Neigetsu is a Japanese Calligraphic Designer and Artist, born in Tokyo, Japan in 1982. She began learning Japanese calligraphy at the age of 6. Neigetsu received a Bachelor of Education from the University of Tokyo. She attained the rank of Shihan in 2008, certifying her as an instructor of Japanese calligraphy. Her artwork goes beyond creations of Japanese modern design and art. As a teacher, she creates curriculum content to increase creativity in her students.
Neigetsu’s second solo exhibition will be held from February 24th to March 31st at a stylish cafe located in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. She writes, “For this exhibition, I created and wrote a “One Hundred Character Poem” with advice from a Chinese friend. You might know the “Thousand Character Poem Classic”, the very old famous Chinese poem which all students of calligraphy must learn when they begin their studies. The “One Hundred Character Poem” was created by extracting the essence of Asian ideas from the “Thousand Character Poem Classic”. At the same time, I added the feelings of our generation using only one hundred Chinese characters, each one different than the rest.
The title of this exhibition is “A One Hundred Character Poem – Life is Beautiful”, an original poem brushed in Japanese calligraphy. The artwork was composed and written by me.
“A One Hundred Character Poem” is very simple. It consists of one hundred Chinese characters, each one different. The idea of creating this poem was conceived two years ago by me when I read a book about “The Thousand Character Poem Classic ” at a coffee shop near my home.
“The Thousand Character Poem Classic” was said to be composed in the 6th century in China and has widely spread not only to other parts of Asia but also to Western Countries as a textbook for those learning Chinese characters. “A One Hundred Character Poem” presents knowledge of Asian ideas such as Confucianism and Buddhism alongside the feelings of people living in the 21st century. Special thanks to my friend who was born and raised in China for her help. It is hoped that you will enjoy this calligraphy exhibition and feel personal “happiness” while seeing these one hundred characters.”
Below is a translation in Japanese and in English of the poem you will see in calligraphy.
第一段落：The First Paragraph |
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| 天高雲翔 | 天高く 雲翔ぶ （てんたかく くもとぶ） | Heaven is high, clouds floating. |
| 地広水長 | 地は広く 水は長しへに （ちはひろく みずはとこしへに） | Earth is grand, water flows forever. |
| 日出東海 | 日は東海に出で （ひはとうかいにいで） | Sun rises over the east sea. |
| 月落西山 | 月は西の山に落つ （つきはせいざんにおつ） | Moon goes down to the west mountains. |
| 鳥語花香 | 鳥は語り 花は香しい （とりはかたり はなはかんばしい） | Birds are singing as flowers smell sweet. |
第二段落：The Second Paragraph |
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| 慈母情深 | 慈しむ母 情深し （いつくしむはは じょうふかし） | The love of tender mothers is deep like ocean. |
| 楽育学歩 | 楽しく育ち 学は歩む （たのしくそだち がくはあゆむ） | Children grow up happily, learning as they walk. |
| 探遊外界 | 外界を探遊す （がいかいをたんゆうす） | Play and search the outside world. |
| 交友読書 | 友と交わり 書を読む （ともとまじわり しょをよむ） | Build friendship while they read books together. |
| 笑談未来 | 笑いて未来を談ず （わらいてみらいをだんず） | Always laughing by talking about the future. |
第三段落：The Third Paragraph |
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| 恋愛成家 | 恋愛して家を成し （れんあいして いえをなし） | Young loves change up to the family. |
| 春耕冬蔵 | 春に耕し 冬に蔵む （はるにたがやし ふゆにおさむ） | Cultivate in spring, store crops in winter. |
| 夫妻好合 | 夫妻好合 （ふさいこうごう） | Husband and wife care each other. |
| 子孫有望 | 子孫に望みあり （しそんにのぞみあり） | Give hopes to their descendant. |
| 感謝平常 | 平常に感謝す （へいじょうにかんしゃす） | Say “thank you” to every peaceful day. |
第四段落：The Forth Paragraph |
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| 世間万物 | 世間万物 （せけんばんぶつ） | Everything in the world, |
| 古今終始 | 古今終始 （ここんしゅうし） | Has its start and the end in any era. |
| 悲喜輪転 | 悲喜輪転 （ひきりんてん） | Joy and sorrow round and repeat. |
| 逝者如斯 | 逝く者斯くの如し （ゆくものかくのごとし） | People pass away in the same way. |
| 時不我待 | 時は我を待たず （ときはわれをまたず） | Time goes by without waiting for me. |
第五段落：The Fifth Paragraph |
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| 幸福何在 | 幸福は何処に在りや （こうふくはいずこにありや） | Where and what is the “happiness”? |
| 畏敬自然 | 自然を畏敬し （しぜんをいけいし） | If we respect the nature, |
| 健康食眠 | 健康なる食眠すれば （けんこうなるしょくみんすれば） | Eat well, sleep well, |
| 風光無限 | 風光は無限にして （ふうこうはむげんにして） | Wind and light has the infinite power. |
| 生命美也 | 生命は美也 （生命は美なり） | The life is nothing but beautiful. |
All artwork was produced by Neigetsu and she would like to give special thanks to Tian Shan, who was born and raised in China for her help. “One Hundred Character Poem” was
composed by Tian Shan and Neigetsu calligraphed by Neigetsu.
It is hoped that you will enjoy this calligraphy exhibition and feel personal “happiness” while seeing these one hundred characters. Please come to see my presentation of very large works on the wall of the cafe uzna omom b one
Venue: uzna omom b one cafe at Belcourt Fuyo B1
5-17-8, Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo （地図）
03-6427-2779
Please note that the cafe is closed Mondays and the first Tuesday of the month.