Brushes

Brushes

We Carry Over 550 “Shodo / Shuji” Calligraphy Brushes.


A Wide Variety of Calligraphy Brushes

There is a rich variety of calligraphy brushes—such as “Kanji brushes,” “Kana brushes,” “Student brushes,” “Tang-style brushes,” and “Performance brushes.”
Because there are so many options, many people struggle with how to choose and end up feeling their brush is hard to use.
At Shoyu Online, we introduce brush types and how to choose the right one so you can shop with confidence.
We also stock carefully selected brushes from many manufacturers, so we believe we can serve a wide range of customers—from elementary school students to professional calligraphers.

Our In-House Brushes Achieve “High Quality at a Low Price” by Controlling Costs

By keeping costs down, we offer many brushes that deliver “high quality at a low price,” including lines like “Shuhitsudo,” “Shukan-fude,” and “Kinchō-fude.”
Please try various items.

 

Brushmaking in Nara began about 1,200 years ago, when Kūkai brought brush and ink-making techniques back from Tang China and production started domestically.
Nara is considered the birthplace of Japanese brushmaking.
Meanwhile, brushmaking also flourished in Hiroshima about 180 years ago, and brushes developed together with many calligraphers are still beloved today.
At Shoyu Online, we carry a broad selection—from Nara brushes designated as Traditional Crafts of Japan to Kumano and Kawajiri brushes, as well as our own Tang-style brush brands.

 

History of Brushes

Nara Period: Brushes Introduced to Japan

Brushes are thought to have originated in China during the Qin dynasty and were imported to Japan along with Chinese culture during the Yamato era.
In the early Heian period, the envoy Kūkai brought back brush- and ink-making methods from Tang China, which is said to mark the beginning of Japanese brushmaking.

◆The Birth of Nara Brushes
Distinctive features of Nara brushes include having a single craftsperson handle all processes from hair selection to finishing, and using the traditional “neri-maze” (knead-mixing) method when blending hairs.
This “neri-maze” method involves soaking each type of hair separately in water, forming them into the “hirame-awase” shape, then carefully determining proportions and blends according to the condition and characteristics of the hairs, and kneading them together thoroughly. This process produces brushes with exquisitely balanced writing feel.
The oldest extant brushes in Japan are the “Tenpyō brushes” stored in the Shōsōin. They are “paper-wrapped brushes” (kamimaki-fude) whose bases are reinforced with paper.
From the Meiji era, the “o-jime (ito-jime)” method—allowing use with the base wetted all the way to the root—became mainstream.

◆The Rise of Brushmaking Nationwide
Brushmaking in Kumano City began about 180 years ago when the Hiroshima Domain encouraged the craft.
Today it is said to account for about 80% of national production.

How to Identify a Good Brush

1. The tip forms a sharp point without splitting and holds together well. Especially for small brushes, the very tip should be responsive and cohesive.
2. The entire tip (hairs) is well-formed, with hairs wrapped evenly.
3. The hairs are durable with moderate resilience. The belly of the brush flexes appropriately to writing pressure and returns to shape when released.
4. The whole tip forms a clean, conical shape.

Set (Stiffened) Brushes vs. Pre-Softened Brushes

Brushes include “set (stiffened) brushes,” whose tips are glued, and “pre-softened brushes,” which are not glued from the start.
Set brushes are made so you can break in (soften) about half the tip and use them, or fully soften them before use.
For pre-softened brushes, choose ones with resilient hairs, a well-aligned tip, and uniform hairs.

How to Handle a Brush (Breaking In and Washing)

◆For Large Brushes
When breaking in a set brush, soak the portion you will use in lukewarm water, gently loosen it from the tip with your fingers, and remove the glue thoroughly before use.
After use, wash carefully, focusing on the base until the ink is completely gone.
After washing, remove moisture, shape the tip, and hang to dry in a well-ventilated place out of direct sunlight until fully dry.

◆For Small Brushes
For small brushes, gently protect about one-third of the tip with your fingers before use.
When washing after use, moisten a scrap sheet of paper with water, wipe off the ink while shaping the tip on the paper, dry well, and store in a brush roll.

Hairs Used in Brushes and Their Characteristics

◆Yamba (Mountain Horse Hair)
Once popular for kaisho (standard script) brushes. A very hard hair, now known as a premium material.

◆Horse Hair
Hard yet resilient, commonly used for kaisho and gyōsho (semi-cursive) brushes.
Features moderate hardness and suppleness. Often used in large brushes. Compared with goat hair, it is more resilient and holds less ink.
Among horse hairs, the “amao” (root of the tail) is said to have the best resilience and is used in stiff or mixed-hair large brushes to add spring.

◆Weasel Hair
Moderately resilient and supple; forms a sharp, cohesive tip.
Softness, resilience, sharpness, and tack are well balanced, offering a smooth writing feel that expresses stops, hooks, and sweeps beautifully, making it common for kaisho, gyōsho, and kana brushes.
It is popular and easy for beginners to use. Fine weasel-hair brushes are also recommended for slender, flowing kana.

◆Raccoon Dog Hair
Hard yet supple. Capable of expressing beautiful stops, hooks, and sweeps.
Since it is longer than weasel hair, it is used in medium-sized brushes, and because it doesn’t over-cohere, it imparts a pleasant roughness to lines.
Favored for creative work as well.

◆Mixed Goat and White Horse (Kengō) Brushes
With moderate resilience, these hairs are easy to handle even for beginners. Recommended for kaisho and for writing copybooks.

◆Rabbit Hair (Shigō)
Rabbit hair is durable and has been used in brushes since ancient times.
The representative black rabbit hair called “shigō (purple hare)” expresses stops, hooks, and sweeps cleanly and is often used for sutra-copying brushes.

◆Cat Hair (Tamage)
Cat hair is called “tamage,” having a bulge around the middle of each hair, a strong tip, and a unique tack.
Suitable for drawing fine lines, it is used for kana brushes. It produces distinctive, tacky lines different from goat hair.

◆Goat Hair
Here “sheep” actually refers to goats. The hair is fine-grained, soft, and noted for excellent ink retention.
Goat hair is classified into dozens of grades depending on body area.
The high-quality hair taken from part of a male goat’s neck is called “Saikōhō” and has long been known as a top-grade material.
■ Saikōhō … Long, thin tips with overall moderate resilience.
■ Sainenkōhō … From the same area as Saikōhō but limited to young goats; finer hairs with less resilience and softer feel.
■ Goat tail / beard … Mixed in as core hairs to add resilience to the brush.

Names Based on Hair Blends

Brushes are named according to how hairs are blended.
① Gōmō (Hard Hair) … Made only with rigid hairs such as horse or weasel.
② Kengō (Mixed Hair) … Also called “kenmō.” A mix of two or more types of animal hair.
③ Jūmō (Soft Hair) … Also called “jūgō.” Made only with soft hairs; often refers to goat-hair brushes.

Brush Parts

Brush Structure

A calligraphy brush is made by bundling hairs from various animals, wrapping the base with thread, and fitting the tip (tuft) into the handle.
Handles are often made of bamboo, but plastics and other materials are also used.

Brush Tip (Tuft)

◆Meike (Core Tip Hair)
The very tip of the brush is called the “meike,” the most important part determining writing feel.
Although a brush uses various hairs, especially good hairs are selected for the meike.

◆Throat
The section corresponding to the area made with the so-called “second hairs.”

◆Belly
The section corresponding to the area made with the so-called “third and fourth hairs.”

◆Waist
The section corresponding to the area made with hairs from the fifth group onward.

◆Daruma
Also called the “inner core,” this is the area where the tuft is inserted.

◆Fudekan (Ferrule/Handle Tube)
The brush handle is called the “fudekan,” and materials range from bamboo to plastic.
The weight and length of the handle balance with the tuft and are important factors influencing writing feel.

◆End Cap
The part connecting the handle and the hanging cord; materials range from plastic to ivory.

◆Hanging Cord
The cord used when hanging the brush to dry.
Brushes without a cord cannot be hung, so take care when purchasing.

Brush Sizes and Terms

By Tip Length

Brushes are classified from extra-long tips to short tips according to tip length.
For beginners practicing on hanshi paper, a medium-length tip is recommended.
■ Extra-Long Tip … Tip length ≥ 6× the handle diameter.
■ Long Tip … Tip length 4.5–6× the handle diameter; suited to cursive and kana.
■ Medium Tip … Tip length 3–4.5× the handle diameter; suited to kaisho and gyōsho.
■ Short Tip … Tip length 2–3× the handle diameter; suited to tensho (seal script), etc.

By Tip Diameter

The “No.” shown in product names indicates general use cases.
■ No.1 … Large brush. Tip diameter 1.6–1.8 cm. Suited to large sheets like zenshi.
■ No.2 … Large brush. Tip diameter 1.4–1.6 cm. Suited to large sheets like zenshi.
■ No.3 … Medium brush. Tip diameter 1.2–1.4 cm. Recommended thickness for hanshi practice.
■ No.4 … Medium brush. Tip diameter 1.0–1.2 cm. Recommended thickness for hanshi practice.
■ No.5 … Medium brush. Tip diameter 0.9–1.0 cm. Recommended thickness for hanshi practice.
■ No.6 … Medium brush. Tip diameter 0.8–0.9 cm. For fine characters such as letters and sutra copying.
■ No.7 … Medium brush. Tip diameter 0.75 cm. For fine characters such as letters and sutra copying.
■ No.8 … Medium brush. Tip diameter 0.7 cm. For fine characters such as letters and sutra copying.

559 products