Kakejiku - Ai Calligraphy

Although it exists in the philosophy of other Budo, "Ai" [愛] is a concept that is quite specific to Aikido. Its most classic translation is "love", and it is popular in the Aikido spirituality because the founder, Morihei Ueshiba, made many references to that concept, as in the famous saying "the source of Budo is God's love".

As you can imagine, the love of God is not the same kind of love that human feels for each others. It is part of a larger concept of absolute and unconditional love, perhaps closer to compassion in English.

We have decided to offer you this calligraphy simply because it seems to be one of the most important spiritual concepts in Morihei Ueshiba's cosmogony, to the point that some even say that 合氣道 should have been written 愛氣道.

This Kakejiku is made of traditional "Washi" Japanese paper. The paper is stuck on a traditional piece of cloth made of pure cotton. The Ichimonji (decorative bands at the top and bottom) are made of a very traditional mix of cotton and synthetic silk called Donsu. The synthetic silk used for this Donsu is made of pre-dyed fibers, which is the best and most traditional process for Donsu production. Made by Master Koreian, this product is nothing but a piece of art, made in the most traditional way. Each piece is, of course, sealed with the master craftsman's seal.

• Maruhyoso Kakejiku: it is made of 4 sections, the top section called "Ten" (Heaven in English), the bottom section called Chi (Earth in English), and the two pillars on the right and left sides supporting the Heaven. Because Kakejimu were observed from a Seiza position, providing perspective, the Heaven part is longer than the Earth part, for balance. Full size: 45 cm x 102 cm.
• Sandanhyoso Kakejiku: Divided the same way as Maruhyoso, it differentiates by the "Ichimonji" at both top and bottom of the calligraphy itself. Ichimonji simply means "straight line" and usually refers to a straight strip decorated with a traditional pattern. The Ichimonji part is made of a different fabric. The "Futai", or tassels (two pieces of fabric hanged at the top) are made from the same fabric/pattern as the Ichimonji. Full size: 45 cm x 120 cm.

In Shodo, mastery is often divided into 3 categories, corresponding to 3 different styles, each one more advanced than the former, similarly to the concept of Shu-ha-ri: Kaisho, Gyosho and Sosho. Kaisho represents the most basic/academic style, the Kanji are clearly recognizable, and written the same way they would be in regular writing. Kaisho is "the form". Gyosho is the semi-cursive style, a style in which the Shodo practitioner starts to express himself; the Kanji are still easily readable by Japanese natives, but much harder to read for non-native readers. Gyosho is a "digression". Sosho represents the separation from the academic form, a style that allows the master to completely express himself; the Kanji are usually very difficult to read or recognize, even by Japanese native readers. At this moment, we only offer Kaisho and Gyosho fonts so the calligraphy offered here are still readable and therefore suitable for a Kamiza. 
In master Koreian's work, the Kaisho is a little more cursive than the usual Kaisho that would produce a lower level student. The Gyoshotai is not yet Sosho but looks very personal, much more than what is traditionally expected for a Gyosho production.

To order this product, please refer to the number in the upper left corner of each picture, and select this number in the option field. 
Each piece is unique. Upon placing the product in your cart, the product is reserved for a short amount of time. Should you leave the website, it will be made available for other customers. We do not accept reservation: first come, first served.