有 (ari or yuu) means “to have or to possess,” which has two parts. The top lines represent a person’s hand, and the line below represents a slice of meat. So the person’s hand is holding or having the sliced meat. 難 (gato or nan) means “difficult or suffering,” which has three parts. The top […]
THE HEART OF KANJI: First month of the year — January
February 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
正 (sho, tadashii) means “righteous or correct,” which consists of two character parts. The top part represents one finger, which indicates one or once. The bottom part of this character represents one’s foot, which indicates a footstep. As a whole, this character represents stopping to think deeply about where you have been in the past […]
THE HEART OF KANJI: Golden light
January 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment
金 (kon or kin) means “golden or gold,” which consists of two parts. The top is the shape of a mountain and the bottom represents gold in the soil. 光 (ko or hikari) consists of two parts. The top represents fire flames, and the bottom represents a person’s legs. Looking back at 2012, many things […]
THE HEART OF KANJI: Accept and stand firmly
May 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
受けて (ukete) means “accept or receive,” and consists of three parts. The top part represents one’s hands and fingers, the middle part represents a boat and the bottom part represents one’s arms. When a boat brings us items or materials, we accept or receive them with our hands, fingers and arms. 立つ (tatsu) means “stand,” […]
THE HEART OF KANJI: Joy, even if you are in suffering
March 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment
困る (komaru) means “suffering,” and consists of two parts. The outside lines represent a box, and the inside lines represent a tree. The tree can’t get out of the box, so it suffers. 喜べ (yorokobe) means “joy,” and consists of two parts. The top part represents a drum or musical instruments on a stand. Below, […]
THE HEART OF KANJI: Divine dragon
February 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment
龍 (ryu or tatsu) means “dragon,” which consists of three parts. The top left side represents a person standing, and below that represents the moon. The right side represents the form of a dragon. 神 (jin or Kami) means “God,” which consists of two parts. The left side represents a divine altar and the right […]
S.F. jazz club transforms into one-day Japanese cultural center
October 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Yoshi’s Jazz Club and Japanese Restaurant opened its doors to the public on Oct. 1 to feature its fourth annual “The Flip Side of Yoshi’s,” a day of Japanese art and culture. Nearly 250 people packed the venue, located just outside of San Francisco’s Japantown, to experience the art and spirit of Japanese culture. The […]
Life, nature, humanity and haiku
August 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment
COOL MELONS — TURN TO FROGS! THE LIFE AND POEMS OF ISSA Story and translations by Matthew Gollub, illustrated by Kazuko G. Stone (New York: Lee and Low Books, 1998, 40 pp., $9.95, paperback) Poignant English translations of Issa’s haiku, the same poem written in Japanese calligraphy, accompanied by biographical material about the life of […]
THE BEAUTY OF BRUSHSTROKES: Akie Karahashi and the art of shodo
Akie Karahashi, a Bay Area Japanese language and shodo teacher, organizes a display of select works of calligraphy at the festival. Karahashi talks about her passion for the art and the beauty that she sees in the characters. Nichi Bei Weekly: What do you find beautiful about calligraphy? Akie Karahashi: We write on white paper […]