the stage with Santa Claus and city lights.
Seeing Christmas Through Shodo Japanese Calligraphy
As someone who began calligraphy in 1950, I have watched this transformation from the side of the inkstone.
When I was young, winter belonged to New Year’s preparations: writing auspicious characters such as “kotobuki” (longevity) or “gasho” (New Year’s greetings). As the decades passed, I started receiving requests to write “Merry Christmas” in bold brush letters, or to create sumi e trees and stars for seasonal displays.
From a calligrapher’s point of view, Christmas is full of powerful themes:
- Light in the darkness
- Hope for the future
- Gratitude for family and friends
- Peace and harmony across borders
These themes fit naturally with shodo Japanese calligraphy. On a single sheet of paper, you can express them as one bold character—光 (light), 祈 (prayer), 愛 (love), 和 (harmony)—or as a quiet sumi e scene of a night sky and a small fir tree.
While most Christmas imagery is bright and colorful, sumi e works in subtler ways: monochrome ink, soft gradations, and empty space. That contrast itself makes it deeply attractive to people overseas who are curious about Japanese culture and the way a Japanese artist sees the world.
Why a Calligraphy Set Makes a Remarkable Christmas Present
For many people in Europe or North America, Christmas gifts today are digital: subscriptions, gadgets, headphones. There is nothing wrong with these, but they rarely create a deep, lasting connection to Japan and culture.
A shodo set, by contrast, offers three things at once:
- A tactile experience
You touch the brush, feel the weight of the inkstone, hear the sound of ink being ground. - A calming ritual
Preparing ink and writing a single character can become a daily moment of reflection. - A direct link to Japanese culture
Every time you write, you participate in a tradition that has evolved over centuries.
In other words, you are not only giving objects.
You are giving time, focus, and a personal doorway into shodo Japanese calligraphy and sumi e.
Three Carefully Chosen Calligraphy Sets for Christmas
Below are three calligraphy sets I would highlight as Christmas gifts for people who love Japanese culture. They are all suitable for adults and can become a long-term companion on the path of ink.
1. A refined adult set in Echizen lacquer
Akashiya “Otona no Shodogu” Calligraphy Set – Echizen Lacquer Rose (AR-09SR)
Product page: https://amzn.to/48BuK2x
This set is designed for adults who want to start shodo seriously, with tools that feel dignified from the first day. The rose-colored Echizen lacquer case has the presence of a jewelry box for writing instruments.
Why it works as a Christmas gift:
- The elegant case harmonizes with modern interiors, so it can sit on a desk or shelf like a small art object.
- It suits people who prefer one high-quality set rather than many cheaper tools.
- Opening the lid on Christmas night can feel like opening a private studio dedicated to Japanese calligraphy.
For someone who already appreciates craftsmanship, this is a beautiful way to experience Japanese culture through daily practice.
2. A premium 11-piece set to explore East Asian ink culture
Jingdezhen Red Porcelain & Chengni Inkstone & Hubei Brush – 11-Piece Premium Calligraphy Set
Product page: https://amzn.to/48niYtT
This set combines three iconic elements in one box: red porcelain from Jingdezhen, a traditional inkstone, and classic brushes. Together with the other included items, it creates a complete environment for shodo and sumi e.
Why it works as a Christmas gift:
- Each component—porcelain, stone, brush—has its own story and character.
- It is ideal for someone who is curious not only about Japan but about the wider world of East Asian ink culture.
- When laid out on a table, the tools themselves become a kind of still-life artwork.
For a recipient who already owns a basic set, this premium ensemble can open a deeper appreciation of materials and craft behind calligraphy.
3. A stone inkstone set for people who love the process
Kobaido Natural Stone Inkstone Calligraphy Set
Product page: https://amzn.to/4pUlg9P
This set centers on a natural stone inkstone, produced by a specialist in calligraphy supplies. It is best suited to people who want to enjoy grinding their own ink rather than using bottled ink alone.
Why it works as a Christmas gift:
- The weight and texture of a real stone inkstone add gravity and focus to each session.
- It is practical and durable, encouraging regular, everyday use.
- It fits both serious beginners and experienced writers who value the traditional way of preparing sumi.
Grinding ink on stone after a long day—especially on a quiet winter evening—is a kind of home meditation. Giving this set is like giving the recipient permission to slow down and breathe.
How to Use a Shodo Set on Christmas Night
Once a calligraphy set has been unwrapped, the real gift begins. Here is a simple way to use it on Christmas night, whether alone or with family and friends.
- Choose one character for this year
For example: 光 (light), 祈 (prayer), 愛 (love), 和 (harmony). - Prepare the space
Clear a table, place paper, brush, and inkstone, and light a candle if you like. - Grind the ink slowly
Focus on the circular motion of the inkstick, the sound, and the smell of sumi. - Write in one breath
Write your chosen character in a single, decisive movement. Do not worry about perfection—let your feeling guide the line. - Display the work
Hang it on a wall, place it near the tree, or set it on a shelf. Let it quietly watch over the rest of your holiday.
In this way, shodo Japanese calligraphy and Christmas support each other:
one brings light and celebration, the other brings silence and reflection.
A Quiet Wish for Your Christmas
As someone who has spent a lifetime with brush and ink, I believe that the most precious gifts are those that continue to grow with the person who receives them.
A calligraphy set does exactly that.
It invites the recipient to return, again and again, to the desk, the inkstone, and the empty sheet of paper. Each visit reveals something new about the line, the hand, and the heart.
If you are still deciding on a Christmas present for someone who loves Japanese culture—or for yourself—consider one of these shodo sets. They are more than tools. They are a bridge between Christmas and Japanese tradition, between everyday life and quiet inner space.
May your winter be filled with warm light, clear ink, and at least one brushstroke that feels truly your own.
deepens your connection to Japanese tradition.
Explore and purchase hand-selected Japanese calligraphy artworks:
https://calligraphyartwork.stores.jp/
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