Pen name: Madara (MADARA)
- Real Name: I refrain from disclosing my real name in order to focus on my work and concepts.
- Date of birth: May 6, 1972, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
history
- May 6, 1972
- Born in Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.
According to my mother, I was already drawing pictures every day by the time I was one year old.
- Born in Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.
- Around 1975 (Around 3-4 years old)
- I started drawing sketches and fantasy paintings, which my parents framed and displayed in my room. I don’t remember them, but they apparently made me very happy.
- 1977 (Age 5)
- Enrolled in a calligraphy class taught by a Japan Calligraphy Federation instructor. Begins calligraphy studies.
- 1978 (Age 6)
- Entered kindergarten. Instead of participating in playtime, I would draw pictures at my desk and post them at the back of the classroom. Selfishly, I spent my days drawing.
- 1979 (Age 7) Elementary School
- After entering elementary school, I continued to draw pictures and calligraphy outside of art classes, and my teacher would exhibit them at art exhibitions. As a result, I participated in award ceremonies for winning prizes at art exhibitions almost every month, and award ceremonies were held at school assemblies. My work was often featured in the local newspaper. My elementary school life continued like this.
- I recall receiving over 50 awards for my calligraphy and paintings over a six-year period. (All of my award records, including certificates, were later lost in a fire at my house.)
- 1985 (Age 13) Junior High School
- During junior high school, I painted and wrote calligraphy outside of class. My teacher exhibited my work at art exhibitions in the Kanto region, where I won special prizes. I was accompanied by my teacher to the award ceremony.
- I recall receiving over 30 awards for my calligraphy and paintings in a three-year period. (All of my award records, including certificates, were later lost in a fire at my house.)
- 1987 (Age 15)
- Obtained the highest rank of 8th dan in calligraphy and began pursuing calligraphy on my own.
- 1988 (Age 16) High School Years
- I painted and did calligraphy as a hobby, and at the time, I also focused on 3D modeling. My work was featured in plastic model magazines and other publications.
- When proposing a design for the school’s class flag for the school festival, he proposed a photorealistic art piece using an airbrush to depict portraits of popular international artists. His proposal was accepted and he completed the work in three weeks. The class flag caught the eye of the mayor at the time, and the mayor was given the opportunity to take it home with him after the school festival.
- 1991 (Age 19) – Vocational School Years
- Because I had been drawing constantly, I applied to Tama Art University but failed. Since I was no longer able to draw, I decided not to take a year off and enrolled at Tohoku Bunka Gakuen University, applying to the Design Department.
- I regularly sold my work to private collectors who liked my work.
- 1994 (Age 22): Employed
- Employed in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, working as a design planner at a furniture manufacturer.
- Regular sales to private collectors who enjoy my work are ongoing.
- 1995 (Age 23): Returned Home
- After learning about his father’s feelings, he returns to his parents’ home to help out at the company.
- While helping his father with his work, he set up a studio at home to expand his artistic activities and resumed creating paintings and calligraphy works.
- As a drummer, he formed a pop band. Over the next few years, the indie band performed weekly at live music venues and released three singles and two albums. He served as the band’s creative director and recording director.
- 1998 (Age 26): Work on opening a store
- He expanded his family’s business, established a brick-and-mortar store brand, and served as store design and branding director.
- We have started selling popular products that utilize calligraphy techniques.
- Met my life partner.
- In order to focus on my work, I will temporarily stop selling my work to private collectors who like my work, but I will continue to create works as a personal hobby.
- 1999 (Age 27): Opened a store and got married.
- Opened the second store. In charge of design and branding.
- Built an online e-commerce store and launched mail order sales.
- Launched and produced TV commercials.
- Appeared in various local media outlets, providing live demonstrations in studios.
- I married my beloved wife. At our wedding, the ceremony order and venue were designed using my work.
- 2000 (Age 28): Opened a store
- Opened the third store. In charge of design and branding.
- He created a piece of artwork with a child motif for the store sign and it was adopted.
- He learned about graphology rather than the study of characters when practicing calligraphy, and was strongly attracted to the art of handwriting (Hisseki-jutsu), which is said to open up the future fortunes of people, and incorporated it into his calligraphy. At the time, when he searched online, he found no calligraphers who were incorporating Hisseki-jutsu into their calligraphy.
- 2002 (Age 30)
- He met the representative of an application development company and asked them to create an inventory management system and then an order management system. (Due to circumstances, he later joined this application development company.)
- Create design images for store products and use them in packaging and store design.
- 2003 (Age 31): At the forefront of e-commerce
- Opened stores on e-commerce platforms such as Rakuten Ichiba, Yahoo! Shopping, Bidders, and Excite Shopping.
- The first store was relocated and expanded after renovation. The design image, interior design, and store renderings were drawn and adopted.
- As a calligrapher and painter, he uses the pen name “月颯 (Tsuki-kaze)”.
- 2004 (Age 32): My first son was born.
- The number of orders for products using calligraphy reached 400 per day. For each order, he wrote three naming cards, so he wrote 1,200 cards almost every day. He wrote 20,000 to 30,000 naming cards per month.
- My first child, my first son, was born.
- Expanded his home studio, creating fantasy paintings and calligraphy works that contributed to the company’s design image.
- 2005 (Age 33) Award Winner
- Received the Rakuten Ichiba Shop of the Year award in 2005. Experienced the peak of sales of calligraphy-based products.
- Wikipedia lists this product as the first to be sold in Japan.
- We will work on creating the UI design for the e-commerce shop and unifying the store’s image.
- 2006 (Age 34): Opened a store
- Opened the fourth store. In charge of store design and branding.
- During the establishment of Rakuten Ichiba’s “Super Auction,” he was selected as a representative member of the participating stores and participated in discussions with President Hiroshi Mikitani regarding management policies and system design.
- 2007 (Age 35) Media Appearances
- He appeared on TV Asahi’s variety show “Ame Talk!” to introduce the product.
- The product was introduced on Fuji TV’s morning news program “Mezamashi TV.”
- 2008 (Age 36): Birth of first daughter
- Birth of second child, first daughter
- After his daughter was born, he began creating large-scale artworks.
- 2009 (Age 37): Home Fire
- His home and studio were completely burned down and all his artwork was lost due to a fire caused by a falling object. The falling object turned out to be a meteorite.
- 2010 (Age 38):
- Nippon Television Network begins coverage of variety show “Secret Kenmin Show”
- Rebuilding of home and Atelier.
- 2011 (Age 39): Great East Japan Earthquake
- February 26th: After the announcement on the Secret Kenmin Show, orders were made overnight for more than six months in advance. After that, production could not keep up with demand, including at brick-and-mortar stores.
- March 11: Affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Due to the impact of the nuclear power plant, the area became difficult to return to, and the next day, evacuation tours began.
- He spent six months searching for missing family members and relatives.
- They rented a house in Fukushima City and began rebuilding their factory and store.
- Due to the evacuation situation, the plan to set up an atelier was abandoned.
- 2012 (Age 40): Opened a store
- Opened the fifth store. In charge of store design and branding.
- After the earthquake, due to the lack of an atelier and PTSD caused by the disaster, production of art work was temporarily suspended.
- 2014 (Age 42): Headquarters and Factory Relocation
- Relocated and opened the head office factory. Responsible for the factory’s design and construction.
- Due to the construction of a factory, he moved to an adjacent lot. In order to overcome his PTSD, he set up a studio in his home and began creating paintings and calligraphy works.
- It was discovered that an individual customer who had purchased the work had died along with his home in the tsunami.
- 2015 (Age 43): Opened a store
- Opened the 6th and 7th stores. Responsible for store design and branding.
- He also began creating three-dimensional objects in his Atelier.
- In terms of painting and calligraphy, the mental pressure caused by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant explosion affected his style. He began to feel anguished and unable to paint.
- 2016 (Age 44): Opened a store
- Opened the 8th and 9th stores. Responsible for store design and branding.
- Created videos of 3D objects and began publishing them on YouTube, Instagram, etc.
- 2017 (Age 45): Opened a store
- Opened the 10th and 11th stores. Responsible for store design and branding.
- He also tries his hand at painting and calligraphy, but the image of death is so close to him that he resists expression, so he continues to discard his creations.
- 2019 (Age 47): Bankruptcy and Career Change
- The company run by his father went bankrupt when the corporate compensation system was terminated due to a change in compensation standards by Tokyo Electric Power Company, and he had to abandon a project that would be a ray of light for Fukushima’s recovery.
- A survey conducted to prepare compensation-related documents revealed that over a 20-year period, approximately 800,000 products using calligraphy were sold online and in brick-and-mortar stores, meaning that approximately 800,000 naming cards were created using graphological calligraphy.
- Due to a career change, he moved to Kanagawa Prefecture to join an application development company with which he has had a long-standing relationship. He is primarily responsible for application UI, UX design, and SEO.
- 2023 (Age 51): Started a business
- While serving as a director at an application development company, he founded Crafort Inc. to manufacture and sell artwork.
- Established an atelier in Matsuda-cho, Kanagawa Prefecture. Began creating artwork.
- He launched the brand “KANJI TOKYO,” which produces and sells original design apparel, and resumed painting and calligraphy.
- 2024 (Age 52): A fresh start as an artist
- He changed his way of thinking and came to believe that everything, including his artistic activities up to that point and his experiences and worries from the earthquake disaster, is “me,” and changed his pen name to “MADARA,” which represents the appearance of various colors mixed together.
- 2025 (Age 53)
- Registered as an artist at a French art gallery and began selling his works, which he continues to do to this day.
- Opened a calligraphy workshop to the public.
- Opened a B2B production business to the public.
- Set up a gallery as a Singulart artist.
- Up to the present
Madara is a Singulart artist and has a gallery.
Artist Statement
by MADARA
I do not simply write with the brush
I reflect the heart through it.
Calligraphy is not a technique of writing characters.
The sinking of ink, the trembling of vermilion, the breath of the brush
each movement lives and feels alongside human emotion.
While I deeply respect the ancient path of calligraphy,
I do not confine myself within its traditional frame.
Through my work, I breathe new life into it
infusing the brush with the emotions and prayers of our time.
To me, calligraphy is a form of dialogue beyond words.
Within each stroke live love, solitude, hope, forgiveness
and sometimes, even pain.
A line, like the human heart, never flows perfectly straight;
it quivers, leaps, and sometimes bleeds.
Yet, it is precisely within those tremors
that life reveals its true presence.
Through my practice of Hisseki-jutsu the Art of Sacred Brushstrokes
I imbue each work with prayer and the energy of fortune.
Calligraphy, to me, is not merely the creation of beauty,
but an invocation of power within the viewer’s soul.
The colors that flow from my brush are both passion and healing
a faint light kindled within the stillness of the night,
a symbol of the quiet warmth dwelling in every heart.
Calligraphy is not the act of drawing lines,
but of binding hearts together.
Upon the paper, I inscribe love, connecting people and the world itself.
Even if it takes countless attempts,
repainting, rebuilding the canvas, rewriting again and again
every moment of that process is a prayer,
a discipline, and an act of creation.
All those colors mingling and layered
form the very essence of who I am:
MADARA, the one born from the beauty of imperfection.
I am a calligrapher.
I am an artist.
I live through technique, and return to the heart.
Like colors dwelling in silence,
I continue to take up the brush and paint love.
The background of calligraphy artist MADARA
MADARA is a master of Japanese calligraphy, the traditional Japanese art of calligraphy. They started practicing it at the age of five. With guidance from a certified master of the All Japan Calligraphy Federation, MADARA improved their skills in this ancient and important art. As a young artist, they joined many exhibitions and competitions, won awards, and gained recognition for their great talent.
In 2000, when MADARA was 28 years old, they discovered Hisseki-gaku ( Graphology ). This is the scientific study of handwriting to understand personality, relationships, and behavior. MADARA became very interested in Hisseki-jutsu, a method that helps people change their luck by adjusting how they write.
MADARA saw a way to connect this method with the beauty and spirit of Japanese calligraphy. They started creating a new kind of art that combines tradition with new ideas. By using Hisseki-jutsu in Japanese calligraphy, MADARA expanded the meaning of Japanese calligraphy and gave it a new purpose.
The Unique Art of Hisseki-jutsu Calligraphy（ ” Hisseki-jutsu Shodo ” in Japanese）
Hisseki-jutsu is more than just a handwriting technique. It is a special practice from Japan that helps improve different aspects of life, such as health, wealth, success, and talent. By carefully shaping characters with these goals in mind, Hisseki-jutsu helps people bring these positive qualities into their lives.
MADARA applied this method to writing personal names, leading to the creation of ” naming art “—a form of Japanese calligraphy used to design name plaques for newborns in Japan. These plaques are believed to bring good fortune to a child’s future and became very popular. At the peak of demand, MADARA received up to 400 orders a day, creating over 800,000 name artworks over 18 years.
As the only Japanese calligraphy artist in Japan to master both traditional calligraphy and Hisseki-jutsu, MADARA’s skills are truly unique. Today, MADARA works as the Japanese calligraphy artist for KANJI TOKYO, creating custom artworks filled with wishes for success, happiness, and prosperity. Each piece—whether a name or a meaningful word—is carefully crafted, blending the beauty of Japanese calligraphy with the power of Hisseki-jutsu.
MADARA’s art is more than just something beautiful to look at. It is a meaningful expression of hope and positivity, deeply connected to Japanese tradition.
Find out more about the thoughts of calligraphy artist Madara
Artistic background and how to become an artist
My mother told me that from the time I was one year old, I was constantly doodling with crayons. My mother always provided me with art supplies and paper, so I grew up drawing every day. At the age of five, I began training in the traditional Japanese art of calligraphy under a master from the All Japan Calligraphy Federation, and my talent for it was evident from an early age. As a boy, I always won awards and received high praise whenever I exhibited my work at art shows and exhibitions. At the age of 15, I qualified as a calligraphy master, and since then, I have pursued my own unique path as a calligrapher, adopting the pen name “月颯(TSUKIKAZE)”
In 2000, at the age of 28, I discovered graphology, a study that analyzes personality, compatibility, and lifestyle traits based on the way characters are written. I was particularly drawn to the art of graphology, which suggests that changing one’s writing style can improve one’s future fortunes. I studied this technique in depth, incorporating it into my own calligraphy, pursuing new forms of expression and establishing Hisseki-jutsu calligraphy. Hisseki-jutsu calligraphy is a style of calligraphy that expresses prayers and wishes for people’s happiness.
In 2002, I began using Hisseki-jutsu calligraphy to write names on “Issho Mochi,” a traditional Japanese rice cake sold at the company where I was working at the time, with the hope that the child would grow up to be a wonderful person. This product became a huge hit, spawning numerous companies selling similar products. Over the course of 20 years, I sold 800,000 of these products, meaning I wrote the names of 800,000 people using Hisseki-jutsu calligraphy.
However, while living in Fukushima, he lost 24 family members and relatives in the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. Furthermore, due to the nuclear power plant explosion, both his company and his home were off-limits. However, he managed to move and restart his business, hoping to continue running his one-sho rice cake shop. However, in 2018, the compensation standards were changed, and even losses resulting from the nuclear power plant accident were no longer covered. As a result, the company he worked for went bankrupt. He then moved to Kanagawa Prefecture, where he practiced calligraphy as a hobby, and in 2023 he started a business selling calligraphy-based products and activities.
When I started the business, I changed my pen name from “月颯(TSUKIKAZE)” to “斑(MADARA)” which means a mixture of various things, and I currently work as a Hisseki-Jutsu calligraphy artist named MADARA.
Exploring themes and concepts in art
Love has always been at the heart of my art. After the Great East Japan Earthquake, I lost loved ones, suffered and worried, and hoped to bounce back at work, but to no avail. It was my friends who helped me through it, and my wife who always kept me strong. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia. I believe that this love goes beyond personal affection; it connects people, countries, and cultures to a “love of the world.” There are still countries in the world suffering from war and conflict. I believe that if we could feel even a little compassion for others, perhaps the trigger for war would not be pulled. Through the traditional Japanese art of calligraphy, I hope to express universal emotions and wishes deep within, creating works that quietly but truly resonate with the viewer.
… These thoughts have built up, and I have begun to explore the new realm of “contemporary calligraphy art.” I believe that by combining the strength, serenity, and spirituality of traditional calligraphy with painterly beauty, color, and decorativeness, I can create expressions that resonate intuitively with more people. I attempt to imbue my work with a “living heart” not only in the shape of the characters, but also in the white space, color, and composition itself. I write with the desire to transcend the mere act of “writing characters” and convey a “story” and “emotion” that viewers can feel in their hearts through the entire work.
To me, calligraphy is not simply the inheritance of traditional culture, but a “living art” that opens up new possibilities in the modern era. This is why I call my work “contemporary calligraphy art.” It is not an extension of the classics, but a new artistic realm that resonates with the sensibilities of people living today. I believe that when these two blend together, the strength dwelling in the lines of calligraphy and the richness of the colors of painting, an “energy of love” emerges that cannot be expressed in words.
My challenge has only just begun. However, I hope that this art, which spreads the theme of love to the world, will transcend borders and become a catalyst for connecting people’s hearts. Calligraphy art is my own prayer and challenge to give form to love for the world. I will continue to put these feelings into my works, one brush at a time.
Artistic styles and techniques
My artistic style is a unique expression that could be called “contemporary calligraphy art,” a fusion of my own uniquely developed Hisseki-jutsu calligraphy and painting.
Unlike traditional calligraphy, which simply pursues the beauty and perfect form of characters, I view characters as living forms. I create works that visually convey the meaning and emotion inherent in the characters by varying the strength of the lines, white space, the shades of ink, and even combining color and pictorial elements.
In my works, I pay particular attention to the brushstrokes, the amount of pressure, and the variations in the shades of ink and paint. For example, a single line is not simply something that has been drawn; it is in harmony with my breathing, my state of mind, and the rhythm of the entire work. I believe that lines, which are the foundation of calligraphy, give the entire work a sense of life, as if breathing, and allow the characters themselves to resonate with the viewer. The pictorial elements that adorn those lines serve to convey the meaning of the characters and the theme of the work more intuitively and sensually.
The use of white space is also an important feature of my style. Incorporating the Zen concept of “ma” (space), I am conscious of the space in which each character and color exists, breathing. The white space is not simply blank; it gives the work depth and serenity, and allows the viewer room to freely add their own emotions. This transforms the work into dynamic, interactive art that evokes unique experiences and interpretations for each viewer.
In terms of technique, I build upon traditional calligraphic techniques such as brushstrokes and ink shading, while incorporating painterly techniques such as color gradations, color mixing, and texture expression. This allows my works to transcend mere letters, creating a three-dimensional, visual world centered around the characters. Furthermore, when creating large-scale works, I vary the speed and pressure of my brushstrokes to simultaneously express the power unique to calligraphy and the rhythmic quality of painting.
My style is characterized by respecting tradition while integrating it with a modern sensibility, not bound by existing frameworks. Characters are a medium that not only convey meaning, but also speak directly to the human heart through the energy of their shapes and lines. To maximize this power, I utilize the techniques of both calligraphy and painting, aiming to create works that allow the viewer to directly experience emotions and ideas.
As a result, my works are completed as “modern calligraphy art,” in which the beauty of the characters, the richness of color, and the tranquility of the white space coexist. This is art that allows the viewer to interact with the work and discover meaning within themselves, and it is the core of my style.
What is your driving force and inspiration for creating this work? What do you want to convey through your work?
The driving force behind my work comes from the beauty and emotions present in various moments of everyday life. When I come into contact with words or sounds, when I sense the vastness of the world or the grandeur of the universe, when I am moved by the kindness and compassion of others—these moments are the great energy that drives my brush. In particular, when I experience someone’s smile or kindness, the breath of nature, or the depth of culture, I feel a strong desire to express in my work something that resonates deep within me. These moments may pass in an instant, but for me they are a source of inspiration that lasts. I want to give them form and display them.
When expressing myself through calligraphy, I do not simply paint letters or shapes; I incorporate the rhythm of my heart, thoughts, and emotions. By combining the shades of ink, the movement of the brush, the momentum of the lines, the use of white space, and in some cases, color and decorative elements, I aim to create a sensory experience that goes beyond the written word. Each line reflects my own breathing and state of mind, and I hope that when viewers come face to face with my work, it will resonate with them in their own hearts.
Through my works, I wish to convey the various emotions surrounding “love.” Compassion, impermanence, eternity, singleness, and eternal love—these are all universal themes that connect people to each other, and to the world. Life changes from moment to moment, and joy and sorrow pass, but the power of love transcends race, transcends time and space, and remains in our hearts, connecting us to the next moment and the next generation. The characters and shapes I create with my brush are intended to be more than just visually beautiful; they also bring warmth, hope, and quiet peace to the hearts of those who see them. And that is what I hope to achieve.
Furthermore, my style of “contemporary calligraphy art,” which combines calligraphy and painting, is also a means of expression that allows me to more intuitively convey my emotions and thoughts. By expressing the innermost movements of the heart and the energy of love, which cannot be conveyed through words alone, in three dimensions through color, composition, and white space, I aim for my works to become a forum for dialogue with the viewer. My hope is that this resonance, created through words, shapes, lines, and colors, will connect with the viewer’s own sense of love and compassion, bringing small realizations and joy to their daily lives.
My inspiration is fleeting, yet it takes on a lasting form through my works. I put my wishes into each and every stroke and send a message of love to the world. And I think of your happiness. This is my mission in art and the source of my passion. My works are my heart itself, and they are only complete when they resonate with the hearts of those who view them. My driving force and the greatest joy of creating is to convey compassion, hope, and everlasting love to people’s hearts through calligraphy art.