Shodo Workshop for Beginners (Afternoon)

Friday, April 18, 2:00-3:45 PM ET (Workshop A)

Other time available: 5:00-6:45 PM ET (Workshop B)

Japanese calligraphy, also known as shodo, is a revered, centuries-old art form and Zen practice which evokes harmony, beauty, and balance. Shodo uses a brush and charcoal ink on paper, wood plaques, and fabric and includes Chinese characters (kanji) and Japanese hiragana. Although it originated in the techniques used for letter writing, with its unique form of expression it has developed into an art genre.

 Beginners Workshop: 
Spend an afternoon or evening trying the art of Japanese calligraphy. In this in-person workshop, you will learn how to use a brush and the brush strokes in basic kanji and will complete a piece to take home. Japanese language skills are not required. Supplies will be provided. These workshops are designed for adults aged 18 and above. Workshop A and Workshop B are identical, please register for one slot.

For a printer friendly version, please click here: Workshop Information (PDF)

Instructor

Megumi Barringer 雅号：修佳 (Calligraphy name Shuka Barringer) has a calligraphy instructor license from the Nihon Sogo Shogeiin of Public Interest Incorporated Association in Japan since 1997, and she has been teaching calligraphy in Kamakura, Japan and Princeton, New Jersey for over 20 years. She is a calligraphy instructor at Princeton Community Japanese Language School, Princeton University, and teaches calligraphy classes to children and adults in Princeton. She has been teaching Shodo at Japan Society since 2017. Her work (seal carving, kanji, kana) was selected for the Mainichi Calligraphy Exhibition. She presents her work every August at a calligraphy exhibition held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.

How to Register

Workshop capacity is limited! To guarantee a seat, please register as soon as possible. If the workshop reaches full capacity, a waitlist may be available. Please email [email protected].

Tuition: $42 nonmembers /$35 Japan Society Members and Corporate members

Registration Deadline: Please register by 12pm noon on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. After this date, please email us to inquire as seats may no longer be available.

Registration may be completed online (preferred) or by phone at (212) 715-1269 or (212) 715-1293, or in-person (please inquire for hours).

Japan Society reserves the right to cancel any course or workshop due to unforeseen circumstances, including but not limited to insufficient enrollment. Enrolled students will be refunded 100% of the tuition paid without incurring a service charge. 

For more information, please email us at [email protected], or call at (212) 715-1269 or (212) 715-1293.

Please Note

UPDATE! Cancellation Policy: Cancellations are accepted until 12 pm ET, TWO BUSINESS DAYS before the workshop begins. The Language Center’s business days are Monday – Friday, except for most federal holidays. After this deadline, cancellations are not accepted and tuition is not refundable or transferable for any reason (including for credit). Upon cancellation, the tuition paid minus the nonrefundable administrative fee ($5 per workshop) will be refunded. 

Cancellation requests can be made either by phone or email, but they must be received by the office by the cancellation deadline. Otherwise, cancellation requests will not be fulfilled.

Japan Society also reserves the right to cancel any workshop if sufficient enrollment is not obtained. In such cases, students already enrolled will receive full refunds (no administrative fee).

By registering for a workshop, you accept and agree to the above terms of the cancellation policy.

We do not record our workshops, and recording of these workshops is prohibited.

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Japan Society’s 120th anniversary initiatives and related programs are generously supported by Champion Sponsor, MUFG Bank, Ltd.

Japan Society programs are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Support for Japan Society’s Language Center is provided, in part, by Mark F. Goldfield and Mary E. Hatch, Christopher Hong, Steven Giordano, and Dr. Bic Kanayjorn.