HYPER JAPAN 2012 Spring

Have you ever wondered what your name would look like in kanji, the Chinese ideogrammatic characters that are used for names, nouns, verb stems and the like in the Japanese language? Ever felt frustrated at the alphabetic mundaneness of just Mary or Tom? HYPER JAPAN London 2010 was your chance to find out what your name looks like in Japanese, and have it written, in stunning calligraphy, to keep for posterity.

The Japanese language uses three distinct scripts: katakana, used for foreign objects and onomatopoeia, hiragana, used for particles, verb endings, conjunctions and so on, and kanji, which originated in China and are used for nouns, adjectives, and verbs. There are various types of kanji, including ideograms, which means that they are graphical representations of abstract concepts, and pictograms, which are graphical representations of the actual objects they represent, and phonetic characters, which are made up of two parts, one suggesting meaning and one providing a hint to the pronunciation. The kanji system is complex but also very rich, and flexible. People can mould and shape kanji, borrowing, swapping and shaping to give nuance and depth to their writing.

How is all of this relevant? Well, Japanese proper names are also (usually) written in kanji – and when naming newborn children, there is a rich tradition of rules and ritual, such as kanji traditionally used in the family, and auspicious stroke numbers, and so on. Families will spend a long time choosing the name for their child, sometimes even consulting with a kind of ‘name fortune teller’ who will give advice as to what characters in what order will be auspicious for the child. The kanji chosen are often a reflection of the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the parents.

There are any number of sites that claim to tell you your name in kanji, so what’s different with Kanji Design? The difference is this – Koichi doesn’t just find a kanji approximation for the sound of your name. He will take time to chat with you and find a little bit about the kind of person you are. Then he will use his rich knowledge of kanji to choose a combination that is just right for you. For example, if you were Megan, and had a beautiful free spirit, then Koichi might choose to name you 美雁, where 美 (mi) is “beautiful” and 雁 (gan) is a migratory bird, often portrayed in Japanese traditional art as soaring through the skies, its long wings outstretched.

At the Kanji Design stall, visitors could choose from a selection of different canvasses, each featuring a stunning ink illustration, also by Koichi. Artwork was available framed. Koichi’s original artwork and illustrations will also be on sale. Many people went home with a brand new kanji name that really represents who they are - a stunning gift to treasure forever. Find out more about Koichi and his calligraphy here.

Koichi was born in Sapporo, Japan’s northernmost island. Before coming to the UK he studied with a calligraphy expert, but on arrival he was surprised to see how often kanji were used in designs and tattoos – and even more surprised to see how often then were incorrect or badly written.

So today, Koichi dedicates himself to introducing as many people as he can to the true beauty of kanji, which reaches it peak when the kanji are used accurately, in a true reflection of the person or object which they describe, and are written with skill and with passion. “In calligraphy, we express words and ideas in brush and ink”, says Koichi. “The power of words is infinite, and calligraphy can bring these words to life”.

So far, Koichi has taught nearly 1000 people their kanji name. His work is full of originality and creativity and by having a Japanese kanji name, it will add another meaning to your name. It's also a wonderful present for a friend, partner or family member.

You can also join Koichi for a calligraphy lesson to learn more about it.