SHIKISHI/TANZAKU
A Variety of “Shikishi & Tanzaku” to Write on and Enjoy
We offer a wide selection including tanzaku, shikishi, large shikishi, F-size shikishi, and mini shikishi.
You can choose from a wide range of types and paper qualities, such as gold, silver, and patterned designs.
They can be used for haiku, Tanabata poems, graduation events, and many other occasions.
Enjoy Shikishi Even More
Shikishi have many uses—commemorative group messages, celebrity autographs in restaurants, and more.
Why not casually write your favorite words on them?
They make wonderful gifts for friends or decorations for your own room, adding new joys to daily life.
Please choose from our wide variety of shikishi and tanzaku for those special words you’d like to share.
Shikishi ColumnShikishi Colum
History of Shikishi
Shikishi Used for Waka Poetry
Waka, one of Japan’s traditional cultural forms, was widely composed in ancient times. Poems were written with brushes on colored decorative paper.
As time passed, the size became standardized, and the term shikishi came to refer to specially cut square papers.
Today, they are widely used as square boards for waka, haiku, calligraphy, and paintings. Shikishi are also often used for autographs from celebrities.
The type of paper applied to the surface of the shikishi affects the degree of ink bleeding and the writing feel.
Standard Sizes of Shikishi
Choose the Size According to Your Work
Shikishi come in some standardized sizes.
Here are the types handled at Shoyu Online.
For Calligraphy and Painting
Large Shikishi: 24×27cm
Small Shikishi: 18×21cm
Mini Shikishi (smaller than small shikishi): 12×13.5cm / 7.5×7.5cm
For Ink Painting
F-size Shikishi: F4 (333×242mm) / F6 (410×318mm) / F8 (455×380mm) / F10 (530×455mm)
Front and Back of Shikishi
Easy to Confuse Front and Back
When thinking of shikishi, most imagine plain white boards, but some also have patterns.
For plain white shikishi, one side has a gold border, while the other has decorative sand-like gold or silver flecks.
The front is the plain white side with the gold border, not the decorative side with flecks.
For patterned or colored shikishi, the decorated side is considered the front.
Top and Bottom of Shikishi
Deciding Orientation According to Purpose
Although shikishi appear square, they are slightly taller than they are wide.
This proportion is designed so that vertical writing looks well-balanced.
For plain white shikishi, there is no particular top or bottom.
For patterned ones, orientation can often be determined by the direction of clouds, animals, or plants in the design.
Some patterns, such as arabesques, can be used either way. For shaded designs, the larger shaded area is usually placed at the bottom.
For patchwork-style shikishi, you can choose whichever orientation you prefer.
Writing Feel Depending on Paper Quality
Choose According to Your Purpose
Shikishi are not made of a single thick sheet of paper, but consist of a thick core with calligraphy paper or torinoko paper applied to the surface.
The writing feel differs depending on the type of paper used, and even within the same type, characteristics may vary slightly.
Choose according to your work and purpose: shikishi with gasenshi paper allow more ink absorption and are suitable for large characters, while torinoko paper resists bleeding and is recommended for kana or small characters.
