6th January – 睦月

書初め　（Kakizome）

Japanese Calligraphy (習字 shuji) which has traditionally conducted on 2nd January, writing new year resolution on shodou Paper. In the old time, it was only done by nobility.

Nowadays most people do not do this in the traditional way, making the ink with the water which was taken for the first time in the very early morning on New Year’s Day. Then positioned toward the year’s best direction (恵方, Ehou) and writing poet.

Somehow it has changed to the style of writing the resolution (goal of the year).

Kakizome has an another objective for doing that: wishing to be better at writing

This writing will be burned when the event どんど焼き (Dondo-Yaki) occurred in the middle of January. Dondo-Yaki is the festival to burn the decorations which were placed at home during the Oshougatsu period, at the shrines. It is believed that the higher the smoke goes up, the better the writing improves. This festival is conducted due to send the god back to the sky. If people touch the smoke, it gives a better health and great achievement on studying. The ash from the burning can protect people from evils.

Speaking of Kakizome, one of my cool Japanese friends is doing YouTube channel showing how to write your English name into Japanese Kanji. And this time she made a special version for Kakizome. If you are interested, click here or the video below to jump to her YouTube video!